Originally posted April 30, 2009

The other day while grocery shopping I overhead a couple of the employees complaining about a co-worker that called in sick again and their frustration of having to cover shifts. It makes me think back to when I was a Deputy Sheriff and had to cover shifts for other deputies who didn’t feel like going to work OR if it was a quiet shift they asked to leave early. Then it would happen…things would pick up and those few remaining on shift were left to pick up the slack. Everything became hectic. A system designed to be run by 3 or 4 people doesn’t run as smoothly with only 2.

Do you have a staff infection? Does your staff ask to leave early because it’s quiet? Do they bring their personal problems to work with them? Give me a break, they are there to do a job. If I ever would of asked to leave early because there was no one scheduled for a re-exam or no new patients were on the book Dr. Sovinsky’s response would of been, “You can do anything once!” When I finally decided to get a divorce from my husband, Dr. Sovinsky was shocked, didn’t even realize that there was a problem.

If you have these problems, then YOU have a staff infection. A staff infection can boil, get infected and irritate your practice and your growth.
Posted by Ellen

Originally posted April 17, 2009

Well it has happened again! – But this time to the richest of all provinces. The Axe has fallen on provincial chiropractic insurance and without much warning. Don’t stop reading if you think this doesn’t apply to you! This week the Alberta government released their 2009 budget and it stated that they have chosen to de-list chiropractors in Alberta, Canada to the tune of 53 million dollars. Although this number doesn’t sound like much it affects 800,000 users of chiropractic per year. The Government paid $200.00 per year or $14.00 per visit – no questions asked! This was a huge thing in the eyes of the public – because to them the money that they received each fiscal year was a big deal! The mentality is such that Canadians feel someone else should pay for their healthcare ……..so if the government isn’t going to do it then WHO WILL? Guess what decision they make? They choose to seek other forms of health care that are covered by their governments. This is not new to Canada – in 2004 when Ontario Chiropractors were de-listed – 26 million dollars was taken from the budget and spent on a vaccine for chicken pox and some other life threatening illness. Chiropractic visits were on a decline; patients altered their own schedules; and the number of new patients entering into the offices definitely decreased. Unfortunately there is no way of tracking these numbers exactly but just ask the chiropractors! But after the dust settled and you can ask anyone – it all got BETTER! Personally I like not having to wait two months for the Government to pay for these services. In Canada there are only 2 provinces left to go!
Wake Up – Your financial independence depends on YOU!
How Can I Bullet Proof My Practice? First – just BE Aware of your situation and ask – How dependent is my practice on insurance? Second – you don’t need to buy in to the doom and gloom of the economy – remember it is during these times that many of the rich get richer! (People need somewhere to go) Third – Pick a fair fee for service and charge THAT fee! Fourth and most importantly SERVE THE PEOPLE with the passion and fervour that they deserve. That is Patient Centered Care!
Posted by Dr. Cecile Thackeray

Originally posted April 10, 2009

Chiropractic rates high in Consumer Reports article:
In the May 2009 issue of consumer reports there was a very favorable article on the utilization, satisfaction and success of patients using chiropractic care for management of low back pain. The link for the article is:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/may-2009/health/back-pain/overview/back-pain-ov.htm

The patients in this article ranked chiropractic care the highest at 59% being completely or very satisfied with their care!
I believe studies like this enhance the structural authority our profession.
We plan on referencing this link in our upcoming E-Newsletter for our patients. Sending email newsletters is a great and inexpensive way to communicate with your patient base; this may be something to consider doing in your practice if you are not doing so yet!
Posted by Dr. Douglas Sea

Originally posted April 6, 2009

I don’t have to tell you this but I will. There is no tenure and no formal security for Chiropractic Entrepreneurs. It doesn’t matter if you have been in practice 18 months or 18 years. Length of service is not rewarded in the real world. Your chances for success in the next few years will be determined by your level of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). This blend of self -awareness, willingness to change and ability to act sets the course. Your security rests solely upon your ability to shoulder challenges and to learn from them.

