Leading a Practice in Turbulent Times

David Staughton B.Sc.(Hons) CSP CCEO Practice Consultant

Table of Contents

Top Tips for Leading a Practice in Turbulent Times

Leading a practice during turbulent times is never easy. Economic uncertainty, shifting patient expectations, and competitive pressures can leave even the most experienced practitioners feeling stretched and unsettled. In these moments, leadership becomes less about technical skill and more about mindset, clarity, and resilience. The way you show up for your team and patients sets the tone for the entire practice. Your attitude, beliefs, and confidence act as the foundation that guides every decision and interaction. A small adjustment in how you think and respond can create a powerful ripple effect that transforms results.

The good news is that great leadership in a crisis doesn’t have to be complicated. It comes down to consistently applying practical strategies and keeping focused on what truly matters. By sharpening your mindset, staying organised, and leading with discipline, you can inspire your team, strengthen patient trust, and keep your practice moving forward with confidence. The following tips are designed to help you lead with clarity and purpose, even when times are tough. They’re actionable, achievable, and proven to make a meaningful difference when challenges arise.

Here are my BEST TIPS for being a better leader and leading in tough times:

1.     Be a BEACON – Get Your MINDSET Right  

Attitude is 80% of success – Learn how to flick your own attitude switch from grumpy to great by maximising your energy, focusing your inner little voice and managing your stress level.

Be a beacon of positivity, optimism and calm to lead your team and attract clients.

2.     Be ORGANISED – Get a Plan & Prioritise It

Any plan is better than no plan – A one page strategy plan, an action plan, a To Do List, or Not to do list. Identify and focus on your ideal clients, alliances & products. Learn to say No!

3.     Be a NUMBER COUNTER – Watch Your Numbers – Get Financial Numbers and Watch Your Results

Always know your desired outcome to get better results . What you focus on expands.  Where your attention goes – money flows! If you don’t like numbers – use colours and charts to communicate.

4.     Be NEAT – Improve Your Appearance & Environ

People judge professionals on professionalism. Your personal presentation is critical – The way you look, your equipment, car and office says a lot about your business.  Tidy up & get a makeover!

5.     Be PRICEY – Can you sustain your Prices and Avoid Discounting during the crisis?

Learn to sell your VALUE before you discuss price. Don’t be a premature price presenter.  You are not a commodity! – learn to add more value and confidently articulate it. If sales volume is going up – put up your prices. If it’s going down – fix your customer service and Marketing – then put up prices

6.     Be FOUND Easily –  Leave a Trail & Be Easy to Find

Be brilliant at the basics – Business Cards with picture and large font, helpful Brochures, Nice phone message, More Web listings & Google Places. Get a Facebook fan page and LinkedIn Bio listing.

7.     Be  REMEMBERED  – Work Your Relationships

When starting up contact your Personal Network of 1000 people you know. Fill Your Database with all the data from Prospects, Alliances & Clients. Focus your efforts on your Top 10 clients, Your Influential 100 relationships (meetings) and leverage the 1000s with regular contact via their preferred channel – enews, emails, mail, cards, SMS or Facebook posts (use a marketing calendar).

8.     Be an EXPERT – Go find a Niche or two!

People pay professionals for expertise yet it’s hard to be all things to all people. Find several niches where you can develop experience and connections. Develop a speciality niche – patients or procedures – your signature surgery.

9.     Be HUMBLE – Leading is ASKING for More Help

Many people have a big ego and it stops them asking for help – and directions! Courageous people ask other successful people for their ideas and experiences. Find a good Mentor and an accountability buddy too.

10.  Be More GRATEFUL – Build Alliances & Reward Your Referrers

Thank people for any and all their help – give your referrers feedback and updates., send cards, gifts and cross-referrals.  Don’t be a tight-ass with the appreciation! Most people feel under-appreciated. Thank them for ALL their leads and referrals. What gets rewarded gets repeated and what gets celebrated gets achieved.

11.  Be SMARTER – Seek Better Quality Information about the World

Read more Books & Blogs! Watch YouTube training videos. Find your guru – consult experts and advisers. Most books contain someone’s lifetime of knowledge and wisdom – just find the right one you need at the right time.

12.  Be FOCUSSED – Get More Clarity on What You Want (or Don’t Want)

Set more goals, make more wishes and have a dream poster, Choose to spend your time on high $ value activities (Negotiating, Dealmaking, Selling, Systemising etc.) not lower value activities. Learn to delegate – coach and counsel other people.

