Solving the Practice Puzzle – Part 2 Who is the coach for you? T he fi rst part of this article examined differences between a chiropractic coach and a chiropractic consulting service and how one or the other might ben- efi t a DC’s practice. Some questionable coach- ing practices were also examined. Although the general feeling that arises from the profes- sion is that hiring a coach or practice consul- tant is not, inherently, a bad thing, chiroprac- tors must be vigilant in choosing the coach, or service, who can best address his/her practice needs/goals while embracing the individual DC’s outlook with respect to fulfillment, bal- ance and success. “In order to gain the most from your coaching,” notes Barbara Sturm, a Michigan chiropractor and coach to DCs in Canada and the U.S., “it’s imperative that your coach re- ally hears you so that the plan, and goals, you co-create refl ect what you want and how you want to get there.” But, how many chiropractors have poured countless dollars into a coaching/consultant relationship offering limited benefits? At times, this certainly may be a function of the coach/consultant’s lack of adeptness. But, the dynamics through which the DC searches for this type of assistance may also have some- thing to do with the outcome. In the second part of this article, a process for scouting the optimal practice manage- ment guidance system will be examined. Of course, the author acknowledges that there are many different ways in which to go about this – but the point, here, is to highlight the salient features that might make the quest more worthwhile for the chiropractor. DEFINING ‘YOU’ This fi rst step is crucial to success in almost any venture. A chiropractor should not embark on seeking help with practice management issues without fi rst having established three things: • a defi nition of who he/she is, as a practitioner, an employer, and a person, • the differences between where he/she is and where he/she would like to be (this comprises practice and personal challenges, needs and goals), • that he/she owns the practice and, therefore, is the one responsible for the direction of that practice – and, in fact, his/her life, in general.* *Renewing and strengthening one’s sense of purpose, accountability and leadership is something that a coach can help with and this is touched upon throughout the article. The point, here, is that a DC must embark on practice improvement strategies with the conviction that direction should be defi ned by the practitioner, and supported by the consultant. 32 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | DECEMBER 2008 www.canadianchiropractor.ca feature
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor December 08: Page 32
