PAEDS BIZ ... HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR PRIVATE PRACTICE DECEMBER 2016
STAND-UP MEETINGS
Increase energy and alertness
p.12
SUMMER PLANNING TIPS
Review, assess and plan for the year ahead p.10
TEN POWERFUL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS You have asked and we have delivered p.11
AN INTRODUCTION TO
CATHY LOVE Occupational Therapist Coach Speaker Author
For first time readers a quick intro, I am Cathy Love an Occupational Therapist, Coach, Author and Speaker. I am the founding director of Nacre Consulting and I work with parents and disability service providers to achieve brilliant outcomes for children with special needs. I provide a range of services: • Private practice coaching to business owners • Family Service Coaching to help parents manage their child’s team and services • Clinical supervision to individuals and teams • Service delivery consultation to disability service providers More to be read about all that over on my website www.nacre.com.au Each month I write up news, useful information and pearls of wisdom for those working with children and families in the disability sector. Given that it is a rapidly changing landscape and one that is increasingly privatised there is lots of news to be shared.
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Welcome. Welcome to the last Paeds Biz newsletter of 2016. We’ve had great fun creating this year’s edition, and we’ve heard on the grapevine that you’ve enjoyed reading it. A special thank you to all of the readers who have contacted us with positive feedback, we couldn’t be happier you’ve loved it. And on that note… We have some business books to give away. Email us your thoughts, feedback, and suggestions and you’ll be automatically entered into a draw to win one of several books. Wrapped and ready-to-post are Cate Shreck’s ‘The A-Z of customer service’, James Crook’s ‘Digitally Enhanced’, and a few more surprises. But make sure to get in before it’s too late. Click and email the editorial team at info@nacre.com.au. Paeds Biz Connects have been a great success. A huge thank you goes out to all who came along in Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne; it was great to meet all of you. The conversation buzzed, the food circulated, the bar was busy, and the guest speakers were generous with their time. I presented the Paeds Biz Success Factors and there were loads of interesting questions. We’re planning to host more in 2017, along with forums, bootcamps, and perhaps a conference and retreat. Come join us. Our December edition is jammed with useful information. We’ve got advice from HRAOL about managing notice periods and leave, and Cate Schrek has a contribution about ‘being ordinary’. In addition, there are ‘2016 Learnings’, ‘Debt Management’, ‘Thank You Ideas’, ‘Stand Up Meetings’, summer planning tips, and ten powerful and bold interview questions. Plenty of information to feast on this December. So, sit down, make a coffee, and get to reading.
Cathy Cathy Love Director of Nacre Consulting
CONTENTS 02 Introduction Meet Cathy Love 04 End of Year Habit 05 An Introduction to Coaching Meet Barbara Anderson - an ICF master coach 06 End of Year Thank You Pre-Summer Debt Management 08 Different is the New Ordinary Guest Writer - Cate Schreck from Lightbulb Training Solutions 09 Join the Conversation 10 COVER FEATURE: Summer Planning Tips 11 COVER FEATURE: Ten Powerful Interview Questions 12 Stand-Up Meetings 13 Do Absences from Work Extend an Employee’s Period of Notice? Guest Writer - Kerrie Canning from HR Advice Online 14 Team Talk 2017 15 The Wrap
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END OF YEAR HABIT:
LEARNINGS FROM THE YEAR THAT WAS Clients Pull up a list of this year’s new referrals in your practice management system. How does it compare to last year’s? You may not know the exact answer but consider the contribution you and your team have made to their life and personal advancement. Do you record the compliments and complaints you receive from clients? Reflect on these. As the business owners, you nearly always learn a fortune from their feedback. What have you learnt? Services List the new services that you and your team provided this year. How did you evaluate its effectiveness? And how will you change it if you offer it again next year? This gives you a big tick for innovation! Time This task may take a little longer. Wind your diary back to January, glance at each page and note the highlights and challenges that each week contained. It is a fascinating exercise and doesn’t take as long as you would think! You’ll be reminded of so many things that have evaded your memory. Raise your hand if you feel you only achieved a fraction of what you set out to do this year? I hear you. At times, it can feel like one non-stop rush through a never ending ‘To Do’ list and a barrage of client and team challenges. It’s frustrating, but don’t forget, nestling in the year are loads of highlights and precious moments. The problem is you’re probably forgetting some of them. Find them and learn from them. Here’s how: Once your end-of-the-year schedule dies down book yourself an hour or two to follow these steps. You will need your computer, diary, journal, HR files, and your preferred method for recording. Your time and energy for this reflection will be worth it. Team Pull out your team’s individual HR files. Allocate a couple of minutes per person and flick through their supervision notes. Record their learnings, participation in PD, clinical highlights and challenges. Think about the role you played in their performance. Jot down the skills they bring to your business. Now as a whole: what has your entire team excelled at, delivered brilliantly, and improved at?
