Can you excel by offering traditional dentistry, whilst also pioneering new business ideas, Alun Rees questions.
Recently I saw a profile piece about Jim Hackett – the new chief executive of the Ford Motor Company.
A decade after Alan Mulally halted their last slide, Ford face trouble again.
New boss Hackett has enjoyed a very successful career in office furniture but faces huge challenges at the company that was once an industry leader.
What has this got to do with dentistry?
Inspire
The new man has a reputation for being able to manage for today while planning for tomorrow, plus the ability to inspire.
I would argue that these three attributes are essential to any practice owner or associate dentist seeking success.
Dentistry needs high quality day-to-day management, targets have to be hit, cashflow maintained and steady growth accomplished.
The future never takes care of itself; careful strategic planning through knowledge of treatment trends and technological innovations plus an awareness of a fluctuating economy is vital.
Finally comes the ability to lead and inspire the clinicians, DCPs and administrative staff alike to ensure that they understand what you are trying to achieve and how you will reach your business goals.
Hackett knows that it is vital to maintain and develop the products important to your base, whilst developing new products.
Regular disease control through periodontal maintenance, routine whitening plus short-term orthodontics anyone?
Can you double-deliver by excelling in the ‘old way’ of doing business, whilst pioneering new ways?
Around the corner
Henry Ford famously once said: ‘If I had asked people what they wanted they would have said, “give us faster horses”.’
As Steve Jobs taught us: ‘A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.’
What’s around the corner for dentistry?
