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POWERFUL PRACTICES FEATURE ARTICLES

HOW TO GET THE GREATEST RETURN FROM A SEMINAR
By Dr Ryan Yorke

Attending seminars is a proven strategy to create growth, synergy and inspiration for your practice and team.  Seminars provide a great opportunity to not only learn, but to also create new ideas and action steps that could radically change your practice for the better. 

Would you like to learn a potent way to generate ideas from a seminar that could lead to attracting more new clients, improve practice retention and have more ‘raving fans’?
Are you looking for ways to bring together the many concepts you have obtained from a seminar to create solid action steps?

Could your team benefit from powerful strategies to bring synergy and enhanced learning?

This article will provide you with the tools and strategies that will allow you to receive the greatest return from your seminar investment.

From Humble Beginnings...
I have been fortunate to attend many seminars during my twelve years in our profession, as many of you reading have as well.  As such, I can tell you that there are definite strategies and tools that you can use to make the most of attending a seminar, many of which I’ll describe in this article. 

One of my many learning's over the years has been to avoid underestimating the power of a seminar.  When I first started attending large seminars like Parker and Dynamic Growth Congress, I felt very good about registering for the event and investing in spinal research.  Satisfied with my contribution, I would attend without much expectation on my part other than enjoying the weekend.  I would often show up late for a session, sometimes not even aware of who was speaking.  I would sit near the back and not take notes, as if the process of ‘information osmosis’ would elevate my personal power and practice outcomes!  And, I would go to the ball and have a great time on my own as I did not see the benefit in bringing my team.  To top it off, there were few, if any, action steps created when I returned to practice the following week.  Do I ever wish I had that time back!

As I began being coached with Powerful Practices, my coach started to ask me specific questions both before and after any seminar I attended, and I started to realize the opportunity I was wasting.  By learning and implementing the steps described below, I was able to create new ideas and strategies that lead to the attraction of more new clients, a higher practice volume, and a greater level of ‘raving fans’.

Knowledge Does Not Equal Power
Most people by now understand that the adage “Knowledge equals power” is only a half truth.  In order to complete it, we must add action to the equation.  There is little point in attending a seminar, gathering a tonne of great information, and then returning to practice the following week as if it’s ‘business as usual’. 
In order to see change, we must take the relevant information and act upon it. 

How to Maximize Your Investment
Taking the following steps will ensure that you get the most from your time and money invested at a seminar:

1. SET AN INTENTION
   
   Setting an intention gives your brain a specific direction or purpose to move toward.  This heightens your awareness when opportunities arise, and also allows the universe to lend a helping hand.
   
   I was travelling with Dr Clinton McCauley, fellow coach and mentor with The Centre for Powerful Practices, from Adelaide to Sydney in 2010.  We were going to present a “Powerful Encounter” seminar in Bathurst, NSW and decided to hire a vehicle from Sydney and make the approximate four hour drive.  On the flight, Clinton told me he had booked a standard vehicle online but upon seeing a red Audi A3 at the airport in Adelaide, he really wanted to see if we could get a free upgrade.  The intention was set!
   
   When we arrived in Sydney, the rental car office had a long queue.  Clinton took about 15 minutes to get through while I waited outside the small office.  Sure enough, when he came out, he had a massive grin ‘ear-to-ear’ and said we had got a red Audi A3 as they had run out of all other vehicles!  Our drive to Bathurst and around Mount Panorama was very enjoyable!
   
   This may seem like a lucky coincidence, but I can tell you that setting an intention is a powerful way to set your goals and dreams in action.  We have seen its effectiveness time and time again.
   
   To set an intention, simply ask yourself or your team, “What is it that we want?  What is our main outcome that we would love to have as a result of attending this seminar?”
   Once you have this clear intention, write it down and express it verbally with the confidence and certainty that it will be achieved.  Then obtain a list of speakers that will be presenting at the seminar and decide which one’s will have the greatest likelihood of moving you toward your intention the best.

2. CREATE LEVERAGE
   
   In 2004, Dr John Hinwood1 wrote a Practice Pointer describing how your team can gain greater outcomes by attending seminars.  The main concept he described was a protocol whereby each team member attending the seminar generates a list of suggestions and new ideas that can be discussed at your next team meeting.
   
   Each team member creates a list of 5 ways to improve in 5 specific areas of practice.  So, each team member will list 5 ways in each area to:

• Enhance your team's performance
• Increase your practice marketing effectiveness
• Better educate your patients
• Serve your patients better
• Develop a greater understanding of Chiropractic philosophy
  
  You now have a 25 new ideas and suggestions for making a huge difference in your practice.  And that is just from one team member!  This takes full advantage of the power of leveraging and brainstorming.

3. MAXIMIZE  YOUR NOTE TAKING EFFECTIVENESS AND RETENTION
   
   Your style of note taking can affect your overall retention and ability to generate new ideas and concepts.
   