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Doing If you write and keep a journal dig it out, flip through the pages, and reflect on the flow of your thoughts and ideas across the year. What was implemented? What was left on the white-board and why? You and your business are now a year older and wiser. Throughout the year there have been many examples of powerful moments, learning opportunities, and highlights. The magic happens when you flip back through the tasks, events, and people that have been part of the fabric of your business’s year!
What have you discovered? What surprised you? What have you learnt?
My coach training was the most powerful personal and professional development I ever invested in. WOW. It reframed so much of what I was doing, added definition to my OT skills and extended my thinking for what I could do in the future. The fully accredited Coach Training Program for allied health professionals was a 60-hour program. It started with an intense and remarkable 40-hour week with a small groups of clinicians. This was followed with 20 hours of teleconferencing and private study and reflection. From the first few hours I was coaching, receiving supervision and reflecting on my practice. I quickly learnt how it fitted in with my OT and management practice and personal style. It was an instant match and coaching has since become my most powerful tool. By the end of the week I understood and could demonstrate the 11 Core Competencies of Coaching, I understood coaching theories with an emphasis on the GROW model. I had witnesses master level coaching and been coached personally. I knew how to weave it into my business on all levels, with stakeholders, team members and clients. I am delighted to announce that Barbara Anderson who I trained with will be presenting a powerful one day Introduction to Coaching. So excited to share this incredible program with you. Learning Outcomes include: • An understanding of Coaching Theory • An understanding of the 11 Core Competencies of Coaching • Knowledge and application of the GROW model of coaching • Appreciation of how you can use a Coach Approach with your team and clients • Experience of being coached and coaching others Barbara is an ICF master coach and internationally sought after ICF accredited trainer. This one day Introduction to Coaching will contribute to any further Coach training you may do with Barbara and ICF. Saturday 11th February 2017 9.00am - 4.00pm Oaks on Market - 60 Market St Melbourne Your investment: $350.00 including GST BOOK YOUR SPOT TODAY Barbara Anderson is a Master Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation, with an extensive background in Corporate, Business, Information Technology, Management, and Training and Development. Qualifications include the Certificate in NeuroLeadership; Graduate Certificate HRM & Coaching, from University of Sydney, a Bachelor of Business in Human Resources and Psychology, and the Certificate 1V Training and Assessment.
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END OF YEAR
THANK YOU
This topic has arisen during several of my private practice coaching conversations. What is the best way to thank the people and agencies that support you and your business during the year? From a marketing and partnership point of view it is ideal if the gift is meaningful and memorable. Some of my clients are sending out branded stress balls, generous samples of the products they stock, and lovely fruit baskets to groups of doctors. Gold class tickets are also popular, child and parenting magazine subscriptions, toys and books for waiting rooms, the list goes on and on. Charity donations, information books, manicures, plants, pre-paid coffees and gift cards. I am a huge fan of saying thank you; this is probably the best time of the year to do so. But get strategic; what can you send that aligns with your beliefs, your brand, and your business? It’s ok to be a bit edgy. Cut through the noise with something memorable. What would work beautifully for your business?
PRE-SUMMER
DEBT MANAGEMENT
Print out all your outstanding client accounts and take action. Once families head off on holidays it is much harder to chase your client debts. You may start with a letter, proceed to a firm email, and finally make a phone call. A script for this difficult phone call may help get your nerves down and keep your message super clear. A payment plan may be the solution, so think clearly about the terms you are happy to accept. Write down the escalating actions you take as this forms the basis of your procedure. Think about what you can do to avoid outstanding accounts, how you will invoice, the software you will use, who will be responsible, and how it will all be managed and supervised. This is all part of cashflow management. In addition, you need very organised procedures for billing to NDIA, DSS for HCWA and BSI (or your consortium), and any other third parties may supply.
