I don’t care how many positive, shiny, happy people you look at, if all you do is get ready to get ready, you will attract a fatty practice.
Original post date 05/2009
By Dr. Frank Sovinsky

From time to time we all get tempted by the slick fix program or seduced by the ‘teachers’ who claim to have the ’secret’ to success. It’s not their fault. They are simply scratching that itch we have, the itch to be successful…NOW!

We all want the fast track to the next level and that means skipping steps. Skipping ahead to the next level would be like missing those awkward years of junior high school. Imagine if it were possible to skip the pressure of school work and the whole body changing ordeal, dating and fitting in thing.

Deep down you and I both know that it’s not possible to grow to the next level without growing through adversity. My point is this. You can’t just think positive thoughts and expect the world to come to you. You must act more than you think. Even if you could surround yourself with only positive people, and invest hours a day reading inspirational books and listening to CD’s, it would not change your life.

The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. Keep that in your mind as your brain is attracted to a fluffier promise of success. There is no secret to weight loss. I don’t care how many thin people you look at. If you feed your pie hole with sugar and fat you will attract fat!

If you sit more than you move, you will attract fat!

The same is true of success. I don’t care how many positive, shiny, happy people you look at, if all you do is get ready to get ready, you will attract a fatty practice. If you think more than you act you will attract practice fat.

The cure for obesity is to take long walks and keep your mouth shut.

The cure for practice obesity is to take huge steps and keep your eyes wide open.

To be a great chiropractor you will need to ACT in spite of uncertainty. The only thing that is certain is that failure to act will result in more of the same. Each letter of the word ACTION contains a memory stick.

A – attention
C – commitment, consistency
T – target, goal
I – intensity
O – observable movement, not in your head, others should be able to see the action
N – no excuses

No more things-to-do-lists.

At the end of the day right down, “things-done.”

Once people get to know you, see you around, have a few small talk sessions about the weather, observe your confidence and trustworthiness, THEN they’ll actually ASK you for your opinion.
Original post date 05/2009
By Cathy Sovinsky

Half way through my elliptical training on Saturday morning, the yoga class let out at the gym. I could tell because of the surge of people filing by me. Ask anyone who knows me in my gym and they’ll tell you that aerobics isn’t my favorite form of exercise. I just can’t muster up any enthusiasm for it, but I know it’s necessary, so away to the machines I go. I plug into my iPod and attempt to find some upbeat, inspiring music that will take my mind away from the reality of running in place for as long as I can tolerate it.

After the yoga surge had passed, I could still “feel” an intrusion happening around me. Someone was in my space. Looking around I saw a man approach the woman on the treadmill in front of me. He was in his late 20’s and looked like a skinny, much less masculine, Hippie version of Grizzly Adams. He stalked up and reached out to touch the woman on the treadmill on the shoulder. I went on alert and was ready to pounce on him if he tried anything as weird as he felt. She apparently knew him and they chatted for a moment. I went back to trying to forget I was running to nowhere. Just as I was back into flow, he turned from her and took three steps toward me. He reached into his pocket and slowly, like they reach for their guns in the movies, he pulled out a piece of paper. He reached up and, not saying a word (I had headsets on and wouldn’t have heard anyhow), placed the paper on the edge of my elliptical machine. His hand hovered for a moment to make sure it would stay balanced there, he patted it and gestured to me that it was from him to me and giving a small bow, he walked off.

I was taken back and a bit befuddled. Trying to keep up my pace, I glanced at the paper and noticed it was the back of a business card with a hand written note on it. I pondered for a moment whether I wanted to pick it up and read it, or just flick it off onto the floor, or get off the machine and hunt him down to tell him what I thought of his tactics. It was an unwelcome intrusion, to say the least. I just wanted to keep in flow with my aerobic experience. Curiosity finally got the best of me. Enough time had passed, I figured he’d left the building. I picked up the note and read it.

He wrote, and I quote, (yes I saved it. I knew I had to share it with you!):

I’ve been observing you. Be aware of your knees. If they point inwards you will strain your Quadratus Lumborum, Psoas/Illiacus , and Adductors. This closes down your hips (1st & 2nd Chakras). Try to keep your hips-knees-feet in line and your lower back will flow properly. Call me if you need help with any bodywork. – Jeff

I turned the card over “Holistic Wellness Center – Chiropractor, Bodywork & Nutrition.

