The Action Formula

When I was up north, juggling 3 cell phones and a Blackberry, I knew I wanted out, but I just couldn't make myself DO it. I kept looking for an answer to get me motivated to make this move in my life, and yet every day I'd end up at the same office.

Ruth tried to get me to read those self-help books, but you know me, Harry. I'm not a touchy-feely-soul-searchin' kind of guy. I'm a formula guy. If it goes into EXCEL, I'm there.

Anyway, I found a formula that worked for me. It's really simple - so simple, you're gonna laugh. But it was the answer for me. After 30 years of talking about my dream, this formula showed me how to get it.

So, here ya go - I'll give it to you for free -

If you want to take action on something, you need 3 things:

DESIRE + RESOURCES + PERMISSION

3 things, Harry. That's all. But you have to have all 3 of them:

DESIRE: you have to want something

RESOURCES: you have to have be able to get it; and

PERMISSION:   you have to be willing to let yourself have it

Desire + Resources + Permission = ACTION

The secret is that each piece of the formula must be equally weighted. So, the greater the D, the greater the R and P have to be (and it works that way for all 3 components of the formula).

M.A.D. Leadership for Healthcare

Be honest. Other than brownie sundaes, what's better than when you can get people to do what you want them to do? Especially when they do it without your having to ask them, plead with them, threaten them, bribe them or hire someone else to make them.

On the chance that you are the kind of person who won't be able to sleep until you know where all of this is going, I'm going to give you the bottom line right now:

If you want everyone to do what you want them to do, all you have to do is establish rapid trust and rapport, and then apply targeted techniques that will allow you to motivate and align the people and differentiate your practice in the community.  

That's all there is to it. The rest of this book will show you how.

First, you'll read about proven, practical techniques to build rapport and develop trust in a quick and efficient manner through the 4 Languages of The M.A.D. Formula. Then, you'll be ready to get M.A.D.:

Motivate people to action (your partners, your staff, your patients and their families, referring colleagues, vendors, students, the community at large and yourself);

Align people to a common mission and action plan while encouraging individual strengths to create an environment that runs efficiently and enthusiastically, regardless of conflict and other stressful situations; and

Differentiate your practice in your community by consistently projecting your uniqueness internally and externally.

"But I already do a lot of that stuff!"

Good!

If you're getting all the results you want, your practice is running smoothly, and you're living the life you want, then you're good to go. But if you want more, then read on.

I've worked with many clients who already had a good start on all three of the components of The M.A.D. Formula, but who needed some new strategies to enable them to bring their results to a higher level. I've also worked with clients who had devoted their careers to clinical excellence and who had lost track of the people along the way. These clients needed to apply more of the techniques in this book in order to find a better balance and improve their results.

Whether you only need a few new strategies, or decide to apply them all, this book will give you what you need to master the people factor and enhance your success.

Articles for Your Success

BUILDING A CULTURE OF INTIMACY

Transforming Your Practice into a Place Patients Call Home

ABSTRACT

There are a growing number of practitioners who find that the busier they get, the less successful they are. They report that they are working harder, seeing more patients, and taking home less money. They have a minimal connection with their fellow clinicians, staff members or patients. They are unfulfilled, and even disillusioned. Physicians aren't the only ones who are complaining - patient satisfaction and loyalty is decreasing, and staff members are holding negativity sessions in the parking lot. Welcome to 21st Century Medicine - where significant improvements in healthcare have led to an exponential decrease in success.

The solution is to exact a culture change by implementing a strategic, operational plan in which your large practice is managed as if it were a small one. A Culture of Intimacy(tm) streamlines communications so that interactions are cleaner, more effective and less time consuming. The benefits are measurable and palpable, ranging from enhanced patient, employee, and partner relations to increased referrals and bottom-line profitability.

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Can the Honeymoon Last?
How to Keep An Executive Team Alive and Kicking!

ABSTRACT

In today's healthcare arena, the rising cost of doing business, coupled with the stress of responsibilities and call schedules, has led an increasing number of doctors to come together to form group practices. From the process you use to recruit new doctors, to the ongoing maintenance of a healthy team, there are a number of key strategies that can help you to avoid the partnership pitfalls and form an Executive Team that will be effective, profitable and enjoyable.

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5-Star Service - The Simple Truth

ABSTRACT

What happens when a consultant who teaches 5-Star Service to healthcare practices becomes a patient? From the initial evaluation in a private practice, through surgery and rehabilitation, this article outlines the first-hand experience of the author and outlines the simple truth about how to stand out in your community as the premier provider of quality care and customer service.

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Be a Real Professional!

ABSTRACT

In an era where healthcare practices are striving to provide better customer service, reduce staff turnover, increase referrals and build stronger revenues, we need a standard of excellence upon which to base our expectations, model our behaviors and hold our team members accountable.   This article lays a foundation for a model of professionalism that allows every practice to build a team of people who serve as consistent and energized representatives of your unique vision - no matter how big or small your practice.

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24/7:The Art of Mastering the Doctor-Spouse Work Team

ABSTRACT

An increasing number of healthcare practices are owned, managed and staffed by married couples. As doctors and their spouses merge their talents to work together, we see a frequent outcome: While the professional alliance is financially and strategically sound, the non-stop reality of living and working together 24 hours a day - 7 days a week is putting a strain on their personal relationships. Following are 5 Steps to make the alliance succeed - at work and at home.

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LOW-INVESTMENT, HIGH-YIELD MARKETING: How to Use
Seminars to Build Your Medical Practice

ABSTRACT

Marketing your practice through free, public seminars is an excellent way to build your practice and your reputation in the community. But, how do you do this without throwing away your time and money or, worse, making a total fool of yourself? It's all a simple matter of knowing (1) how to get people to come, (2) where to hold your seminar, (3) what to present, (4) how to present and (5) how to convert attendees to loyal patients.

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