Dos and don'ts for leadership: The practice vision sets the course

Vision is the source of professional motivation. It's the reason you come to the office each morning. A written vision statement articulates where you want the practice to be in the future and serves as the foundation for setting targets to get you there.

Identify milestones you want to accomplish. To enhance the vision statement, dentists should list the most important practice achievements they wish to see in the long term. Examples may include expanding the cosmetic treatment, reaching top percentiles of production, improving customer service, or having the best reputation in the community.

Don't set it and forget it. To make your vision a reality, you need to evaluate it annually. An in-depth review each year will help you determine if the vision is still realistic and attainable. It also indicates if anything needs to be modified.

Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the chairman and CEO of practice management consulting firm Levin Group.

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