   The traditional style used by most is short hand notes while the speaker is talking, copying points off the power point presentation, and then occasionally returning to the notes when needed.  The trouble is that often our notes are not well organized and it can be difficult to quickly match key concepts together.
   
   We have a wonderful diversity in Chiropractic, with a great balance of right and left brain thinkers.  While no one learning strategy will be best for all, I’d like to provide two systems that can help to get the most out of your note taking.
   
   a) Mind Mapping
   
   The first style will lean toward the ‘right-brainers’.  Mind Mapping is a tool developed by author and consultant Tony Buzan.  
   
   Mind Mapping is a useful technique that can assist in:

• Brainstorming
• Note taking and summarizing information
• Studying and retaining information
• Providing an overview for a project
  
  In Mind Mapping, you place the topic title or main concept in the middle of your page and place a circle around it.  From this circle, draw lines outward that will represent subheadings of the main topic.  Continue to draw lines off the subheadings for specific points or further subheadings.
  To see some examples of Mind Maps, visit the Buzan Centre Australia website at www.buzan.com.au/learning/mind_mapping.html.
  
  b) Cornell Note-Taking System
  
  This widely-used note taking system was developed by Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University, and will suit our ‘left-brainers’ in the profession.
  The diagram below shows you the page set-up for this system2. 
  
  
  
  
  By working out questions, ideas and summary points either immediately after the session or that evening, you will be able to retain the information better and create keys for new ideas and concepts.

4. NETWORK
   
   Meeting and/or connecting with specific people at a seminar is another powerful opportunity many people overlook.
   
   Review the intentions you set and create a list of people or organizations you would like to touch base with during the course of the seminar.  Are there specific speakers you would like to meet?  Are there old classmates who are doing things in practice you would like to be doing?  What organizations or trade exhibitors are present that could help you move toward your intentions?
   
   As well, when meeting these people, ask if there is anything you can do to support them.  There is great benefit in building a relationship that provides mutual advantages.

5. HAVE FUN
   
   I know this one doesn’t need to be mentioned!  Strike a balance if possible between intense learning and having a good time.  Whether it is catching up with old mates, keeping a fun, open spirit during the sessions or partying it up at the event social, ensure that you create opportunities for enjoyment apart from learning. 

6. BRAINSTORM WITH YOUR TEAM
   
   Following the seminar, review the various lists of 25 ideas together as a team at your first meeting.  Write out all the ideas on a white board or flip chart so that everyone can see them. 
   
   Dr Hinwood in his mentioned Practice Pointer notes that, “Often the suggestions that various team members come up with are very similar or the same, however, sometimes one team member will come up with an idea that appears to come from way out in "left field". These lateral thoughts or ideas from left field can often be major "linchpins" in creating more new patients, increased office visits, increased profits and happier patients...You will be amazed at the outcomes and the synergy your team members can produce.”

7. ONE STEP AT A TIME
   
   Once your list of ideas is generated, pick out the one idea that, when implemented, would have the biggest outcome for your practice.  With that idea, set your intention and generate the action steps that need to happen in order for the result to occur.  Then get to work!
   
   Often, teams try to put several new ideas into place at once.  This strategy rarely works well.  Instead, keep focused on mastering and taking action on one key idea and, as that progresses, look at implementing a second.

What to Avoid
Here are three things to avoid that will help maximize your results:

1. Being Unprepared – no excuses for this one now!  Set your intentions, know which speakers you are going to attend, and find a way to hold yourself and your team accountable.
   
   
2. Not Taking Your Team – this can be a huge loss.  Taking your team provides you with increased leverage, allows your team to become more knowledgeable, and maximizes their energy and enthusiasm for serving others through Chiropractic.  If you are unable to take your team, speak with another Chiropractor about this strategy and work with them to leverage ideas.
   
   
3. Not Buying the mp3/video of the Seminar – when available, purchasing the audio and/or video of the sessions will allow team members who didn’t attend to get the information.  It will also allow you to listen to sessions that you were not able to attend and to continually learn from the speakers in the future through repetitive listening and/or watching.

Enjoy the Seminar!
So there you have it!  An effective, powerful strategy to get the most from your next seminar.  Before you attend your next event, set an intention, network and take great notes, brainstorm ideas from the multitude of speakers that support your intention, then take the top idea and run with it. 

References:

1. Hinwood, John.  “Having Your Team Gain Greater Outcomes from Attending Seminars.” In http://www.powerful-practices.com  Practice Pointer Archives 2004 week 47.
2. Trapani, Gina.  “Geek to Live:  Take Study-Worthy Lecture Notes.” http://lifehacker.com/202418/geek-to-live--take-study+worthy-lecture-notes

Dr Ryan Yorke is a Chiropractor, Speaker and Mentor with The Centre for Powerful Practices. He helps Chiropractors to develop their communication skills, market and build their practices, and overcome challenges so that they can have the certainty, freedom and peace of mind that they so richly deserve.

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