Speak in terms like:

"Have you ever thought of closing gap between your two front teeth?"

"Did you know those two 'pointed' teeth could be made to look as nice as rest of your teeth?"

"You have such pretty teeth, you are a perfect candidate for making them whiter!"

Remember: Every patient is an Opportunity looking for a place to happen! Look and Listen for Opportunities.

There are 72 + million Baby Boomers in their mid-fifties, who's children are now out of college (no more college education to pay for), who have more disposable income to spend, and who are extremely concerned about their appearance.

Strengthen and enhance your practice's image by building a reputation of excellence and becoming an office that provides so many measurable benefits in services to your patients that is reinforces their decision to keep returning.

Services so beneficial to your patients that receiving care in your office offsets any inconvenience patients may have ("You are not on my provider list", "your fees are too high", or Your office is too far away").

Often your most creative ideas come from your employees and your patients. Learn to listen and understand both your employees and your patients.

You and your team are marketing a high quality service...and patient defines quality. From their first telephone call through enrollment and treatment, make sure your practice presents an overall "Absolutely outstanding service" experience for your valued patients as a benefit from your....Proactive High Performance Team (work)!

New research confirms several leadership competencies that will gain in priority over next few years and into future. 1. Thinking globally 2. Appreciating cultural diversity 3. Developing technological savvy 4. Building partnerships and alliances 5. Sharing leadership (Global Leadership: Next Generation; Goldsmith, M., Greenberg, C. L., Robertson, A. & Hu-Chan, M.; FT Prentice Hall, 2003).

Harlan Cleveland goes so far as to say that leadership will be so shared that there will be Nobody in Charge! (John Wiley & Sons, 2002). With flattening of hierarchies and dissolving of boundaries, ability to galvanize attention and move disparate groups of people forward will require excellent negotiation and consensus-building skills.

Communicating across multi-cultural and multi-generational communities is becoming more important as a competency for leaders in future. And, a lot more of managing and leading will have to be done virtually.

Only a few of prominent business schools have begun to teach new and future leaders how to manage diverse cultures in a virtual environment. Yet this is a clearly emerging competency.

Even smaller companies will be required to work in a global environment. Expect to see an increase in diversity issues arise in leadership development programs. The use of executive coaches is expected to gain priority as a primary tool for developing competencies for leaders.

Patsi Krakoff dr-patsi-45475@autocontactor.com