Oh the pain! A Chiropractor…well at least 1/3 of him is.

There’s been a resurgence of the “The Law of Attraction” and I had to share this story with you. What the giver perceives as attractive, the receiver just might find repulsive.

This whole scene was unattractive. I’m sure you don’t have the creepy feel that this guy did, but I hear too often the way
chiropractors talk with people (patients and potential patients alike).

Please, don’t use technical terms if you’re trying to connect with people. I happen to know all those big words he wrote because I did my husband’s dictation in practice, but I’m not impressed. I can even spell them, so what?! He didn’t prove to me how smart he is. No connection could possibly be created with that vocabulary. Be aware of your words.

In general, people don’t want your opinion, unless they ask for it! UNsolicited advice is UNwelcome. I considered, for a brief second, that perhaps there was something there for me to learn. But I couldn’t get over the invasion of my space and time to listen to what he might be trying to say with his big words. Once people get to know you, see you around, have a few small talk sessions about the weather, observe your confidence and trustworthiness, THEN they’ll actually ASK you for your opinion. That’s attractive. Forcing your agenda is not.

Another tip: People don’t like to be criticized. I don’t like to be criticized even when I do ask for your opinion, but at least then I’ll listen. I more or less despise aerobic exercise. I’m doing it and that’s a good thing. Someone who wanted to be attractive in my book would tease me about the look on my face while I’m on the elliptical machine while they encourage me to keep up the good work, not tell me I’m doing it wrong. And they wouldn’t be able to approach me without some former rapport having been built already.

Lastly, (need I even say this?!) a man should NEVER offer an unfamiliar woman help with any bodywork! Creepy, creepy, CREEPY!

DC Mentors talks a lot about being contactable in your community. Wherever you go there you are, representing you and your practice. The definition of contactable isn’t wearing a billboard and expounding to all around you about what you do and how you can help them. Being contactable is getting to know people, developing rapport and recognition in the community so that when someone does need a chiropractor, guess who they’ll think of first?

This message will address WHO or what is THE center of your practice and get it in alignment.
Original post date 05/2009
By Dr. Frank Sovinsky

If you are struggling or feel frustrated trying to build your practice then one of three things is blocking you. You either have a system that is off line, you are not fielding the best team, or you are OFF center. This message will address WHO or what is THE center of your practice and get it in alignment. Get this right and all else will follow. Is your practice Profit-centered, Prophet-centered, or Patient-centered?

If your dominant thoughts are centered on what you want your practice to become, you are destined to achieve it. If, however, you focus on the things you want to avoid, then practice becomes as painful as having your gums scrapped. For example, if your report of findings, daily adjusting scripts and financial plans are intended to “get the patient to stay and not leave” then you will attract financially and emotionally dependent patients who end up leaving anyway. The result: practice plateaus, anemic new patient numbers and burn out.

Three centers to choose from:

Profit-centered is the default for DC”s who get caught in the insurance trappings of entitlement and can even show up in countries where there is little or no reimbursement. The obvious financial strategies for a Profit-centered practice are inflated charges, pre-pays (to get money handled first) and discounts that provide financial incentives for you and the patient, managed care enrollments and fighting to be the preferred provider. The result is an ongoing need for a lot more new patients and difficulty getting people to stay past their allotted visits. Financial incentives and insurance dependencies put you and the patient at risk.

Prophet-centered practices focus on the doctor”s version of chiropractic. The product (chiropractic or wellness) is the focus and “practice members” are encouraged to abandon their beliefs and adopt new beliefs in order to get help. The intent is not malicious yet it is self centered and self serving. This style of practice often adds financial incentives to protect their flock. Common place strategies include Family plans, Lifetime wellness plans and, of course, the freebees.

Patient-centered practices focus on the patients needs first and last. These doctors offer solutions while passionately inspiring possibilities. All the clinical and financial procedures are congruent and designed to promote the physical and emotional independence of their patients. The financial plans are straight forward and simple, the care is hassle free and the patients are given a choice of care plans that fits their needs. The result: happy patients, a fulfilled doctor and staff and, of course, a healthy bottom line.

The practice of the future is already here and it provides Patient-centered care. Put people first and you will have it all. I guarantee it.

