How to Raise Your Practice Expectations

:dropcap_open:S:dropcap_close:urprisingly, many chiropractors do not know that the success or failure of their practice first starts in the mind. Even before a dollar is collected, a chiropractor that has limited himself in the goals he has set for his practice has also limited the amount of success his practice will receive. There is an old adage that states, “Aim for the moon, even if you miss it, you will still land among the stars.” There is indeed a lot of truth in this, and it is something that all chiropractors should consider when thinking about how successful they would like their practice to be. If you set high expectations for your chiropractic practice, even if you just come close to the goal, it is better than limiting what you are capable of making.

 

Most analysts that work with overachievers and other highly successful people admit that they all have one thing in common – they think big. As Steve Jobs from Apple, Inc. once said, “Dream bigger.” This is not about living in fairy tale land, but rather sitting down and developing a solid plan for your practice to increase in all areas. More patients, more revenue and a better level of service should all be part of your “Think Big” plan. It is all about increasing the performance of your practice to meet your expectations.

This is a good time to pause and think about your chiropractic practice. Do you really have expectations for it? Do you have small expectations that are limiting your ability to succeed? Are you just merely hoping your practice survives from year to year, or would you like to see a significant increase in revenue? Do you have an exact financial goal ($) you are working toward?

Your plan should be clear and concise, and this is why you are encouraged to write it down. Not only should a chiropractor have clear and well-thought expectations for a practice, he should also let his staff know what these expectations are. Employees perform better when they are given clear and realistic goals. You should continually talk about your monthly goals and your overall annual goals. In this way, your staff will know what is expected of them, and what they will need to do to help meet these expectations.

:dropcap_open:You should continually talk about your monthly goals and your overall annual goals.:quoteleft_close:
Some chiropractors prefer to have vague expectations or goals, so they will not be disappointed when their practice is not successful. Setting vague goals is no way to run a business. By doing so, these chiropractors fail to realize that their lack of definite goals and expectations is potentially contributing to the limited success or failure of their practice. At the end of the financial year, when their practice does poorly, or has a limited amount of success, they feel justified in having set vague expectations or goals initially. However, they fail to see that a vague expectation or goal is like a moving target. Think how hard it would be to hit a moving target.

 

Celebrate when your practice reaches its monthly and annual goals. The way you choose to reward your staff can vary each month, but there should be a party at the end of the year when the practice expectations are achieved or even surpassed. Rewards have been shown as the best way to incorporate a new behavior. Rewards also give your employees something to work toward and show that you appreciate all they did. Therefore, by celebrating and rewarding the hard work and achievements of everyone that contributed to the success, your practice can set even higher goals and expectations for the following year.