Lisa Mergens

Want a Unique Twist on Traits You Need to Become a Better Leader?

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The concepts mega-leadership coach John C. Maxwell teaches are not only epic but easy to understand and relatable. In his book The Power of Your Potential, he discusses foundations one can adopt to keep on the path of positivity. Below are my interpretations of these four qualities: 1. Humility Not every act must be of super human proportion, nor do they all require recognition. Living and leading with humility allows a person to face challenges positively and with grace. Quietly setting about valuing others along the way not only benefits them but helps us to build our own humility. Lazlo …

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Change in Uncertain Times: 4 Steps to Focus Forward

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When a small child begins school, leaving the comfortable nest of home is a scary prospect: until that day, they woke every morning knowing what to expect. Routines were solidified during those first 5-6 years with their mom, dad or caregiver and any surprises they experienced were accompanied by the careful guidance and reassurances their adults provided them. As grown people and business owners, we often feel alone, especially when change is forced on us either by circumstance or a means beyond our control. We can lament with peers, friends and colleagues, but the weight of the impending change falls …

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My Why…and How it Affects YOU

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I was asked recently WHY my focus lay in developing teams (dental and non-dental) using Appreciative Inquiry. What could I hope to change by moving the focus away from a Leader/Boss trying to inspire and motivate all while dictating to their team? What would or could that accomplish? Here’s the thing: inspiring and motivating someone to do what you want isn’t true, positive leadership. It’s a form of coercion. A leader with a vision, however, who enlists the people involved to work collaboratively towards that goal, is a different story. Our world has become very self-focused, having moved into a …

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Mixed Messages and Rollercoasters: Stop the Ride! (And a Little About Leadership)

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As I peruse posts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram as well as published articles, I find that advertisers and authors consistently use descriptive words to draw in readers (and possible clients). Keywords such as leadership, culture, team, and values are bandied about and ones that naturally beacon to me because they are near and dear to what I do. More often than not, I will take the time to scan the posts: I’m committed to being a life-long learner, and welcome new information. Occasionally, I find myself delighted with an author’s point of view, gaining insight on a concept or …

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How Complacency Killed Your Dental Practice

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Today as I opened my eyes one word popped into my mind: COMPLACENCY. By definition, it is a smug or uncritical sense of satisfaction in oneself, one’s work or one’s achievements. Often used as a catch-all term for coasting-doing the same things day upon day that have always worked-we forget to challenge, grow, learn, change. Driving home from Cleveland after a few days of lecturing and meeting with new and potential clients, as well as some lovely time seeing friends, I was listening to podcasts. It’s my driving thing. One of my favorites is a dental show called Working Interferences, …

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4 Sure-Fire Tips for Generating Referrals and Attracting Quality New Patients

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Two of the most common questions my colleagues and I hear daily is “How do I generate more referrals?” and “How do I attract more new patients?”. With the perceived glut of dental practices, as well as the fear private practices have of DSO’s “taking” potential patients away, it’s no wonder dentists are panicking. To be clear: there are plenty of people in the United States who are in need of a dentist, whether they are a part of an underserved population or have not sought treatment recently. As a dentist and small business owner, the first thing YOU need …

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Assessing Patient Engagement in Treatment Presentation: Know the Clues and You’ll Fill Your Schedule

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“Mrs. Brokentooth, if you look here on your x-ray, you can see this TINY AREA of darkness that shows the cavitation of bacteria has begun to break through the enamel into the dentin, necessitating…” Eyes glazed over, Mrs. Brokentooth hears “Blah blah blah- x-ray, blah blah blah, necessitating…” As you wrap up your diagnostic presentation, Mrs. Brokentooth stands up, thanks you and leaves: she skirts the front desk, doesn’t appoint and -seemingly-couldn’t care less if her tooth is falling out of her head. Patient Engagement So, what happened? Well, Doctor, you messed up. You didn’t recognize the signs that you’d …

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Carrots, Trust, and Ben Franklin or Don’t Break Your Promises

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Little in life tastes as sweet as being rewarded or recognized for an accomplishment. We start as children seeking first the approval of our parents, and move on to teachers and friends. The “promise” of an ice cream cone if you behaved well at the meeting your father dragged you to, extra time on the playground at recess if the whole class sat still during a lesson…these “carrots” have been dangled in front of us for most of our lives, and seemingly the only difference is the size of the carrot as we got older. They are effective because if …

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Hey Doctor- You’re Large and In-Charge…Now What?

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You’re the boss. The Big Cheese. El Jefe. So what are you going to do about it? All kidding aside, many- no, most- dentists graduate school utterly unprepared to be in charge of anything more than the hand-piece they are wielding. Suddenly, you’re strapped with student loans, business loans, patients to manage and oh yes, a staff. While some of you were born with the inherent ability to lead, the type of leader you are, however, means more than anything else combined. Leader-type personalities see the big picture, have goals set and stop at nothing to achieve them. Unfortunately, if …

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