The Power of Focus

If you are like me, there was a time as a kid when you discovered the power of magnification. For me it happened when Dad took a magnifying glass out of his drawer and we went outside with a small piece of paper. Positioning the magnifying glass in the perfect position in relation to the rays of the sun, he lit the paper on fire. Three seeming unrelated things: a piece of paper, a magnifying glass, and the rays of the sun. But when the three are focused just the right way, they are very powerful. That is the magnifying power of focus.

The same principle applies in the office. That which we focus on with the right ingredients, has the power to ignite a powerful force. What are the ingredients?
1. Focus
2. Skill
3. Measurement

First: Focus. While talking to a long-time dentist acquaintance of mine this week, he commented on how they had doubled their average new patient flow last month. How did it happen? Focus! A new internet tool they are using on their website records the in-bound calls that are generated from their website. In listening to those calls, it was clear that things had gotten off track in this area and it was time for some focused effort for improvement. Their first step of improvement was simply to make a decision to focus on a specific area for improvement and stay after it until things got better.

Second: Skill. Once you have determined your area of focus, there needs to be skills and systems implemented or re-implemented to get better results. In our first example, the team immediately went back to their ToPS New Patient Relationship Form and started using it on every potential new patient call. Next, they reviewed their ToPS verbal skills that they learned at the ToPS “Total Immersion” Course and started using them on each and every call. The best intentions and most positive attitude will only go so far. With the right skills…and the right attitude, results will start happening.

Third: Measurement. We all need feedback. Without measurement we never know if our focused efforts are paying off. In addition to the total number of new patients, this team started measuring the ratio of potential new patient calls to new patients scheduled from those calls as we have discussed before. With daily measurement, the team could see if their efforts were focused properly and if they were getting better results. In the magnifying glass example, there is a difference between creating a bright light and creating a burning flame. Sometimes the difference is a slight twist of the wrist. But without visible feedback, you would never know if you were on fire or not! So how do you know if your practice is “on fire?” You’ll never know unless you measure the areas on which you are focusing.

So where do you need to put your magnification focus in your practice? You can’t focus on everything all the time. But you can focus on some things some of the time. With the proper focus in the right areas, you can move through the practice one area at a time and light them all on fire!”

1. Focus
2. Skill
3. Measurement

Three ingredients of continual, never-ending improvement. Decide right now where you need to put some magnified focus in your practice…and watch things catch fire!