Listening Practices: Tips and Traps

Have you ever noticed how GOOD it feels to be really listened to? It’s impactful, particularly when the listening goes beyond just the words you’re speaking. That kind of artful listening conveys respect and value to the speaker, and promotes positive relationships of all kinds. And, like any art, it takes practice. According to widely […]

The Rewards of Really Listening

Joanna and Cyndi are sitting at a coffee shop. Joanna has just gone through a divorce and is telling her friend all about it. To a casual observer, it looks as if Cyndi is listening. But take a look at the thoughts running through Cyndi’s head: Really, people get divorced all the time; it’s time […]

How Well Do You Delegate?

  Whether you work with others, or alone, you may still suffer from the “Lone Ranger Syndrome”—that managerial malaise that causes folks to work excessively long, hard hours because only THEY know how to do something right. Whoa, Silver! There is a cure. Effective delegation is a learnable time management skill that can dramatically increase […]

7 Ways to Motivate Yourself Every Day

  There are some days when it feels impossible to get motivated. Yet in order to achieve your goals, motivation is essential. Without it, nothing is accomplished. Responsibilities and tasks pile up. Life becomes overwhelming. Motivation becomes even harder to find. However, with a few simple strategies you can motivate yourself every day. Here are […]

Putting the Value Back in Performance Evaluations

  We have disposable contact lens, disposable cameras, disposable headphones on airplanes. Lest we add disposable employee appraisals to the list, we might want to consider ways to put more “value” into performance evaluations so that they become more like a roadmap for development than a shortcut to nowhere. Performance appraisals for all employees are […]

Top 10 Ways to Handle Difficult Conversations

  The fallout from conversations gone wrong is not pretty: trust and intimacy suffer, while resentment and misunderstanding build. But it is possible to improve the way we handle our most difficult personal conversations. Our relationships need to nourish us, not deplete us. Consider the following:                 1. Set […]

Conflicts with Team Members – Are you PUSHY or ASSERTIVE?

Pushy vs. Assertive. How Do You Tell the Difference?   When you think of “pushy,” two unfortunate stereotypes likely come to mind: the salesman who obnoxiously pressures you to buy, and the aggressive woman who elbows out all other concerns until she gets what she wants.   Although those are stereotypes, “pushy” does exist. We […]

How to Thank Everyone Associated with Your Practice

Yay – the Holiday season has officially begun!  👏 I know this is the time of year that we all look forward to and it can also be very stressful! So much to do… planning dinner, invite friend and family, and so much more. While we are seeing Christmas decorations everywhere – this is really our […]

Natural GERD Remedies

It’s the season for barbecues, picnics and ballpark hotdogs. With these wonderful times spent with family and friends can come indigestion and heartburn – which may be diagnosed as GERD. Experiencing these symptoms sporadically is not usually a problem but when it becomes chronic many complications can occur.😞 I know we also see evidence of […]

“WOW” Experiences – Are your patients feeling it?

When was the last time you looked at your PATIENT EXPERIENCE while they are in your office? Look at it through the eyes 👀 of your patients as well as their families… who are watching and having a different customer experience. Is it a  “WOW” experience or… is it just OK? Is your practice generating lots of FANS?   How many […]