As a practice leader, one of your roles is to encourage physicians in your group to develop and nurture positive relationships with referring physicians.
My friend Bob Kodzis, a nationally acclaimed writer, marketer, and president of Flight of Ideas, shared in my recently released book It’s Personal: The Art of Building Your Practice that, “There is no marketing tool or promotion known to man that is more powerful than a good, sincere, and mutually beneficial relationship.”
I wholeheartedly agree. Here are the traits he believes build good relationships:
- One on one — The relationship must be person to person. Businesses do not have relationships with businesses.
- Mutually beneficial — Both parties must somehow benefit.
- Altruistic — You care about each other beyond the immediate transaction.
- Communicative — This means both sharing and listening.
- Based in trust — It takes time and must be earned.
- Frequent personal contact — Just like a plant, it must be regular and relevant.
- Great relationships are survivors — They can survive short-term mistakes.
- Willingness to change — You must be willing to make adjustments in order to benefit others involved.
How are you strengthening your practice relationships?