13.  Be a CONTRARIAN – Leading during a crisis involves actively seeking Good News and Avoiding the “Bad News” Media

Focus on any good news, personal bests and any improvements.  Avoid TV and Newspapers that are full of bad news. People want to feel better about themselves by comparison to worst case events.

14.  Be an ASKER – Turn One Patient into Many More

Learn to listen better and ask more – don’t just tell.  Ask the ‘million dollar’ questions. Find out where any of your best patients are coming from. Adopt a Blue Ocean Mindset – Ask Who else? What else? When else? Where else? & How else?

15.  Be SYSTEMATIC – Improve Your Process & Systems

Adopt a standard process for starting and ending your team meetings. Send an agenda beforehand. Use a set of Checklists.  Have a list of great diagnostic questions and a list of addons you can offer clients. Finish meetings by asking for help and agree on the next step.

16.  Be HIGH TECH – Use Better Technology & Efficient Equipment

Anything that can save you time, saves you money – a better Phone, Laptop, Website, Blog or Database will boost productivity.

Try a new phone or laptop and use outsourcing websites like Upwork and Fiverr.

17.  Be EMPATHETIC – Remove Client Ouch! & Reduce Their Pain

You can convert more prospects and patients by finding and removing their pain. Ask patients “If there was one thing we could do to improve what would it be?”They want more comfort, more ease of use, no nasty surprises, better quality, branding and design efforts. Show them that you really care. Remember that FUDGE sells – Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt, Guilt, Effort – show prospects how to remove their fears by trusting you.

18.  Be FRUGAL – Spend Less than You Earn

Do everything you can with what you already have. Keep your costs down and expenditure in line with income. You can’t spend your way to success.  Just do the work – new toys don’t grow clients. Don’t make excuses – keep busy.  Early on – it’s less yearning and learning and more earning!

19.  Be DILIGENT – Put More Effort into Building Your Team

When you employ someone – you rent a body. If you want productive work you need their heart and mind too.  Learn to be a better leader and put much more effort into recruitment, coaching & training as well as your leading efforts. One hour of good recruitment saves 100’s of hours of pain and effort.

20. Be DISCIPLINED – Leading requires More Doing, Less Knowing and Avoid Distractions

Most people know what to do – they just don’t do it. Build your discipline muscle over time by choosing to do the right thing. Avoid doing blame, reasons, excuses, bad attitude and denial. Don’t fool yourself with distractions and addictions. Read the book “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath for ideas on changing when change is hard.

So what really makes any practice or business successful? –

Good people with a good plan following a good process will usually get good performance.  Success requires something extra – the right people with the right strategy doing the right things at the right time & place. In turbulent times it’s essential to choose the right strategies and make the most of ALL your resources.

You only have a limited amount of time, energy, attention, money and support – so you need a great plan and most importantly the drive and discipline to implement it!

successful business

Do’s and Don’ts For Leading a Practice in Turbulent Times

7 Do’s for Leading in Turbulent Times

  • Do maintain a positive, calm mindset — your team will mirror your energy.

  • Do create a simple one-page plan and review it often.

  • Do focus on your key numbers — leads, conversions, and cash flow.

  • Do invest in relationships with patients, referrers, and staff.

  • Do keep your practice neat, professional, and welcoming.

  • Do embrace technology and systems that save time and reduce stress.

  • Do seek support — from mentors, peers, and advisors — instead of leading alone.

7 Don’ts for Leading in Turbulent Times

  • Don’t cut marketing or stop communicating when times get tough.

  • Don’t discount your services — focus on value, not price wars.

  • Don’t ignore your team’s emotions; silence breeds fear.

  • Don’t avoid numbers because they feel uncomfortable — clarity is power.

  • Don’t get stuck in “busy work” at the expense of high-value activities.

  • Don’t isolate yourself — share challenges and ideas with trusted allies.

  • Don’t dwell on bad news media; focus instead on wins and opportunities.

FAQs about Leading a Practice

Q: What is the hardest part about leading a medical practice during a crisis?

  • Often, it’s not the external conditions but the internal reactions. Managing your own stress, keeping morale high, and avoiding panic-driven decisions are usually harder than dealing with the actual problem.