Too many doctors fail to achieve the goal of Chiropractic Affluence because they never form the Character of Courage.
Original post date 05/2009
By Dr. Frank Sovinsky

You bring who you are into your business and you usually behave in business as you behave everywhere else in your life. Wherever you go, there you are. Your practice is a mirror that reflects your behavioral patterns and these habits determine what you have, right here, right now.

The three relationships that shape your personal and professional life are: the relationship you have with your self, the relationships you have with others and the relationship you have with your business. You can assuage the pain of self limiting beliefs through self deception and you can even ignore many of your relationship problems, yet your business is a measurable, palpable accounting of your inner journey, your leadership competence and your work ethic.

Too many doctors fail to achieve the goal of Chiropractic Affluence because they never form the Character of Courage. They boldly push forward in some areas and push back in others. Because this kind of courage is situational, the consequence is mediocrity. Being a Chiropractic Entrepreneur is risky business and is not for the faint of heart. Risk taking is part of the terrain.

As you boldly face practice challenges, align your INTENTION with the things you are attentive to and the actions you take will work. You have two intentional choices, you can problem solve or create.

Problem solving is taking action to have something go away.

Creating is taking action to have something come into being.

Strive for healthy behavior in all your relationships, the one you have with your self, with others and with your business. Take the time you need to tackle the deeper, inner work. Embrace this process and learn to embody the following principles.

The Principle of Transformation
The process of transforming your practice into a business will also transform you personally. Professional development leads to personal development as a by product of internalizing the essential principles. You will be transformed though your successes and your failures, your victories and your defeats.

The Principle of Excellence
When you begin to really work on the Business of Chiropractic, your awareness levels are sensitized to both your strengths and weaknesses as a leader. You will be confronted by your willingness to reach beyond your comfort and complacency. And with the appropriate actions you will develop the ability to lead yourself, lead others and lead your business. This skill set will serve you the rest of your life.

“Excellence is the result of caring more than others think wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible.”

Until now, no one has successfully addressed the burning question, “Is there life after success?”
Original post date 05/2009
By Dr. Frank Sovinsky

There are as many ways to approach your chiropractic career as there are exercise and diet strategies. All of us have observed the full spectrum of chiropractic lifestyles. We have seen the dedicated doctors who plod along throughout the entire length of their career never reaching their goals and we have seen the flash in the pan get in, get it and get out approach. Until now, no one has successfully addressed the burning question, “Is there life after success?” or “What’s next doc?”

It seems that in our fervor to serve humanity though the chiropractic message we have never taken the time to see past the seven year mark. The seven year mark is an unconscious set point or imagined finish line. Many doctors assume that after seven years in practice they will have achieved most of their practice and lifestyle goals. If they do hit their mark, they may become restless and experience the seven year itch. If they fail to reach their goals, they will likely experience the seven year ditch.

Having interviewed hundreds of doctors we have been deeply impacted by this lack of vision and we are driven to show you another way.

The 3 common exit strategies:

Leave the profession and open a Subway franchise, health related business or other entrepreneurial endeavor.
Become a practice management consultant/coach.

Stay in practice, only because it’s safe and comfortable.

The Fourth Way is the profession’s answer to the burning question, “What’s next doc?” Our advice is to plan your career from this point forward rather than letting circumstance dictate your path. And once you reach your goal, Chiropractic Affluence, why not continue to practice for as long as you enjoy it? Live your life at choice not at risk.

Our mission is to share our vision of what’s truly possible for you and to guide you every step of the way. DC Mentors’ Fourth Way model is planned fulfillment from graduation to retirement not planned obsolescence.

Nature’s Way
After nearly a quarter of a century of collecting and analyzing statistical data points from a diverse practice population we have discovered the “WAVE” phenomena. This discovery is revolutionizing the way DC Mentors helps their clients with the strategic and tactical work of building, innovating, and restoring a chiropractic practice.

The stark reality is that you have 3 consecutive years of PEAK production if you are to achieve Chiropractic Affluence.
These years are characterized by:

1. The Peak Earning Period
2. Debt Elimination
3. Accumulating Wealth through Savings and Investments

The Wave concept is so powerful that you may dismiss it at first. It is what you make it. You can be overly optimistic and think that you have plenty of time. You can feel overwhelmed and let self doubt smother you or you can be thankful for the awareness and decide to take charge of the rest of your career.

