As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect, and evaluate how your practice performed. There’s more to the practice than production and collections, and it’s crucial you make time to assess the bigger picture. The key to doing so is a thoughtful year-end review, and when done right, you’ll ensure that you’re not just working harder year after year — you’re building the practice and life you want.
Instead of letting the new year be the same old thing as last year, keep your goals in sight with some internal reflection:
- How aligned was the practice this year?
You need alignment, because as Kirk says, “misalignment is the root of all evil.” Without a clear vision and consistent rhythms, your team’s focus will drift, priorities will get lost, and progress toward your goals will stall. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Did I lead with a clear vision?
- Was I clear in sharing that vision with my team so they could see how they fit into it?
- Did we keep consistent communication rhythms with a daily huddle, weekly team meetings, monthly check-ins, and quarterly planning sessions?
- How smart were we?
Smart practices succeed because they track and understand their data, systemize their processes, and make decisions based on insight. Assess your practice’s smartness by answering these questions:
- Did we regularly monitor, understand, and discuss our practice data?
- Did we let the GAPS financial data guide our decisions?
- Did we celebrate wins when we were on track and put countermeasures in place when we weren’t?
- How well did we systemize the practice?
- Are we relying on solid processes instead of individuals to keep things running?
- How healthy is our culture?
You need a healthy culture to have a healthy practice, because the trust, values, and productive communication inherent in a strong culture are the ingredients to an environment where your team thrives and your patients feel the difference. Use these questions to evaluate your culture:
- Are our Core Values alive in our daily actions, decisions, and conversations?
- Did we approach conflict and tough situations productively?
- Do we operate with trust and accountability at every level of the team?
- What will we start, stop, or continue next year?
This last question is where you bring it all together and start thinking about the new year:
- How can I be intentional about creating more freedom and fulfillment in the coming year?
- What worked well this year that we should double down on?
- What do we need to start or stop doing in order to improve the three essential pillars of being Aligned, Smart, and Healthy?
You don’t need a complicated year-end review to create positive outcomes — you only need to be intentional. Set aside an hour on your calendar, bring your leadership team together, and have a conversation about these four questions. The insights you’ll gain will help you enter the new year with the focus, confidence, and momentum you need to make it the best year yet!
To learn more about ACT and how we can help you build a Better Practice and a Better Life, reach out to Gina!
Tune in next time and learn how to make 2026 the year when you take control of your practice!