Q: Why do mindset and attitude matter more than strategy in turbulent times?

  • A clear plan is important, but a resilient mindset helps you adapt when things don’t go as expected. Patients and staff look to leaders for confidence — your attitude directly shapes how others respond.

Q: How can a practice avoid discounting services during an economic downturn?

  • Instead of lowering prices, focus on demonstrating value. Patients are more likely to pay for trust, expertise, and care than the cheapest option. Positioning your services as premium can actually attract better clients.

Q: What numbers & KPIs should practice owners track first when money is tight?

  • The essentials: cash flow, new patient leads, consultation-to-surgery conversion rates, and your top 10 referrers. These give you early warning signs and help you make quick adjustments.

Q: Why does being “neat” and improving your office appearance matter in a crisis?

  • Patients make fast judgments based on professionalism. A clean, organised, and welcoming environment reassures them you are stable and trustworthy — especially when the outside world feels uncertain.

Q: What leadership mistakes do doctors make most often in tough times?

  • Common pitfalls include cutting marketing too quickly, avoiding hard financial conversations, isolating instead of seeking help, and projecting stress onto the team.

Q: How can doctors lead without feeling like they need to know everything?

  • Leadership is about asking great questions and surrounding yourself with experts. Humility — not having all the answers — often makes a leader more credible and approachable.

Q: Is it better to cut costs or invest more during uncertain times?

  • Neither extreme works. The winning approach is being frugal with expenses that don’t produce results, while doubling down on high-value activities like patient relationships, referrer engagement, and lead generation.

Q: Why do some practices grow faster in turbulent times than in stable times?

  • Crisis creates opportunity. Practices that stay visible, provide reassurance, and deliver consistent value often attract patients from competitors who are slow to adapt.

Q: What’s one daily habit that improves leadership under pressure?

  • A simple morning routine — setting intentions, reviewing priorities, and shifting your inner dialogue from “what’s wrong” to “what’s possible” — creates clarity and energy for the entire day.

Q: How do I stop my team from panicking when the news is full of bad headlines?

  • Leaders can’t control the media, but they can control focus. Share positive wins in team meetings, highlight small improvements, and deliberately reduce exposure to “doomscrolling” news inside the workplace. Focus on being busy doing the right activities – rather than obsessing over the suboptimal results.

Q: What’s the best way to motivate staff when you can’t afford big bonuses?

  • Recognition and appreciation often mean more than money. Simple things like handwritten thank-you cards, celebrating personal milestones, and offering flexible schedules can boost morale during tough times.

Q: Can small mindset shifts really change financial results in a medical practice?

  • Yes — because mindset shapes action. Take action. Movement comes before motivation, A leader who sees opportunity rather than threat tends to notice growth openings, follow up on leads, and stay visible to referrers, which directly impacts revenue.

Q: Why do patients notice leadership during a crisis?

  • Patients often sense the tone of a practice within minutes of arrival. A calm, confident, and caring atmosphere builds trust and reassures them that their health and investment are safe with you.

Q: How do I keep my prices steady when patients are asking for discounts?

  • Position your services around value, safety, and expertise. Patients who understand your unique approach are less likely to haggle. Train your team to explain benefits before cost.

Q: What small systems make the biggest difference in turbulent times?

  • Checklists, meeting agendas, and simple one-page strategy plans prevent chaos and create more certainty. These small structures provide stability, reduce mistakes, and free up leaders to focus on growth.

Q: What leadership skills matter most in the medical industry versus other businesses?

  • Empathy and communication stand out. Patients and staff both expect more emotional intelligence from healthcare leaders, especially when stress levels are high.

Q: Is it worth investing in technology upgrades when the economy is shaky?

  • If the tech saves time, improves patient experience, or makes you easier to find online, the answer is yes. Small investments in digital tools can create lasting efficiency gains.

Q: How can a practice turn one happy patient into ten more during a downturn?

  • By actively asking. Encourage referrals, follow up with thank-you gestures, and make it easy for patients to share their positive experience with friends, family, and colleagues.

Q: Why do some doctors and practice managers burn out faster when times are tough?

  • Often because they carry the entire burden alone. Leaders who delegate, seek mentors, and share responsibility tend to stay resilient, while those who isolate quickly run out of energy.

Get Yourself a Practice Mentor!

  • If you need some help to grow your practice – call me for a chat. I can help!