Learning how to define your position will allow you to stop wasting time defending it and improve your ability to resolve conflicts. 

In today’s world, conflict is everywhere. At anytime you can hop on Facebook and argue with millions of people. I want to highlight a concept today that I think is so universal and important that it applies to every single human being on this Earth. Regardless of your age, socioeconomic status, occupation or lifestyle the “Define Don’t Defend” concept holds tremendous power and the ability to help elevate your life and eliminate needless conflict.

To begin, let’s look at the definitions of these two verbs:

Define – state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of. Additionally, mark out the boundary or limits of.

Defend – resist an attack made on (someone or something); protect from harm or danger. Additionally, to speak or write in favor of (an action or person); attempt to justify.

On paper, it’s easy to see that these two words do not hold the same meaning nor do they represent the same behaviors. However, they are often used in place of one another incorrectly leading to emotionally charged debates, heated disputes, and eventually loss of relationships.

The opportunity to Define not Defend presents itself daily and handling this opportunity correctly can greatly improve your communication ability with others.

DEFINE

Just as the definition states, to define is to declare exactly who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Marking out exactly where you stand and supporting your stance with facts, data, and your past experiences. When you are challenged, define the facts of why you do what you do.  Defining the situation allows you to keep your emotions out of the situation and maintain a level head.

DEFEND

Defending contains components such as resisting, protecting, and justifying. To most, these components aren’t enjoyable nor do they create positive feelings in relationships. By defending your position, you open yourself up to increased emotion, and a higher probability of a negative interaction.

Two men “defending” their positions.

THE DIFFERENCE

When you define and don’t defend you create clarity and set the edges on what you do and don’t do. Whatever your vision is, whatever drives you needs to be defined and portrayed in everything you do in life. Defending creates doubt and confusion. A confused mind always says no. Defining creates clarity and allows others to see what you see. Everyone may not agree with your product, service, or stance on an issue… and that’s ok! But the second you start to defend you open the door for controversy and the potential of a heated debate. Defining operates from a logical state of mind while defending operates from a limbic, emotional state of mind.

Always remember the three D’s: Define Don’t Defend.

Let’s Ride!

Dr. Nathan Unruh, CXO SIDECAR

Every customer interaction presents an opportunity: build trust or facilitate a transaction. 

Customer interactions are a driving force in business. They hold tremendous power. Great customer interactions help to solidify your brand in the mind of a consumer. In today’s social media driven world, one horrible customer interaction can destroy your company’s reputation in a matter of seconds.

A customer interaction can fall into one of two categories:

1. Build Trust
2. Facilitate a Transaction

Trust

Earning the trust of a consumer is a big deal. With trust comes customer loyalty; which can lead to referrals and the development of fruitful, life-long relationships. Truly great brands are built on trust and tend to develop cult-like followings from their consumers. I immediately think of brands like Apple, Nike, and Patagonia. These brands are so trustworthy that their consumers adapt their products and services into their daily lives and routines.

Trust is developed through every single customer interaction. Every greeting, proposal, offer, close, and parting remark can build a trusting relationship.

Transaction

On the contrary, every customer interaction can also be viewed as a transaction. An opportunity for an exchange of goods or services for money. These interactions tend to be profit-driven and don’t usually result in trust being established between a brand and the consumer. Transactions are easier to learn, train, and perform. “Say this, don’t say this, do this, and don’t do that.” It’s really as easy as the infamous “Would you like fries with that?”

Building Trust will result in greater customer relationships.

Your Choice

Your business can treat every customer interaction however it chooses. If you wish to simply be a transaction-based business you can! But beware, with a transaction-based business comes a turnstile of consumers who can’t differentiate your brand from the other business down the street. If you’re looking to build your brand and establish relationships with your consumers, start by valuing every customer interaction as an opportunity to build trust.

Let’s Ride!

Dr. Nathan Unruh, CXO SIDECAR

Unless you were living on another planet, you have been exposed to the hype regarding the Eclipse of 2017.  In fact, I am sure you had the opportunity to chat about it or had been asked about it by countless patients and friends yesterday.  You maybe even took a few minutes out in the parking lot to observe. My question is this: did you turn this opportunity into a SMART Talk conversation, a Small talk conversation, or did your Eclipse discussions erode into the ether of Flat Talk?

