19 Feb A time for Deliberate Growth and Progress!

When we were children, we were taught to be kind, careful and to respect each other. Our parents and teachers instilled in us, the importance of trying our hardest and doing our best work in school. As we grew up, life became more complicated and we were introduced to competition, failure, and disappointment. We saw that being kind, careful, respectful, and giving our best effort, did not always produce the results we desired. A grade on a test may have been lower than we expected, or a possible promotion went to another co-worker. Maybe a person we liked, did not like us.

At an early age we develop skills and confidence as well as doubt and uncertainty. Some of us grow up questioning ourselves and created a self-fulfilling prophecy as we aged and took on responsibility. Failure became insurmountable for us, so we learned to mitigate risk and not take chances.

As children we were fearless and curious. Children have a true appetite to learn about the world around them. They are relentless. If mom said no, we would ask dad. If someone said, “do not touch it”, we had to touch it! Curiosity got the best of us.

Working from home, and not knowing when this virus crisis will end has taken its toll on all of us. We have become extremely cautious as we isolate in our little, Covid bubbles. The damage and despair of this pandemic has played havoc on our psyche. It has impacted the economy, politics, public health, the supply chain, and our personal wellbeing. Hundreds of thousands of small businesses have closed forever. Household, name brands that we grew up with, have filed for bankruptcy and will cease to exist forever. 

The good news is that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are making their way into people’s arms. And in another couple of weeks, Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine will join the mix accelerating vaccinations.

Over the last few weeks, there has been an uptick in the economy. There is a quiet optimism with leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners. The activity is notable but so is the change in intention, process, and desired outcomes. Much of the energy and resources have been retargeted because Covid has forced businesses to reinvent themselves. 

In the small business sector, activity and opportunity is strong right now even though many businesses have closed or were negatively impacted during the pandemic. There will be fewer stores to support robust consumerism when customer confidence improves. As consumers reengage their favorite service providers, they will learn that some did not fare well during this past year or may have closed. They will be looking for new service providers with great online rankings and customer reviews. 

I have spoken to several clients that I have known for decades about the state of their business. The responses were varied but everyone is looking ahead. The majority have informed me that business is ramping up. Some tell me they are trying to keep up and others say, they are recovering. Some offices have been impacted more than others by Covid. This is due to their business model, business acumen, geography, and patient demographic. Older patients and health compromised patients may be delaying their dental appointments and many healthier patients, have Covid anxiety. As healthcare professionals we know that delayed care increases both chronic and acute health conditions, so it is our responsibility to educate and reappoint our patients, especially those in the middle of treatment. 

To meet these challenges, we must be deliberate, growth oriented and focused on progress.  

Let us become the child we used to be. Allowing our curiosity and desire to overcome our fear of failure or whatever else is holding you back. Take a chance on yourself and the team that has supported you during this virus crisis. Be relentless and aspirational as you transform your practice and your team with new technology, operational efficiencies, and a renewed commitment to the customer experience. Complications in life, such as Covid, derail our plans, force us to delay our dreams, create unforeseen obstacles and often, deliver unwanted results. In these early days of our Covid recovery, only the courageous, the relentless and the determined will experience great growth. They will take advantage of the unforeseen opportunities and will collaborate with other people and businesses that are committed to winning the future!