Minimize confusion, distractions and conflict by focusing on your destination

How often do we get distracted with the details of our immediate situation and then become confused with the path we should take? This happens frequently when we forget to “begin with the end in mind.”

Having been in practice for 25 years, I can tell you there have been a few times I have lost sight of the goal. There have been situations that have seemed so big and so overwhelming that I almost drowned in the midst of it all. What saved me every time was a strategic pause to remind myself to keep the end goal in mind.

STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

I first heard of this concept in Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Of this second habit, he writes that to “begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.”

This can be taken as far as creating a personal mission statement that guides every step you take in life (which is what I would suggest), but it also can be as simple and straightforward as a guide for conflict resolution.

STOP BEFORE YOU ACT

I have often counseled my children when they are writing an essay or dealing with a social media response that they need to stop before they act. They need to think of the end result they are looking for and then make certain every step or action they take in the present is designed to get them there.

Think of engineers building a high-rise tower. They begin with the end in mind. Now imagine taking off for an exotic vacation destination — thank goodness the pilot begins with the end in mind. A doctor delivering a baby, a triathlete beginning a grueling endurance event, a chef creating a beautiful meal. The most successful of all of us have one thing in common: We begin our journeys with the end in mind.

THE DISGRUNTLED PATIENT

Remember the last time a patient became openly disgruntled in your office, even though you knew that everything your team had done while serving this patient was justified? When this happens and your team becomes frustrated, the best advice you can give them is to step back and think of what they want the outcome to be. Ask your team to tell you out loud what the outcome is that they desire. Then ask them how they can get there most effectively. Your team can best address the issues when they focus on outcomes, not conflict.

Being able to think of the end result before things get out of hand is a tremendous asset to the business and to your team members, not only in your practice, but also in their lives.

If we all spent more time “beginning with the end in mind” we would see 99% of conflict disappear. After all, isn’t it better to write the ending of the book the way you want it and then create the rest to make it happen? OM

Email: april.jasper@pentavisionmedia.com

Twitter: @DrAprilJasper

Facebook: @OptometricManagement