A Better Result

God, please provide me with a better result, but don't ask me to do anything different

by Mike Farley

Last month I was invited to make a presentation to a dental office that some years ago had been a client of ours. They had asked me to assist them with designing a resolution for one of their practice's major problems: "last minute cancellations and no-shows."

As I began to address the Team, they assured me that LMC/NS's were, indeed, a major cause of stress and frustration within the practice. I spent the next 20 minutes reviewing what I thought were the main causes of this situation -- then proceeded to suggest four improvements to their current system which, if effectively implemented, would dramatically reduce their LMC/NS's. These suggested changes or improvements involved languaging skills; design of a letter to patients; confirming appointments; and the dismissal of offending patients.

As we began to openly discuss the process of how these improvements would be implemented a noticeable shift in attitude began to occur within the room. Body language became defensive, and negative verbal comments flowed freely. Suddenly, various team members said things like "I refuse to talk with patients regarding something as sensitive as not showing up for their appointment. What if they get mad?", "I haven't got time to keep track of open units", "What if patients prefer to be confirmed one day in advance of their appointment instead of two days in advance?", "What if we inadvertently dismiss Doctor's fishing buddy?", "What if a one-armed alien shows up at our practice on Christmas Eve?" Oh, the Ya-Buts!!

LMC/NS's, which 40 minutes previously had been seen by all as a major problem, were now being dismissed by the majority of the Team as inconsequential and not worthy of any further discussion or action.

What happened? Human nature happened. The desire to get a better result was overwhelmed by an unwillingness to make the changes necessary to achieve that better result. In the above example, the team wanted the LMC/NS problem to go away, but they preferred magical intervention over the effort required to implement an improved system.

Here are a few other oft-repeated examples of responsive/reactive complacencies within a dental practice: "It's the staff's problem!", "It's the doctor's problem!"; "I thought you wanted all the other members of the team to make the change. I didn't realize you wanted me to change, too."; "I'm not comfortable with that solution."

The Real Problem

Of course, the real problem is related to our comfort zone . We are very hesitant to make any changes because we perceive that the pain of making the change will be more than the pain of staying the same and continuing to achieve a mediocre result. Our brain then bombards us with the "bad possibilities" that might occur if we make a change. Psychologists tell us that the response of a small group to a suggested change or improvement is 85% negative.

Yet, why do we continue to do things that don't produce the desired result? If something doesn't provide us with satisfaction and a feeling of excellence, why are we doing it? When something isn't working, stress, frustration, anxiety or anger appear. These symptoms are nature's way of telling is that we are going in the wrong direction and that a change is required.

Making a change implies effort in opposition to the inertia of laziness or the resistance of fear.

Making the Change

When designing a change or improvement we always start with the following questions:

1.What is the issue? What isn't working? What could be improved?

2. What is the Desired Result?

After the desired result has been agreed upon -- ascertain the action (steps; system; etc.) that must be implemented:

1. What are the possible action plans that will bring about the desired result?

2. Of the possible action plans, which is the best action plan?

3. What are the steps to implement the best action plan?

4. What is the necessary follow-up to insure that the action plan is on target and creating the desired result?

"If you always do what you've always done -- you will always get what you've always got." Clearly, the results we are getting in life or in our business are directly related to our actions or the formulas we have in place. If we desire a different result, the actions or formulas must be changed.

Change is exciting! The perceived risk is small when compared to the potential gain.