Smart Talk

In discussing this with many of you yesterday it dawned on me that this event was analogous to a good old-fashioned blizzard in the Midwest.  The weather often dominates casual conversation in my part of the world.  I shared with one of our SIDECAR Crew that when we were in the midst of a large blizzard weather event many patients would stay home.  The patients who did make it in would often comment:  “Not very busy today, huh doc?”  My response was always the same:  “You are right Mr. Patient, but wait until tomorrow.  ½ inch of ice beneath 6-12 inches of heavy wet snow is every body shop owner and chiropractor’s dream!”

This as you can imagine produced the typical response from the patient:  “Oh doc, you’re so funny, you’re evil, etc.”  However, this was truly SMART Talk: a seed was planted and when this patient spoke to his friend, spouse or co-worker about the weather he or she often commented on the funny statement his chiropractor made.  The not so funny part was the friend was often just in a car accident because of the weather, fell on the ice or hurt themselves shoveling snow.  The follow up comment from my patient was often “Well, I guess my chiropractor was right, you better go see him!”

Application

One of the busiest days in my practice occurred after a 3-day airshow.  There were tens of thousands of spectators in the audience…..all staring into the sky!  Many developed neck complaints.  By my 10:30 cluster I could pick out the attendees just by their neck complaints and head carriage.  They thought I was psychic when I asked them how they liked the airshow.  Their first response became:  “How did you know I was at the airshow?”  My response:  You are the 10^th person I’ve seen this morning with a neck like yours!”  Smart Talk: misery loves company. The same phenomena occurred as with the blizzards https://francepharmacie.fr/acheter-generique-viagra/.

Today bring some elliptical SMART Talk into your practice and see if you have some more neck conditions that need your expert care.

Dr. Douglas Sea, CTO SIDECAR

I want to share a lesson that I learned many years ago that completely changed the way I thought about what it is that we do as chiropractors.

I’ve asked hundreds of doctors this one simple question and have very rarely gotten the right answer: “As a chiropractor, what is the one product that you sell?”

If you said, “The adjustment!” You’re wrong! Try again.

If you’re thinking, “The experience?” Wrong again.

TIME

The only product that you and I possess and the only thing that we can sell is our time. I know, I know, it took me a while to wrap my head around this concept too! Everything we do requires our time. As chiropractors, we can’t generate an income without spending time performing our craft. This does not mean that we can’t develop systems in our office that run themselves, but your entire operation does not exist without you in the middle offering and selling your time.

Unfortunately, time is not infinite. Without getting too deep into philosophy and morbidity, understand that your time is all you have to offer. Time, your time, is precious and every minute is incredibly valuable.

If you woke up one day and were told your income was finite and the sum wasn’t large enough to provide for you and your family for the rest of your life, what would you do? You would probably seek out ways to increase your wealth or maybe invest a portion of what you had to try to earn some interest. I guarantee something that you would do; beyond a doubt, is increase the amount of value you placed in every dollar you had. You would immediately shed the unnecessary expenses and sell-off any extra material possessions you had that you didn’t use. Simply put, you would immediately take action to get the most out of every penny.

This situation I just described is life. It’s your life. The amount of life you have left on Earth is finite, only we don’t know how much time you’ve got left!

So, how can we increase the value of the time you are spending working on and in your business?

Increased Efficiency

There are several different concepts and lessons pertaining to time that we teach here at SIDECAR.

• We recommend you utilize your valuable time in the following increments during your work week: twenty-four clinical hours, twelve management hours, and four hours as an entrepreneur.
• We recommend you examine your vocabulary and table talk to identify where you are wasting time using incorrect phrases or excess verbiage with patients.
• We encourage utilizing a concept known as “Dollar per minute” instead of the standard dollar per hour. This unit helps you identify exactly how much you are worth and stresses the importance of every minute you spend in your day.

If the scenario mentioned above resonated with you and depicts the life you’re living now; you aren’t currently valuing your time and understanding that it is the only product you have.

Twenty-four hours a day, 168 hours per week. That is all we have. However, you decide to spend that time is up to you. Just please, understand that time is the only product you truly have.

Dr. Nathan Unruh, CXO SIDECAR