Simon Sinek wrote a book called, Start with Why. In his book, Sinek discusses how some people operate their businesses backward. Most people start with "what" service they are offering, then "how" they offer the service, and, lastly, "why" they provide the service.
Without a strong "why," the business will never meet its success potential because people purchasing your services don't do it because of "what" you are offering.
They buy from the emotional component of their decision, which is linked to your "why." As a chiropractic assistant (CA), you may know that your "what" is to connect the patient with the doctor through time and money. You understand the "how" of what you do through the training you have received and the clinic's office procedures. What about the "why"? Why are you doing what you are doing in the chiropractic clinic where you are employed?
"The CA has a very powerful role in the clinic because you are the first and last point of contact for any transaction in the clinic."
Your "why" is a purpose, cause, or belief. Each day as I entered our clinic, I would say my purpose as I unlocked the door. "As a gateway for healing, my purpose is to hold a sacred space for each individual who enters the office this day. The office procedures help me follow my purpose, and my purpose helps me follow office procedures." Your "why" may be different from mine, so take time to breathe into what your "why" is at the clinic. This is essential because it helps you know "why" you are serving the people you serve.
The CA has a very powerful role in the clinic because you are the first and last point of contact for any transaction in the clinic. How you treat people when serving from your "why" will impact the overall success of the practice.
Here are some helpful tips for moving from being a good CA to becoming an exceptional CA who knows their "why":
1 Leave all your personal issues outside the office door. I remember Dr. Noel Lloyd of Five Star Management talking about his office. They have a potted plant by the door, and every day, he and his staff would drop any personal issues into that potted plant, before entering the office. They could only pick them up again after they left the office at night. You are in the clinic to be of service to the doctor and the patients.
2 Set the tone for your day before walking into the office. I used my purpose statement to help me become present at the moment. By stepping into my service as I walked into the office, inevitably people would call about coming in for care. I was wearing my purpose and knew that I was there to serve the patients by connecting them with the doctor.
3 How you answer the phone and greet patients when they arrive leaves a lasting impression on how the patient feels about the overall experience at the clinic. Treat the patient's experience with love and care. Answer the phone, greet people with a smile, and be present with the person with whom you are speaking. Phone calls are not the time to try to multitask; the patient deserves your undivided attention. Create whatever tool you need to help you with this. I worked in an office with a sticker on the phone that said, "Say Hello with a Smile." It worked.
"As you start to live from your "why" in your clinic and follow your purpose, you will find all kinds of things will start changing"
4 Genuinely care for the people you are taking care of. Your position prepares them for their visit with the doctor and supports them in following through with the doctor's recommendations. Ask the patient, "Do you have any questions or concerns you would like the doctor to know about today?" Then let the doctor know what the patient has shared and any observations you may have noticed. By taking an interest in the patient, you will assist the doctor and aid the patient in their recovery.
5 Realize that people who come to your office often arrive in pain and are subluxated. They may not be the best version of themselves when they speak to you. Don't take it personally and treat them with kindness anyway.
6 As you become more confident with your position and start getting to know the patients well, there will be times when a patient just comes to mind. Give them a call to check in because they inevitably will have something going on that could benefit from an appointment with your doctor. Even if the patient is doing well, they will be grateful you cared enough to check up on them. I had an instance when one of those nudges to call a patient ended up saving the patient's life.
As you start to live from your "why" in your clinic and follow your purpose, you will find all kinds of things will start changing. More people will call to schedule; patient retention and satisfaction will go up; you will find you are having fun and the day seems to fly by, and you will find deep fulfillment knowing that the work you do makes a difference in changing people's lives.
Anne Prinz is a consultant and has spent over 20 years as an office manager for a successful chiropractic clinic, honing her skills so she could teach others how to do the same. Anne is also the author of the book, Living Your Exclamation Point Life!, and the owner of Exclamation Point Living, LLC. To learn more or contact Anne visit her website: www.AnneLPrinz.com.
