I’m a “runner.”

I use the term loosely because I’m slow. Like really, really slow.

My family tells me I’m so slow they can walk and keep up with me. Truth be told, they’re probably not wrong.

My response: Come run a half-marathon with me. Once you’ve run 13.10, then we’ll talk.

No one’s taken me up on my offer yet.

Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare?

The hare makes fun of the tortoise for being so slow (Hmm… Where have I heard that before?) when the tortoise challenges him to a race.

Because the tortoise is so slow, the hare stops to take a nap while he’s waiting for the tortoise to catch up. While the hare is sleeping, the tortoise overtakes him and goes on to win the race. 

The tortoise may not be fast but he stays focused and steady to win the race.

Every. Single. Time.

Lesson #1: Moving slow is better than not moving at all.

Maybe you’ve gotten stalled out or it’s taken you a little longer to get your co-management program up and running than you’d hoped.

Or…

Maybe you’re like the hare, moving quickly but getting passed by your competition when you took a break during the pandemic. 

There’s no better time than the present to refocus your efforts and re-engage with your referring doctors.

My family likes to poke fun at my pokiness. But they’re not running with me. In fact, they’re not even in the race.

People who aren’t in the race will never understand those who are. 

That’s OK. Not everyone will understand but you get to choose who you listen to.

Lesson #2: Don’t listen to the naysayers.

Some people won’t support your decision to make the investment in your referral network.

Why take advice from someone who’s not even in the race?

When people hear that I’m a “runner” (jokes aside), they often tell me they would never be able to run long distances. And you know what, if they never try or take the first step, they’re right.

At the age of 40, I couldn’t run a mile. Running a half marathon was on my life goal list and I did it. One step, one mile at a time.

Now that I’m 40 ah… something, I’ve run almost a dozen half marathons (still haven’t run that full yet – maybe I’ll save that for 50), but it all started with the first step.

Lesson #3: It starts with the first step.

I’ve never met a practice who said they didn’t want more referrals.

Perhaps you’re ready to grow your referral network but you don’t know how to get started.

Take the first step which is to develop a process. What happens when a referral comes in? Who schedules that patient? How will you communicate with the referring doctor?

If you’re struggling to get started, reach out to a coach or a mentor. Find a practice who’s doing a great job with their network and ask them what they’re doing. How did they get started?

Take the first step. 

Today, the Oklahoma wind was especially gusty sweeping down the plain.

I was running uphill into the 30 mile per hour wind and it just…

Well… It just sucked. I was literally sucking wind.

In that moment, I was questioning my sanity and all I wanted to do was quit.

Lesson #4: Don’t quit.

Sometimes it gets hard. 

Making changes, re-establishing the culture, doing something you haven’t done before, going against the grain…

But you can’t get where you want to go if you stop.

And guess what?

Right after I got up that hill straight into the wind, I turned a corner. Around the corner, I was running downhill with the wind at my back. It was exhilarating.

If I hadn’t embraced and leaned into the suck (literally), I would have missed what was around the corner.

Some moments, you’re barely putting one foot in front of the other. Other moments, you’re flying. Sometimes all within the same mile.

Lesson #5: If you don’t put in the hard work during the uphill climb, you miss the exhilarating experience just around the corner.

Very few people want to put in the hard work of developing and refining their systems. It’s not nearly as sexy as forecasting or vision planning.

In fact, I see this a lot. It’s fun to dream about filling your surgery schedule, adding another liaison, or being the co-management practice of choice in your market.

I get it. I love dreaming about these things too and casting the vision to a practice who may not yet see the possibilities.

But…

The practices who take the time and get the coaching to put the best systems and processes in place…

Those are the practices who enjoy the benefits of practice growth with better patient and staff experiences.

For me, the long runs never get easier. Every time I set out on a run more than seven or eight miles, I wonder how in the world I’ll run that many miles. 

Even after dozens of long runs, I still have this thought every single time.

So how do I do it? I put one foot in front of the other, one step, one mile at a time.

Sometimes I have to slow down and walk or change course. That’s OK. I’m still in the race. It may take me a bit longer to reach my destination but I’m still moving forward.

It may not always look pretty (remember Phoebe from Friends?) but I keep going.

Lesson #6: Keep going even if it feels awkward.

Getting started with your referral network program may feel a bit awkward at first. Starting something new often does.

Maybe you’re wondering if you’re doing things the right way or getting some staff resistance to the changes.

Check in with your customers to see how you’re doing. Encourage staff to stay the course or evaluate whether or not you have the right players on the team.

Keep going until you hit your stride. Change your pace or adjust your strategy if you need to but keep going.

After dozens of long runs, I still get scared that I won’t be able to finish. Can I really do this? What if I fail? Do I look as goofy in real life as I do in the finish line videos my family takes?

The fear doesn’t always go away. Sometimes you just have to push through the resistance.

Lesson #7: Push through the resistance.

Resistance comes in many forms; employees who don’t want to change, a market who’s always done things the same way, fear of doing something different or upsetting the status quo.

Here are a few of the most common objections (along with my response) that I hear from clients when they begin to upgrade their referral network programs.

We’ve never done it that way before.

Are you happy with where you’re at now? No one is forcing you to change, but if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.

That’s just not how it’s done in our market.

Are you trying to be like everyone else in your market or distinguish yourself as the practice of choice among patients and referring doctors?

Our market is different.

How is your market different? Each market may have its own nuances but generally speaking, I have yet to meet a market that is significantly different from other markets.

So and so practice is already doing that, and we don’t want to upset them.

Are you in business to keep your competition happy or take great care of patients and referring providers? Are your competitors worried about keeping you happy? Focus on patients, not the competition.

We can’t really afford the investment right now.

When will you be able to afford the investment? In reality, if you’re looking to grow and do something you’ve never done before, you can’t afford not to make the investment.

By the way, there is no right or wrong answer to these questions. It really just comes down to where you want to go. 

If you’re content with the status quo, that’s great.

But…

If you want to get someplace different than where you are right now, you’re going to have to do some things differently than you’ve done before.

And it all starts with taking the first step.

Even the largest, most successful practices didn’t start there.

They started with the first step…

Just like everyone else. 

If you’re ready to take the first step (or the 100th) to grow your referral network, I’m here to help!