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Are you unknowingly becoming the biggest bottleneck in your own practice? What happens when your business depends too heavily on you to function? Why should clinicians choose your group practice instead of building one of their own?
In this podcast episode, Brandon Shurn recaps his best discussions and insights from the Group Practice Conference | Part 2
Podcast Sponsor: POP Consulting
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In This Podcast
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Are you the unintentional bottleneck?
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Different types of bottlenecks
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What does your practice offer clinicians?
Are you the unintentional bottleneck?
Brandon wrote down points from the different keynote talks over the Group Practice Boss Conference that resonated with him. These were some of the highlights for him, and they stayed with him long after the conference ended.
The first one is about a talk that really drilled in deep on how you think about things, your perception, and your mindset, especially around your private practice.
One of my tendencies is to want to know what is going on before I delegate it. I want to have hands on before I delegate a task, and this [keynote] session … was about [not] being a bottleneck. (Brandon Shurn)
The question that struck a chord with Brandon that the speaker shared was this: “Did I build my business just to be the hero?”
Did I build my business to know everything about my business? Now, you’ve just heard me say that I like to know how things operate and function before I delegate it … But was that the main purpose? And it really wasn’t the main purpose … I just have this part of me that loves to learn, but in the process of that … This question sparked a reflection … on whether or not I have created such a bottleneck that I’m hindering the growth of my practice. (Brandon Shurn)
Different types of bottlenecks
There are three different types of hero “bottlenecks” that Brandon listed from the keynote. They come about when a business owner wants to be in control and in charge of everything in the practice, despite having good intentions.
While there could be different ways in which a business owner can unintentionally bottleneck their practice, these are the three ways that were discussed in the keynote:
1 – The hero decides everything for everyone
2 – The hero knows everything in their heads
If I know everything in my head, the processes that I haven’t written down, it means that everyone is dependent upon me, [and] that also means I can’t take time off, because I need to be available to everybody. (Brandon Shurn)
3 – The hero owns every relationship
These are the potential roadblocks that a business owner may intentionally be placing in the pathway to growth. It is important ot trust your team, understand that you can’t (and maybe shouldn’t) do everything, and delegate with intention.
If you want your practice to scale, grow, and function well, then it needs to be separate from you in some essential ways.
What does your practice offer clinicians?
Another important keynote that resonated with Brandon is the question of offered value: “What does your practice offer a driven and motivated clinician to choose your group practice, and not to open up their own?”
While there will always be therapists who would prefer to be a clinician in a group practice, and there will always be people who are business owners and want to open up the practice itself, it is an important question to think about.
What does your practice offer to clinicans that will make them choose to work with you, or for you? However, you need to choose what you offer well, because it will either support or hinder the type of culture you want to build within your practice.
I share that to say not everything that would cause a person to stay might be something that you would like to implement and bring into your practice, and you’ve got to be okay with that as well, because what you will do is keep the people that want to be there, that’s going to support the culture and mission … And those that have the capacity to stay but are not really aligned … [you can say] “I wish you well.” (Brandon Shurn)
Useful Links:
Check out these additional resources:
- Group Practice Conference Part 1: Growing with Intention | GP 327
- Practice of the Practice Network
- Group Practice Launch
- Group Practice Boss: www.practiceofthepractice.com/grouppracticeboss $149 a month
- PoP Group Practice Owners Facebook Group
- Free resources to help you start, grow, and scale
- Work with us
- Practice of the Practice Network
Meet Prof. Brandon Shurn
Brandon Shurn, Ph.D., LCPC, LMHC, AFC®, NCC, is a licensed clinical professional counselor and the founder of EmPower Me Holistic Counseling, a fully virtual Maryland-based practice. He’s also a full-time professor in Seattle University’s online Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. With extensive experience launching and directing university training clinics, Brandon now focuses on helping therapists design and grow impactful, sustainable practices. Outside of his work, he enjoys fitness, yoga, Wing Chun, golf, reading, and spending time with his family and dogs.
Visit Empower Me Counseling, and connect with Brandon on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Email him at: [email protected]