If you have any questions about what you have just read, give me a call at 800-570-5272. It could be the most important call you make this year.

I was absolutely shocked, and still am, when she told us that not only does she not get adjusted anymore, but her parents stopped as well after we sold the practice and so did her aunt and uncle.
Original post date 04/2009
By Cathy Sovinsky

You’ve got some great patients who come to you religiously for their adjustments. You think you’ve sold them as a lifetime chiropractic patient. Think again.

I overheard my husband on speaker phone making an appointment for us both to get our eyes examined. We haven’t been to this optometrist for a few years, so the receptionist was cordially going through her list of questions. I heard the tone of the conversation shift to a more familiar, enthusiastic tone.

“Hey,” she exclaimed, “You’re my chiropractor!”

“No way, what’s your name?” he asked with anticipation.

“Kris Adams, well it used to be King. I’m married now.”

We both immediately remembered her. She was probably 13 when we sold the practice. She used to come in with both of her parents every three weeks for at least 7 years.

“Are you still practicing?” she asked. “I haven’t been to a chiropractor since you left. I’d love to get adjusted.

“He explained that he was not, and continued making our appointments.

Throughout the day we both recalled more details about her and her family. We remember that she had a benign brain tumor the size of an orange, removed when she was 8. She came into the office to get adjusted on her way home from the hospital with a bandage wrapped around her head. Her mother’s name was Sarah and her dad’s name was Burt. She had an aunt and uncle and two cousins, the Callahans, that came just as frequently as she and her family.

When we entered the optometrist’s office the conversation revealed that she’s now married and has two children. Some time has passed!

I was absolutely shocked, and still am, when she told us that not only does she not get adjusted anymore, but her parents stopped as well after we sold the practice and so did her aunt and uncle.

We didn’t leave our patients to just anybody. We sold the practice to a great doctor, a great man. He is extremely competent and proficient at the same technique that Dr. Sovinsky did. He was Dr. Sovinsky’s chiropractor. Yet seven of our most “faithful” patients, never returned after we left. They never saw a chiropractor again. And this woman still considers Dr. Sovinsky her chiropractor.

Chiropractors tend to be so product oriented. They expound about how great chiropractic is and wonders it can do for you, and it’s all true, but your patients aren’t showing up for chiropractic. Sure, they come because they feel better when they do, but it’s not chiropractic that keeps them coming, it’s not your technique or your extremely thorough exam that insurance companies will pay for. They come to YOU, not just any chiropractor. They come to see YOU because YOU build a RELATIONSHP with each one of them, 2 minutes at time. In a patient-centered office it’s about the relationships and the experience they get at your office.

The patient’s who you think wrote you and chiropractic off because they didn’t commit to your maintenance plan are not gone forever, IF you leave the door open for them. If you’ve built a relationship with them, they’ll be back when they perceive they need you again. Case in point, this all happened calling an optometrist that we haven’t been to in 8 years. He’s still our optometrist! Even though he’d like to check our eyeballs every year, we just lost and/or broke all of our reading glasses and now perceive a need to see him. We chose to return to him because he built a relationship with us over the years. So much so that after 8 years of not seeing or speaking with him, we still consider him our optometrist.

Make it about them.

Searching for a solution to a problem while assuming you already know the answer doesn’t work. It’s insane.
Original post date 04/2009
By Cathy Sovinsky

While reading an exercise/nutrition newsletter I came across a question and answer column. It may be the middle of winter, but the quest for a flat stomach is still on everyone’s minds. A reader asked, “What is the best kind of sit up I can do to get rid of my belly fat and get a six pack?” The “expert” answered that sits ups, and for that matter any other kind of abdominal exercises, aren’t going to help you in your quest to shrink your midsection. He went on to explain that it’s your diet that needs to be addressed. The right diet will eliminate that fat around the waist faster than any exercise, including aerobic exercise, like running.

This got me thinking. Is there a right answer to the wrong question?

