This is from Dr. Dennis Perman .. The Masters .. 800-451-4514, or check out our website at www.themasterscircle.com. To be included on his weekly e-mail list send a message to: masters9@aol.com 11-8-99 Dear Doctor: What an outstanding Masters Circle event we had in the Bahamas this weekend! In addition to snorkeling with stingrays, and the frenzied and outrageous Junkanoo party (a throwback to African tribalism including fire-eaters, broken glass-walkers, limbo dancers and the notorious Crab Man) we also learned how to apply Michael Gerber's E-Myth material from our excellent guest speaker, Dr. Seth Lederman. Dr. Lederman runs one of the most successful chiropractic practices in the country, helping over 100 new patients each month and earning a telephone number income, and he does it by thinking big, and by developing and implementing systems that cause the practice to function as a smooth, finely tuned machine. There was so much material in this seminar, I can only address a small section of it, but you'll certainly get the flavor of the presentation from his comments on leadership. For you to be an effective leader on your office, there are three components that must be in place. First, you have to establish a vision, a sense of where you want to take your practice and why. Gerber refers to this as your "primary aim," and it should be stated succinctly and precisely. Gerber says your primary aim should answer questions like, "What do I value most? What kind of life and business do I want? What do I want it to look like, feel like? Who do I wish to be?" This may seem a little heady, but if you are to lead yourself and your practice, you have to decide on some of these issues. Second, you'll need to take action. But what actions are the most direct route toward the accomplishment of your primary aim? Gerber suggests you create a "strategic objective," a concise summary of exactly what you'll need to do to make your dream real. Brainstorm out all the component parts of your primary aim, and begin to compile information on the various parts of your business -- what clientele you wish to serve, what volume you desire, how much money you plan on earning, what techniques, approaches and distinctions you plan to employ -- in short, create a jumping off point for the development of the systems you'll need to manifest the business you want. Third, you'll need to demonstrate what Gerber refers to as spirit. Whether you call it passion, drive, enthusiasm, or energy, you will need to inspire those around you, both team members and customers, to buy in to your dream. This requires clarity on your part as to exactly where the juice comes from, and Gerber suggests yet another exercise, one he calls the "company story." This is a personal recount of why you chose this particular primary aim, told emotionally by you -- write down why you decided to do what you do, and include the heartfelt experiences that led you to those conclusions. When these three components are in place, you are that much closer to making your practice and life what you want. Read the E-Myth books, and consider applying these ideas like Dr. Lederman does -- he has the life most of you would do anything for, and this material is in large part the way he has made it happen. Dennis Perman DC, for The Masters P.S. Come and hear the one and only Dr. Guy Riekeman and lots more at our Masters Practice Development Weekend in Teaneck NJ, 11/19-21! For more info, or to register, please call 800-451-4514, or check out our website at www.themasterscircle.com.