Thinking of doing your own thing?
Ask yourself, who will you be ‘being’ in 2030
Stuck to the wall of the tiny office in my practice were many Post-It notes. Written on them were phrases of encouragement gleaned from a variety of sources. Two that stick in my memory were: “If it was that easy, we would all be millionaires”, and the five letters “I.A.D.O.Y.” standing for ‘It All Depends On You’. The latter is still with me, on the wall above my desk; it comes to mind when I am working with clients who are hitting setbacks on their own roads to success.
Just over a decade ago I did a survey of dentists, clients and others in the profession, asking them to answer this question: “What do you wish you had been taught, and were able to understand before you left dental school, that you have since had to learn for yourself?” The answers were varied with several overlapping themes. I used many of the responses to fuel my coaching programmes, speeches and writing. Out of the research came ‘The Seven Pillars of a Successful Dental Business’. Mainly of the replies concerned how hard the reality of life in dentistry was, the challenges beyond the “merely” clinical, and usually involved the application of the fundamental trilogy of business: time, people and money.
Two television programmes, Dragons’ Den and The Apprentice, make me not so much hit the ‘off’ button, but avoid all contact completely. There seems to be an irony; that the UK has a problem with growth yet so many people, and dentistry is no exception, want to see and label themselves as entrepreneurs. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with starting a business; I was a photographer at 15, a DJ during my undergraduate years, started two practices in the space of 15 months and then went on to build a successful coaching and consultancy business. But is the ‘entrepreneur model’ as depicted in the media such a great thing? True entrepreneurs have a number of notable strengths, including innovation, resilience, risk taking, passion and adaptability. They are good leaders, problem solvers and display self-reliance.
However, I have a problem with the media image of entrepreneurs; they often appear overconfident and impatient, they do not, or will not, delegate when appropriate and the number of failed relationships testifies to a lack of balance in their lives. They can be inconsistent, are frequently financially naive, and often resistant to feedback. Of course, we are told that to be successful as an entrepreneur you must have belief in yourself. This drive can often clash with a clinical career.
One of biggest problem that I encounter with potential ‘dental entrepreneurs’ is that they believe they are already good leaders, and so on, just because they say so. I sometimes think of John Maxwell’s words: “He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk”. Here are a few reasons, of many, that good dentists may not be instinctive entrepreneurs.
They focus on details – having been trained to focus on the “micro”, a small specific area, they have a hyper-focus and can’t see a bigger picture.
They are used to working in isolation, with one assistant, which can limit their experience in managing, and working with, larger teams.
The shift of the dynamic of dealing with one person (a patient) to collaborating with a team is challenging. This can result in over cautious decision-making that can clash with the need for boldness of leadership.
The highly specialised training of a Dental Surgeon may not lend itself to the broader, varied challenges that leaders often face.
There is a need for very difficult communication styles between that required for a hands on, face-to-face, empathetic dentist – patient relationship and the role of a motivational and inspirational leader.
That doesn’t mean the steps to leadership required for success as a dental business owner cannot be made – as I often say: “I did it, anyone can do it.” – but I wouldn’t wish all the mistakes I made on anyone! Ownership and the associated leadership come in many forms, and I always encourage my clients to discover their unique style and not to copy anyone else – especially if that is someone you’re watching on an edited and highlighted entertainment based television show or in a glossy magazine.
Having written these reasons for caution I believe that working as your own boss is the most satisfying way of becoming the dentist that you want to be. The frustration of life as an associate is something I remember all too well; the contrast with honing and living your own philosophy of practice, building the professional life that you want to live and enjoying the fruits of your labour are second to none. It won’t come easy; you will learn to be surprised at how much you can achieve in a week, but how little in a year.
So, if you’re thinking of doing your own thing, taking control of your own life and career; do it. Perhaps start by asking yourself this question: “Who will you be ‘being’ in 2030, that you want to be, that you are not being now?”
Author
Alun K Rees BDS is The Dental Business Coach. An experienced dental practice owner who changed career, he now works as a coach, consultant, trouble-shooter, analyst, speaker, writer and broadcaster. He brings the wisdom gained from his and others’ successes to help his clients achieve the rewards their work and dedication deserve.