As the year draws to a close, we at Institute for Podiatric Excellence and Development (IPED) know that it’s natural to think back over the last 12 months and reflect on the successes and failures that your practice has experienced. Unfortunately, many people get stuck dwelling on past “mistakes” and reproaching themselves for what should have been. Or, maybe even worse, we look at mediocre results and simply shrug and move on. Many famously successful people produced great results by learning from rather than dwelling on their mistakes. As you review your year, consider Thomas Edison’s quote about inventing the light bulb, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Some tips for turning mistakes into learning experiences:

• Put aside your ego and be honest about a mistake. If you fall off a bike because you’re learning to ride, you don’t blame the bike. Truly look at why something went awry to get to the root of what needs to be changed.
• Don’t get stuck in a rut. What worked to motivate one employee may not be incentivizing to another. Take the time to get to know your team and what makes them tick to increase productivity.
• Take a fresh look at your patient base. If advertising and marketing strategies seem to bring lukewarm response, are you sure your techniques speak to the population you serve? What is the makeup of your practice? How many patients are seniors, athletes, men, and women in their prime? In most cases, hosting an event at the sports footwear store is not likely to attract geriatric patients. If you want to branch out in a new direction, you will likely need a new approach and new media outlets.
• Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. If something you tried only worked partially or didn’t bring the expected outcome, you should neither accept it nor totally discard it. Be willing to fine tune your approach and make necessary adjustments and perhaps, “fail” again in order to learn.

At IPED, our mission is to serve the total practitioner and the patients he or she cares for. To learn more about why you should become a member, contact our Executive Director, Ruth Ann Donahue by calling: 978-296-7634.