Imagine being in your office, or at a screening, or in a public place marketing your practice and someone comes up and says, «Why do I need a chiropractor — My back doesn’t hurt?» Depending upon your philosophy, you would probably respond that chiropractic care is not just for people who hurt, but also for those who choose to be healthier.

When chiropractors go to a practice management seminar or inquire about coaching services, a similar paradigm exists. Some people want to just not hurt, which means they want to make a living, pay their bills and support their family. Others want to raise the bar, to make a difference in chiropractic in both their practice(s) and in their community because they understand what a significant contribution their care can really make.

So the real question is not whether you need a chiropractor but which chiropractor is best suited to fulfill your needs…and the same is true about coaching for chiropractors! It’s not whether or not you need one — it’s which one is the best match for you.

There are two basic types of chiropractors. There are those that choose to get the patient out of pain, dismiss the patient, and then have them return when the pain or problem returns. Then there are those who not only help to remove the patient’s discomfort or symptoms, but to help improve the function of the nervous system and to increase the chances of that patient being healthier. Neither one is incorrect or correct — it’s just the perspective of the individual practitioners based on their belief system and the school that they were «raised» in.

Coaching is EXACTLY the same. There are some consulting firms that will teach procedure and only procedure which is known as the «strategy-based» approach and this will help the practitioner to streamline what they do and how they do it. Efficiency is increased and often times the practitioner will grow the practice — a little bit, or a lot. The funny thing about procedures is that you can teach two different practitioners the same procedure and one will do just okay, while the other does absolutely fantastic. Was the difference the procedure or the practitioner?

The answer to that question should be relatively clear. It’s not just the «what» and the «how» that’s important — it’s the «who»! Who’s doing it will create a variety of different responses based on the individual perspective, the belief system and the values that he or she holds true regardless of the procedure. When these core values, beliefs and personality traits are at the core of the coaching and consulting process, it’s referred to as an «identity-based» approach.

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that go into building a chiropractic practice. The majority of practice management firms focus on 3 major areas for practice growth. They include how to get New Patients, how to keep them around in the practice (PVA), and how to collect the money, otherwise known as Business Acumen. All 3 skills are necessary ingredients to grow, expand, and to help reach goals that the practitioner has set for him or herself.

Often times several doctors will hear about a new marketing idea, or a great new way to keep the patient around through some back-end service or a great new code that can help them collect more money. For the most part, these things provide «temporary relief» from the real problem at hand which prevents the practitioner from realizing their ultimate outcome.

There are 2 very important ingredients that are taught in an identity-based approach that make an even bigger impact on the chance of those goals being met. They include the philosophy and the identity of the practitioner — how that person feels about him or herself, the role that they play in running a practice and their feelings of self-worth, not only as a person, but also as a Doctor of Chiropractic.

Let’s say that you have no specific purpose, no specific goals and no specific outcome. What type of patient do you think you will ultimately attract? Often it is not the type of patient that fulfills your ideal practice and the chiropractor gets frustrated with statements like, «Where are all the good new patients?», or «Why are people always focused on their insurance?» These comments usually stem from a practice that is more pain based, perhaps not intentionally, but pain relief is the message that most people receive unless there is a specific outcome or goal in mind…from the chiropractor.

Is your coach asking questions about who you are and what you want? Are they offering you choices as to how to present chiropractic to the public and exactly what are you presenting now? How does it differ from what you would like to see in your practice and what steps would be necessary to make a smooth transition from what is to what can be?

John Demartini says that love is support and challenge. You must have both components in order to demonstrate love. How are you challenging your patients? What is preventing you from having the practice you imagined you could have when you were in Chiropractic College? How are you challenging yourself, or are you living a life of quiet desperation? Or, are you ready to embark upon a new journey because you’re «ok», but know there is so much more you could accomplish?

Just like a patient comes to a chiropractor with the hope of getting well, there is also a fear of the unknown. In most cases, that patient finds relief from suffering and a brand new way of thinking about health and the role that chiropractic plays for themselves and their families.

When a brand new practitioner is looking for a coach, a similar plethora of sensations are experienced. There is fear that it might not work or that it’s a waste of time or money, when in fact, the chiropractor is actually making an investment, in the practice and in the future realization of their dreams.

The foundation of an identity-based coaching approach is a simple statement — «Who you are determines how well what you do works.» The idea is not only to work on procedures and strategies, but to work on yourself, so you become an improved version of you and the strategies you apply work that much better.

Just like in practice, some patients come for acute care, get some results and leave, and they never truly reach a higher level of health and wellness. When a chiropractor comes for coaching, it’s the long term commitment to change, the willingness to risk and the break from comfort zones that ultimately lead to your definition of success!

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