Posts Categorized:Management

Orthodontic treatment is more than just straightening teeth; it’s about transforming lives through the power of a smile. In my recent feature on Orthotown, A Smile Transformed, I discuss the incredible impact a smile can have on an individual’s confidence, health, and overall well-being. At the core of orthodontic care is the ability to provide patients with more than just aesthetic benefits. A person’s smile is often one of the first things others notice. For patients with misaligned teeth, the effect on self-esteem can be profound. Orthodontic treatments, such as braces or aligners, help restore confidence by giving patients a…

In an interview with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, the unconventional yet effective management style that has contributed to NVIDIA’s success was highlighted. Huang’s approach, characterized by having 60 direct reports, challenges traditional best practices in corporate management. Stripe founder Patrick Collison noted that such a structure is atypical, prompting an exploration of Huang’s reasoning. Breaking Down Barriers Huang’s philosophy centers on the democratization of information within the company. He eschews the conventional practice of one-on-one meetings, favoring a more inclusive approach: “I don’t do 1-on-1s, and almost everything I say, I say to everybody all the time. I don’t really…

There are two things I know about your life for sure: you have a lot to accomplish, and your time is limited. On average, you have about 4,000 weeks to live. The real question is, how are you going to use them? As Dan Sullivan aptly puts it, “People who spend most of their time putting out fires are usually also the arsonists.” This highlights a critical point about time management: if you find yourself constantly dealing with urgent issues, it might be time to reassess how you’re managing your tasks. Among the three resources crucial for building an exceptional…

Ashley Goodall worked as an executive at Deloitte and Cisco Systems. She has a new book coming out, The Problem With Change. In a recent article, she takes Silicon Valley to task, saying, “the home of so many technological and workplace innovations, is rolling out another one: the unnecessary layoff.” Goodall continues, “After shedding over 260,000 jobs last year, the greatest carnage since the dot-com meltdown more than two decades ago, the major tech companies show little sign of letting up in 2024 despite being mostly profitable, in some cases handsomely so. In their words, the tech companies are letting people…

On a recent coaching call, I was asked about short-term thinking and the damaging effects this has on long-term results. It reminded me of the conversation I had with Dorie Clark on The Burleson Box podcast. She has a great book called The Long Game – How to be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World. Dorie told me, “You know you’re getting this right when you’ve put the proper systems in place so that your business doesn’t collapse if you’re not working 24/7.” Smart people like Warren Buffett and the late, great Charlie Munger understand this fundamental truth to…

The Challenge of Employee Discontent In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, the challenges we face extend beyond the patient’s chair. As leaders in orthodontics, it’s crucial to recognize the growing issue of employee discontent within our teams. Despite increased investments in employee benefits during the pandemic, many orthodontic professionals find themselves grappling with rising dissatisfaction among their valuable staff. Stephan Scholl, CEO of Alight Solutions, rightly pointed out in a recent Wall Street Journal article by Vanessa Fuhrmans and Lindsay Ellis that increased spending on benefits doesn’t always translate into happier employees. “In an Alight survey of 2,000 U.S. employees…

The iconic struggle between Charlie Brown and Lucy in the Peanuts gang mirrors the challenges many of us face in achieving our goals. Every new year, we set ambitious resolutions, only to find ourselves tripped up by our own habits and routines, much like Lucy pulling away the football just as Charlie is about to kick it to the moon. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to break free from the Lucy Effect and achieve peak performance in 2023, drawing insights from our online training, “Peak Performance for Healthcare Providers.” Key Concepts from Peak Performance:   Mindful Productivity with…

Align Technology, the company behind the innovative Invisalign system, has recently faced some challenges that have sent its shares tumbling. In a disappointing turn of events, the company fell short on quarterly earnings and subsequently had to revise its guidance due to a noticeable slowdown in demand. For the third quarter, Align reported adjusted earnings of $2.14 per share, falling short of Wall Street estimates of $2.26. Net revenue for the same period also missed expectations, coming in at $960.2 million instead of the anticipated $994.5 million. President and CEO Joe Hogan attributed these struggles to deteriorating trends in the…

The recent news of SmileDirectClub’s voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing has sent shockwaves through the orthodontic industry. As professional trainers in the orthodontic industry, it’s crucial to dissect the lessons that can be learned from this development. Hindsight may be 20/20, but there are valuable takeaways from this situation. Disrupting Through Price: The D2C Model on Trial One of the most significant theories put to the test here is the Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) model’s ability to disrupt the orthodontic industry through competitive pricing. SmileDirectClub (SDC) initially gained attention for its lower-cost alternative to traditional orthodontic treatment. However, their recent financial struggles…