The more formal definition is this. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power of emotions to facilitate high levels of collaboration and productivity. It is the foundational competency every leader needs to grow.

Did you know that on average you are impacted by 80 substantive experiences a year? A substantive experience is defined as an event where the possibility for growth and learning is high. These are the “aha” moments that can lead to substantial growth in your practice. Shift happens and while change is inevitable, growth is optional. The reason for this is pretty straight forward. Although we are impacted by these 80 experiences the average human being only processes three of them. That’s right, only three! This explains how otherwise intelligent people (High IQ) struggle at times to reach their goals. They don’t learn from their mistakes, they continue to make poor decisions or fail to act on the good ones. Emotional intelligence trumps all other gifts and this brutal fact fully explains why the length of time that a doctor has practiced has very little to do with how much growth and success he/she achieves.

Get your FREE Emotional Quotient assessment by emailing with “EQ” as the subject or phoning Ellen toll free in the US, 800-570-5272. (or +1 530 584 1900). Offer is good until April 21, 2009.

Substantive experiences are both positive and negative events. We have the potential to learn from both if we choose to. Since success is a process the more effective we are at processing them the faster our progress. Studies suggest that mentoring dramatically improves the amount of SE’s processed each year. This increases your chance for success and guarantees that you are working on the things that will make a difference. Let’s look at a common substantive experience.

A new patient cancels her appointment after the first adjustment because she felt sore afterwards. You can shrug it off and tell yourself that, “She doesn’t care about her health” or that “She doesn’t get it.” A better approach is to process this moment by getting feedback from a skilled mentor. The truth is you can’t see what you can’t see. We all have overactive psychological immune systems that protect us from the pain of rejection or criticism using self denial and blame storming. This overactive immune system must be balanced with a voice of reason. A mentor will ask a series of questions to help clear your emotional bias in order to get at the truth so that you can prosper from this event. As an example:

Did you connect with her reason for being there (her problem is not her pain; it is how the pain is limiting her life)?
Did you data dump or provide context?
Did you explain during your report of findings that she might experience some discomfort and that it was normal?
Did you call her after her first adjustment to show you really do care?”
The life of a Chiropractic Entrepreneur is rich with opportunities to grow. Michael Gerber reminds us that as an entrepreneur our primary role is to prepare ourselves and our businesses for growth. Doubling or tripling your financial reserves means you must process more of these substantive experiences. Most substantive experiences are circumstantial and need to be processed as soon as possible. A well designed seminar can orchestrate substantive experiences, and accelerate the development of higher emotional intelligence.

We created Chiropractic Possibilities Summit to help you see the possibilities and to show you exactly what is blocking you. We scheduled it in the beginning of summer so that you can have tangible things to work on throughout the summer months. If you attend and immerse yourself in the process you will have a bountiful fall harvest.

This is your time, a time to be more than a name or face in the crowd. It’s time for you to surround yourself with like minds and immerse yourself in a leadership training program that gets results. I know you’re ready to take the next step and grab a handful of prosperity.

See you there!
Posted by Dr. Frank Sovinsky

Originally posted February 23, 2009

I just got back from speaking in Houston. On the flight from Dallas to Houston I sat next to an airline captain with over 30 years experience. He even trains flight crews. He told me how badly his company treats all the employees and how bad moral is throughout the company. As a frequent flyer it did not ease any of my anxiety and as a consumer of his services I was appalled. I came away with two thoughts.

As chiropractors we have total control over our destiny and careers as opposed to other professions. Be grateful. Take charge while you still can.
An unhappy employee should never be tolerated. They are toxic. Hire slow, fire fast.
Posted by Dr. Frank Sovinsky

Originally posted February 9, 2009

The other day I was skiing at Squaw Valley in the beautiful sun drenched Sierra Nevada Mountains. There I was swinging over a 70 ft. crevasse, feeling the blunt force trauma of my fear of heights, clinging to the safety bar like a koala bear in a Eucalyptus tree.