The reader was essentially asking the wrong question. It’s not, “What kind of sit up will help me lose belly fat?” that should be asked. Sit ups don’t help you loose belly fat. There is no answer to the question. This question assumes you already know the answer, that sit ups will reduce belly fat. What should be asked is “What do I have to do to lose belly fat?” This question will allow you to dig into a much bigger basket for your answers and therefore you’ll be able to pull out more possible answers.

Searching for a solution to a problem while assuming you already know the answer doesn’t work. It’s insane. You must approach your questioning with a wide open mind. You need to consider all possibilities, not narrow your search to what you already think you know.

Chiropractors and Chiropractic Techs already think outside of the box when it comes to health care and have discovered the body’s incredible capacity to heal itself. When you have a pain you don’t first run to the medicine cabinet for relief. You get adjusted first. Most people assume that medicine has the answers for their pains. They don’t turn to chiropractic, diet, or exercise first for their pain relief. They ask the question, “What drug can I take to relieve this pain?” versus, “How can I get relief from my pain?”
In starting with the assumption that drugs and surgery are only options for pain relief, you’ll limit your answers. If you assume that sit ups are the key to belly fat loss, you’ll never look to a diet for the answer.

Perhaps, like the six pack seekers, you are asking the wrong questions in your quest for practice growth. It seems to me the worn out chant, “I just need more new patients,” is the equivalent of what kind of sit-up can I do to get a six pack. If you assume that all you need is new patients for practice growth, you’ll never look at other systems that may be askew or even non-existent in your office.

You must first acknowledge that you do not know it all. Ask the right questions. In so many words, staying dumb is the smartest thing you can do. This also relates to what we call coachability. People who ask the wrong questions aren’t very coachable. There is no right answer to the wrong question. Uncoachable people aren’t open to all possibilities, not even the opinions that they are paying a coach for. They are filled with ‘ya-buts’ and excuses. They might be doing things, but like doing sit ups, they don’t get the outcome they want, because they don’t ask the right questions. Therefore, they aren’t getting the right answers and aren’t doing the things that will work.

How coachable are you?

“To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to knowledge.” “Benjamin Disraeli

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” “Confucius“

It seems as though everyone thinks there is a magic bullet. We all search for “that one thing,” whether it’s a quest for a six pack or business growth. The fact is, “that one thing” isn’t just one thing. Most success is a puzzle and it comes in many key pieces. While new patients are important to practice growth, they are only a piece of a grander picture. An important gage for practice progress is our statistics and this is a great place to start your questioning. There are many dimensions to statistics and many different things that they can reveal to you, provided you stay dumb and ask the right questions.

Stay dumb and prosper!

Internal Self Control is the ability to stay rational, objective and in control when you are faced with a stressful, emotional situation. Do you allow the external environment’s stress levels to affect your internal levels?
Original post date 04/2009
By Cathy Sovinsky

It was 7:00 Saturday evening. We had just discovered that our connecting flight back from Christmas vacation was delayed 4 ½ hours, so into the typical airport sports bar we went. My husband was simultaneously watching the 3 different football games that were playing on the bar’s flat screens which left me the task of people watching.

There were a lot of uptight people around. Ours was not the only flight with troubles. The previous day the airport had been shut down because of tornado warnings and the repercussions were fairly substantial. Many of the people walking around had been there for over 36 hours, waiting and attempting to get out on several flights on standby, only to be turned away time after time. Cots and blankets were the new dacor of the gate waiting areas.

I had a direct view of the bar from the table we were sitting at. The bartender was fantastic. He was upbeat and jovial with his clientele, giving a brief refuge to their stressful day, someone who’d actually listen to their travel woes. The bar was full and he was very attentive to everyone.

Then his boss came up to him and led him to the corner of the bar. I could see he was quietly, but firmly reprimanding him, I couldn’t tell why.

His boss left and the bartender lost it. He didn’t go nuts and throw things, he lost “it.” He lost his smile, he lost his service attitude. He was no longer focused on the people at the bar. He was focused on his own problem, the discussion he’d just had with his boss. People had to start asking him for another beverage, he was no longer aware their glasses were empty. He didn’t pour with a smile, he wore a scowl. He even began discussing the interaction he’d had with his boss with a customer seated at the bar.

People began to leave the bar. They didn’t have anywhere to go, they just lost their refuge and went elsewhere to find it. No one took their places at the empty barstools. The bar was emptying.