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More procedures for you to write up.
PRIVATE PRACTICE COACHING How could a private practice coach help you? Need a hand with policies and procedures? Where is your business plan up to? Not sure where to start with marketing? Keen for some people management ideas? Cathy Love is a specialist business coach who helps paediatric private practitioners run powerful and profitable businesses. As a private practice pioneer in the 1990’s, Cathy started, sustained and sold a successful seven figure business. She understands the lurking fear of failure, the stress of being an under-skilled manager and never having enough time to do anything well. She gets the loneliness, the worry and the frustration of being chronically over worked and under recognised. Through her coaching programs, her clients gain skills and confidence to develop business plans, policies and procedure manuals, manage and lead people, develop innovate products, understand profit, market their services and install strong processes. They get their management mojo kicked into gear. Do you want to be left feeling energised and significantly more confident in your ability to assertively manage your business?
BOOK A FREE 30 MINUTE CHAT TODAY PAEDS BIZ 07
As a parent of a child with special needs there is always a lot going on. Parents may feel overwhelmed by child development experts, therapy, appointments and complex systems. This leaves parents tired, overwhelmed and feeling guilty that they should be able to do it all for their child. Becoming Chief is a book written for parents and service providers. It is written to help parents find their way, gather their support tribe, set goals and manage their child’s team and program. All the tough topics are covered, wonderful real life stories told and mountains of parent wisdom shared. It is easy to read, practical and energising. Becoming Chief is written by Cathy Love, Occupational Therapist, Coach, Speaker and Author. She writes to her passion of helping parents feel strong, informed and organised so that they can powerfully advocate for their child. Cathy is available to speak or Skype at your next event. Her book has been reviewed by Source Kids Magazine, Amaze, USA’s Autism Parenting Magazine and other publications.
Buy your copy today Want the kindle edition? FREE POSTAGE AUSTRALIA WIDE
GUEST WRITER - CATE SCHRECK
DIFFERENT IS THE NEW ORDINARY
in a wheel chair. Could I have done that if I was in a wheelchair? With training and practice yes, it just would have been a different process - same result.
At 5.45am this morning, I stumbled out of bed and got myself to a 7am breakfast event run by the Geelong Chamber of Commerce. We were introduced to 3 really ordinary speakers. Their names were Richard Colman, Jemima Moore and Sam McIntosh.
Your customers are all different and customers warm to people in businesses who they have something in common with. 20% of your customers want to feel ordinary when doing business with you.
They shared with the audience their stories of sporting achievements, challenges and disappointments and all with cheeky smiles and a good dose of humour. “People with disabilities CAN – they just do it differently” Richard, Jemima and Sam were all in wheelchairs and although they had achieved some pretty fantastic sporting successes, their message was about abilities not disabilities. They confirmed that they and others gaining support from the NDIS, want to be included. They want to be considered ordinary. Seems that while the rest of the world is trying to stand out and be different, 20% of the population ache to fit in and be ordinary. From all reports, we “able bodied” peeps have some work to do when it comes to inclusion for all, in our workplaces and many other areas of life. But it can and will be done. It has to be. When I left the breakfast, I put ordinary into action. I walked back to my car via a set of stairs, I opened my car door, sat down, buckled up and drove off. That simple act alone would have been very different if I was
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So, do businesses in Australia need to make room for people in their business who do things differently? Of course, different is good for business. Different experiences, different ages, different behaviours, different cultures, different ideas and different abilities.
“Different is the new ordinary” Here’s your challenge, I dare you – treat EVERY person as ordinary because chances are, you are interacting with someone who deep down, just wants to fit in and not stand out. Cate’s book ‘The A – Z of Service Excellence’ contains everything you need to not only survive but thrive in any role that requires you to interact with customers. For our Paeds Biz readers Cate has extended the following discount: ‘The A – Z of Service Excellence’ $15 incl. GST & P/H (RRP: $29.95) Use the code PAEDSBIZ at checkout Offer expires: 5pm December 31st 2016 Author Bio Cate is the Founder of Lightbulb Training Solutions (LTS) and is known for designing and delivering workplace training programs that educate and motivate staff to work together in harmony and provide consistently excellent customer service.