WHY? Because getting to the top of the mountain has value to me. Imagine the prize. I can reach breath taking terrain in perfect condition, and all the eye candy that only a panoramic view from 8,000 ft. could deliver. From there I could stand on the edge of a cornice and plunge into fresh, untracked, untouched powder. The snow that all skiers dream about yet few ever experience. I was about to get one face shot after another. Pristine perfectly chilled puffs of “pow” as I sank into a bottomless wave of bluish white crystals, floating, suspended in space. I was about to defy gravity, defy common sense, and defy my fear of falling, but OMG the reward.

On the chairlift I was getting into the performance zone. I had my helmet speakers cranked to nearly concert level as I felt every word and beat of one of my favorite Canadian bands, Nickelback. The lyrics to “If Today Was Your Last Day” still echo in my mind. In this particular track the singer shares the best advice he ever received from a friend. Let me pass it on to you.
“Each day’s a gift and not a given right, leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind, and try to take the path less traveled.”

“If today was your last day, tomorrow was too late, would you say goodbye to yesterday.”
Say goodbye to yesterday and reach with everything you have. Your success is in the pursuit and living fully on the edge, not in holding back. As chiropractic entrepreneurs we are people with a vision, a mission, and a message. We have the potential for living a life of profound meaning. We live on the edge, poised and prepared to catch the prize.

The Edge is where you get to live when you stop lying to yourself and accept that you could be your biggest obstacle. When you take responsibility you can take charge of your life. You can always be better and do more.

The edge is where the fun, the money and self satisfaction are and it’s not crowded. Few dare to make the effort and take the risk. The reason that there is a lot of room at the top is that few people have the desire, drive and determination and fewer still, ever act on it.

As an example, the mountain I ski on had 7000 other skiers on that day. Yet few dare to go big, they play it safe and just go home. Our profession is full of great people who intend to change the world, and provide a wealthy lifestyle for their families, yet most never reach their potential, they play it safe and just go home.

If you want to be happier, wealthier, and healthier then take massive action, defy inertia, defy complacency and defy cultural entitlements. Excuse me, but just when did quitting ever become an option?! No matter how you say it, sabbatical, taking a break or telling people that you are overwhelmed, it’s still quitting.

As I was editing this message a client who is living on the edge just sent me this e- mail.

“I have noticed that my “boredom” creeps up due to a combination of not knowing what to do next (which coaching has helped me figure out and prioritize) and procrastinating over the things I don’t want to do. As time has moved along my “to do” list has grown as opposed to shrinking because my awareness of what I need to do has increased. So as my knowledge has increased it is more a matter of getting off my butt and doing stuff even if I don’t like it. Thanks again” – Dr. P

Thinking is not acting. Thinking is work only when the idea or plan is tested in the world outside of your head. Working ‘on it’ is not the same as doing it. Self deception is seeing so many possibilities that you never decide to decide. Self deception is saying you want more but refusing to change not only WHAT you are doing, but WHY you are doing things the same way.
Look at how far you have come and accept that you will need to continue your defiance. What do I mean by defiance? To defy means to challenge yourself and make things better by investing all you have in what you want. Success is simple, do what needs to be done for as long as it takes. Get a team of advisors because no one can do it all or hold themselves accountable in every situation.

Each of you in one way or another have defied something in your upbringing, it might be lifestyle choice, the choice to be an entrepreneur not a worker bee, the choice to have your cake and eat it too, the choice to think big and take risks.

Each of you in one way or another has defied something in your education. Did your grammar school and college prepare you to be a technician, to fit in, to serve the machine? Mine did and I am not willing to play that role. How about you?

Each of you in one way or another has defied something in your situation. My situation was that my chiropractic business was not supporting my life as I had dreamed it. I bet yours isn’t either. I bet you want more. I bet you know you know that you have a potential that has not remotely been tapped.

As chiropractors we take a different, some say radical approach to health and healing, yet as business owners we choose to avoid the realities that success comes as a result of mental, emotional and physical growth. It’s called work, its relentless effort, but, oh my God, the reward.

See you on the lift up to the top!
Posted by Dr. Frank Sovinsky