First, let me say, the bartender’s boss was very un- cool for reprimanding him in front of customers. That’s just a rookie move. However, I’d bet that the bartender would have responded similarly even if the reprimand had been in private and he had to go back into the trenches.

Patients are our bosses, each and every one of them. When one tells you they aren’t getting better, or expresses concern about the way you adjusted them, not only do you have to handle them appropriately, you have to drop the feeling when you go to the next patient. You cannot let it effect your other patient interactions, or you’ll end up with a waiting room empty as fast as the bar and an appointment book with disappearing ink.

One of 80 Leadership Skills that we measure in all our clients show us if you have the ability to get back in the game quickly. It’s called Internal Self Control. And if your score is low it will affect your bottom line. The good news is that you can improve! The fact is you have the power to control your reactions.

Internal Self Control is the ability to stay rational, objective and in control when you are faced with a stressful, emotional situation. Do you allow the external environment’s stress levels to affect your internal levels?

When you allow your emotions to lead your actions you are no longer in charge of the situation, you become are a part of it. If you have a good Internal Self Control you can distance yourself from the emotions of moment and logically deal with the situation as it happens.

How can you develop your Internal Self Control?
You must identify your triggers, your somatic markers; those things that you know make you feel out of control. It may be confrontation, it may be someone trying to make you guilty, it may be that you don’t like to feel that you’ve let someone down. There are many other possibilities.

Once you know your triggers, you can manage your reaction better. Don’t get me wrong, you may still feel upset or angry, but your reaction with the patient in front of you as well as any subsequent patients will remain calm and productive.

Here are some other things that can assist you in developing your Internal Self Control:

• Exercise, it’s a great stress reliever. A healthy and relaxed body is better prepared to handle the rush of adrenaline that happens when you are under fire.
• Talk with others who experience similar situations to see how they handle it. Ask your coaches for assistance.
• If you find yourself getting emotional in a situation, find a way to temporarily excuse yourself from the situation – just take a moment to “look for a file.” It can give you time to take a deep breath and regain perspective.

• Prepare yourself for potential trigger situations – Train using DC Mentors’ Handling Patient Objections. Add your own common/reoccurring stressful situations to the list and prepare your own logical responses to them.Develop your Internal Self Control so you can give each patient the level of service they are used to in your office, each and every time. You have the control. Take charge.

A strong philosophy often spells the difference between success and struggle, passion and boredom.
Original post date 04/2009
By Dr. Frank Sovinsky

A strong philosophy often spells the difference between success and struggle, passion and boredom. Your philosophy must be practical not theoretical, tangible not invisible, dynamic and fluid not dogmatic and rigid if you are to touch lives. As a chiropractor you have no choice about the fact that you need a philosophy. Your only choice is whether you define your philosophy by a conscious, disciplined process of thought or allow your brain to accumulate a tangled mass of unconnected ideas, undigested slogans and blatant contradictions. Failure to refine your philosophy leaves you with a sobering consequence, chiropractic uncertainty, self doubt and anxiety.

But that’’s just part of the story because the reason patients leave your office, or stay and never refer, is not due to money or time. It’s a consequence of perceived indifference. At the raw core of this indifference, behavioral miscues and procedural breakdowns, is a leader who lacks confidence in his/her adjustments. You may be reading this and saying to yourself, “Not me, I know exactly what it is I do.” I hope for your sake that this is true. Yet many of us go through this dark period of “chiropractic uncertainty” but never talk about it. The evidence is right in front of us for all to see in our trade journals.

We have become an “industry” with an identity crisis, not a profession with a mission. On one end we have the disciples who tell patients that the foramen magnum is the “mouth of God” and on the other end failures who teach us that all a person needs is six adjustments. Where do you see it? Are you somewhere in between? Maybe you haven’’t really thought about it much and have sort of gone with the flow of yet another super conference fad. Be careful of what you feed your head or you will wind up “parrot-phrasing” bromides that are tainted with occult teachings and religious agendas that leave a patient feeling cold and indifferent.

Here’s a quick check list to determine if your philosophy needs updated. Do you use one or more of the following care plans?

Ridged Care Plans: E.g. “Every one needs 40 regardless of age or circumstance.”

