9Step Strategic Planning1. Describe Vision2. Describe Honest Reality3. Reverse Engineer the Journey4. Compile a List of All Journeys5. Select Goals to Accomplish Within 1-3 Years6. Pick 90-Day Milestones Designed to Move You Forward7. Create Action Steps for 90-Day Milestones8. Write Document Outlining Everything 9. Review Your 90-Day Plan Every Day

Adapted for dentistry from the teachings of Tommy Newberry

1Describe Your VisionDescribe your dream practice in vivid detail.

Present this vision to any equity partners you have.

1Describe Your VisionQuestions to get you thinking: Patients

What is the reputation? How do your patients feel when they first

become part of the office? What do the patients say about your office when they talk to their friends, family and co-workers?What do the patients feel when they move away from your office and must find another office? What/who will they miss?

1Describe Your VisionQuestions to get you thinking: Business

How many people work there? What services does it provide? How much revenue does the practice generate? What is the profit from that revenue? Describe every revenue stream for the practice? How much is the practice growing year over year? What is the condition of the facility? What instruments or technology is available, and how do these technology help patients and generate revenue?

1Describe Your VisionQuestions to get you thinking: Clinical Dentistry

What services does the office provide? What do you want to be known for? What services will you be really good at when this practice has arrived at this destination? What instruments or technology is available?In what ways will you ensure quality outcomes?

1Describe Your VisionQuestions to get you thinking: Personal

Describe the people you work with? How much income does the practice provide you?How much time do you (the owner doctor) spend in this practice? What is the allotment of your time? What does this office provide you with other than income? What is your exit strategy?

2Describe the Honest RealitySelf reflection is important and valuable, but make sure to seek out input from multiple sources:

StakeholdersPatientsClinical EmployeesArea BusinessesOperations Employees

3Reverse Engineer the Journey Don’t worry about a timeline yet.

There will be many different journeys that will have to be traveled simultaneously.

Take each aspect of your future practice

that is different than your reality today

and map out the steps of the process without considering

time.

4Compile A List Of All Journeys

5Select five 1-3 year goalsPick goals that will dramaticallytransform your practice.

Most people over estimate what they can accomplish in a single day and significantly underestimatewhat is possible in 30, 90, 180 days.

Think big. Get excited about your 1-3 year goals. 

6Pick 90-Day ObjectivesStart by picking one thing you will

work on in the next 90 days.

As you improve your skills at planning and goal attainment you will be able to add additional 90-

day objectives.

As you train key leaders to do the same they will be able to handle

multiple 90-day objectives as well.

Don’t try to do too much your first quarter.  

7Create Action Steps Work the 90-day objective through action steps.

For each 90-day objective identify 3-5 action steps that you can and will accomplish.

For example: If you want to establish a solvency account for the business. You might have to go to the bank and open a dedicated savings account. You will want to create a system of transferring a certain amount of each daily deposit to this account. You will want to decide who does this and how often.

7Create Action Steps The tension between reality and desired outcome is the fuel to propel action.

Rock back to reflect on reality.Lean forward to move into a new reality.

Continue rocking back and forth from reflection to action.

8Write Document to Review DailyWrite out a document that you can read every day. Include:

Your vision for your office(refer to step 1) Your 1-3 year goals Your 1-5 90-day objectivesAction steps for each90-day objective

9Review Your 90-day Plan Every day

Read or Listen to a recorded version of your 90-day plan everyday. This keeps the things that are important top of mind.

Enjoy the Journey