Smart Talk Builds Strong Practices
Do you ever catch yourself just going through the motions when you adjust your patients?
Do you run out of things to say?
Do your patients appear apathetic?
Well, there is a solution and that is to stop the small talk and learn how to Smart Talk. Having visited several offices in the USA and Ireland in the past several months it has become painfully obvious that many of you have overlooked developing the number one skill that guarantees success. That is the ability to express yourself and communicate your ideas during the adjustment. And the price you pay is lack of referrals and the frustration associated with non- compliance. My promise is simple and profound, if you accept the challenge and commit to mastering the art of Smart Talk, you will build a massive practice wave.
Smart Talk is the robust dialogue that occurs during your chiropractic assessment and adjustment. This dialogue must be vigorous, brisk and lively. It can not feel or sound ‘canned’ or scripted. Be prepared to open with a question, listen to their responses and then respond. Begin each adjustment with a willingness to let go of your pre-adjustment agenda.
In sharp contrast, small talk is lifeless, lethargic and lengthy. Small talk is filled with gossip, weather reports, sports updates, TV Guide chit chat, celebrity news and political commentary. Small talk imprisons the doctor and bores the patient because it is product oriented, not patient oriented. Techno- babble like, “Your C5 is posterior and lateral,” belongs in a seminar with your peers, not in a business. And dogmatic slogans like, “The power that made the body heals the body” belong in church, not in a business.”
Small talk wastes time and time = life.
Smart Talk is passionate, enthusiastic and deeply rooted in your purpose. Remember, patients are more attuned neurologically to respond to your feelings than to your words. If you are bored and simply clicking or pounding the high spots, then they will vote with their feet.
Smart Talk is your opportunity to shout your message, talk your walk and be both witty and amusing. You’re right, it is not easy to blend clinical decision making and dialogue simultaneously. Yet it is possible to learn.
You must use your whole brain in order to be an effective communicator. Learn to think like a master by developing these three core thinking modules.
- Problem solving is the linear, ‘in the box’ thinking associated with our left hemisphere. Focus on the patient’s problem and offer your solution. Your chiropractic assessments must be accurate and meaningful. And your technique needs to bolster your post adjustment confidence.
Tips for developing problem solving:
- attend seminars regularly
- read peer review journals
- read a book a week and download at least one book so that you can listen to it while driving and exercising
- become fascinated with human anatomy and neurophysiology
- Creative thinking is the imaginative ‘out of the box’ and intuitive thinking associated with our right hemisphere. It is the ability to recognize patterns and apply new solutions. It is the ability to see connections and build concrete analogies.Tips for developing Creative thinking:
- act on thought flashes and write them down
- learn to mind map your ideas
- write in a journal
- listen to baroque music
- Self expression is the ability to draw upon your life experiences and pass on your wisdom. It is the bold expression of your point of view. You are your message.Tips for developing self expression:
- have some fun!
- take an art appreciation course
- experience live concerts
- visit museums and historical sites
- learn to play an instrument
- learn to draw, paint or throw pottery
It’s as simple as that!
Your SIDECAR Team