Weak Care Plans: E.g. “Their plan only covers 10 office visits so that’s what I recommend” or “They only want to come in twice a week so that’s what I recommend” or “They can only afford…so I alter my recommendations.”

Capricious Care Plans: E.g. Winging it depending on your mood and passion barometer for the day, “Let’s get a few adjustments under your belt and then we will see what’s next. We’ll see how it goes.”

Now for the good news, you have a brain and thinking changes thinking. And better thinking builds bigger practices. Begin that process by sitting down with your coach and clarifying where you need the most development. Is it core philosophy, post adjustment confidence or patient communication skills? All of these can be learned, if identified.

Chiropractic Health Care is Life Altering!

We are a profession with an unprecedented vision and you are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the only people who can inspire hope and witness first hand the awesome healing power of nature.

If you are bold enough and dedicate yourself to defining your philosophy, mastering your technique, becoming a skilled communicator you will inspire everyone you come into contact with. People will be attracted to you and your message and the word will spread from the patients, to their friends, family and co-workers.

What you do matters because there are hundreds of thousands of people that suffer needlessly and will continue a life of drudgery, hopelessness and mediocrity unless you stand up and shout. You are the Chiropractic vision and you must stretch and grow as leaders.

Do you run out of things to say? Do your patients appear apathetic?
Original post date 04/2009
By Dr. Frank Sovinsky

Do you ever catch yourself just going through the motions when you adjust your patients?

Do you run out of things to say?

Do your patients appear apathetic?

Well, there is a solution and that is to stop the small talk and learn how to Smart Talk. Having visited several offices in the USA and Ireland in the past several months it has become painfully obvious that many of you have overlooked developing the number one skill that guarantees success. That is the ability to express yourself and communicate your ideas during the adjustment. And the price you pay is lack of referrals and the frustration associated with non- compliance. My promise is simple and profound, if you accept the challenge and commit to mastering the art of Smart Talk, you will build a massive practice wave.

Smart Talk is the robust dialogue that occurs during your chiropractic assessment and adjustment. This dialogue must be vigorous, brisk and lively. It can not feel or sound’canned’ or scripted. Be prepared to open with a question, listen to their responses and then respond. Begin each adjustment with a willingness to let go of your pre-adjustment agenda.

In sharp contrast, small talk is lifeless, lethargic and lengthy. Small talk is filled with gossip, weather reports, sports updates, TV Guide chit chat, celebrity news and political commentary. Small talk imprisons the doctor and bores the patient because it is product oriented, not patient oriented. Techno-babble like, “Your C5 is posterior and lateral”, belongs in a seminar with your peers, not in a business. And dogmatic slogans like, “The power that made the body heals the body” belong in church, not in a business.”

Small talk wastes time and time = life.

Smart Talk is passionate, enthusiastic and deeply rooted in your purpose. Remember, patients are more attuned neurologically to respond to your feelings than to your words. If you are bored and simply clicking or pounding the high spots, then they will vote with their feet.

Smart Talk is your opportunity to shout your message, talk your walk and be both witty and amusing. You’re right, it is not easy to blend clinical decision making and dialogue simultaneously. Yet it is possible to learn.

You must use your whole brain in order to be an effective communicator. Learn to think like a master by developing these three core thinking modules.

1. Problem solving is the linear,’in the box’ thinking associated with our left hemisphere. Focus on the patient’s problem and offer your solution. Your chiropractic assessments must be accurate and meaningful. And your technique needs to bolster your post adjustment confidence.
Tips for developing problem solving:

• attend seminars regularly
• read peer review journals
• read a book a week and download at least one book so that you can listen to it while driving and exercising
• become fascinated with human anatomy and neurophysiology

2. Creative thinking is the imaginative’out of the box’ and intuitive thinking associated with our right hemisphere. It is the ability to recognize patterns and apply new solutions. It is the ability to see connections and build concrete analogies.

Tips for developing Creative thinking:

• act on thought flashes and write them down
• learn to mind map your ideas
• write in a journal
• listen to baroque music

3. Self expression is the ability to draw upon your life experiences and pass on your wisdom. It is the bold expression of your point of view. You are your message.

Tips for developing self expression:

• have some fun!
• take an art appreciation course
• experience live concerts
• visit museums and historical sites
• learn to play an instrument
• learn to draw, paint or throw pottery
• It’s as simple as that!