981: Leadership Lessons for Thriving Practices – Michelle Wakeman

Are you truly a great leader? Or are you overestimating how good you are? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings in Michelle Wakeman, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to reframe what it means to be a leader, why it’s important, and to share some of the best leadership lessons from thriving practices. To learn how to lead with confidence to build a successful practice, listen to Episode 981 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Michelle:

• Send Michelle an email: michelle@actdental.com 
• Follow Michelle on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental
• Send Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@actdental.com 
• Send Gina an email to learn more about ACT: gina@actdental.com 

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 981: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Read Traction by Gino Wickman: https://benbellabooks.com/shop/traction

Main Takeaways:

• Have a clear vision. Your vision is what provides direction for your team.
• Clearly define your clinical, financial, team culture, and life vision.
• Communicate your vision and core values to your team.
• Repeat your vision and core values for alignment.
• Walk the talk as the leader. Set the example.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

0:58 ACT/Smile Source and BPA.

3:29 Why this is an important topic.

4:50 How does this show up in your practice?

10:22 Three key things that great leaders define.

14:02 Vision provides direction.

18:44 Four key areas of practice vision: Clinical vision.

22:51 Four key areas of practice vision: Financial vision.

26:13 Four key areas of practice vision: Team culture vision.

28:13 Four key areas of practice vision: Life vision.

33:38 Purpose and values build meaning.

38:34 Defining core values.

40:27 Repetition creates alignment.

46:01 Final takeaways.

48:59 Q&A: The difference between mission, purpose, and vision and how they tie into values.

Michelle Wakeman, BSDH, Bio:

Michelle Wakeman, BSDH, brings nearly 20 years of clinical dental hygiene, administrative, managerial, and sales experience to the table. She has a passion for people and a natural aptitude for communication that has led her to develop meaningful relationships throughout her career in dentistry. As a coach, she seeks to help dental practices develop systems that enable them to enhance their patient experience, leading to better relationships among owners, team members, and patients, along with profitable outcomes.

In her off time, Michelle can usually be found at the ice rink supporting her son, Hunter, in hockey, the ball field cheering on her son, Carter, or the gym, reliving her days as a gymnast with her daughter, Leighton.