FOLLOW US This e-mag is hosted by a platform called Issuu. I only discovered that this was a thing last year and have since enjoyed a variety of reads. I would love you to follow me on Issuu. Here’s how you do it. Clicking ‘Follow Publisher’ below the publication you are reading OR By clicking the green “Follow” button on our profile page. Once that is done, you’ll see all new uploads and stack additions from Cathy Love in your Feed.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION See what the team at Nacre Consulting are up to.
PAEDS BIZ PODCAST
From events to workshops, daily inspiration, quotes, valuable private pratice advice and the latest information on disability support services for parents we have you covered. If you haven’t been following us yet, what are you waiting for? Click on the links to follow us today.ney NSW
January invitations now being taken for the Paeds Biz Podcast conversation. At Last. Contact us here info@nacre.com.au PAEDS BIZ 09
SUMMER
PLANNING TIPS Social Media Planning and Scheduling
Summer provides a convenient time to plan your social media program. Define your ideal reader, map their needs and challenges, then create and curate information to meet these needs and challenges. This is a frequent topic of conversation with my private practice coaching clients. To have unique content planned, locked, and loaded months in advance feels awesome. Explore Hootsuite, Meet Edgar, Buffer and Facebook’s inbuilt scheduling features to save time. While you’re at it, suss out how to post your content on your website as individal blogs. It’s not as hard as it sounds.
Website Maintenance
My website needs some love, does yours? A rewrite here, a new page there, a couple of new images, etc. Goodness knows when I will ever get around to recording and uploading videos. A website requires constant review and adjustment to reflect your brand, your service, and to stay on trend. January is looking good for all of this! How often do you review and update your website?
Book in Team Meetings
Flick through the calendar and book in every single team meeting. Dream big - who would you love to invite in as guest speakers? Now find their emails and send a brief introductory message requesting their availability and fees. Go for gold.
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Revisit Your Business Plan
Dig it out and give it a read. If you work financial year then how are you measuring up, are you where you need to be? If you work calendar year, then book yourself out for a mini retreat; a full day to sit and write your business plan. I have a template you are most welcome to use - just get in touch. I have written numerous business plans, they are your roadmap for what direction you want your company to take. This includes, how many clients you want to see, your income, the types of services you want to provide, your fees, your team, your marketing strategy, re-occurring income streams, competitor and market analysis, etc. It’s such a relief to get all your ideas out of your head and into a clear format.
Book in all the school holidays. Plan your time off. Book in all your client and group days and times. Hit print. Block out your management time. And stick to it.
TEN POWERFUL
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1.
Tell me what you think about the NDIS
2.
Who are your (insert relevant profession) hero’s and why?
3.
Where do you plan to be professionally in 5 / 10 years’ time?
4.
I’d love to hear some of your marketing ideas for our business
5.
What is your definition of Family Centered Practice?
6.
How will you manage your clients?
7.
What’s on your wish list for professional development?
8.
How do you like to be managed?
9.
How could you use this during your therapy sessions? (slide a toy or game across the table towards them)
10. What do you love / not love about your work?
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11. And one more for luck…. who do you follow professionally on social media?
Note taking solution: Taking notes, producing visuals, and recording minutes will need a rethink. A large mobile white board may be useful, along with the use of a tall standing table. Ideally documents are kept to a minimum. Training your team: This is a change to the status quo. There’s value in introducing the idea, explaining the benefits, and perhaps providing some web links. Then set the days, times, and locations to give it a red hot go.
STAND UP
MEETINGS Why do meetings always seem to be set to 60 minute lengths? We seem to be forced to work in this time span when perhaps we could work towards having more efficient meetings. If we combine this 60-minute time trap with growing evidence that sitting isn’t good for us, there seems to be only one solution. Have your tried a “stand-up” meeting, a “roll call” or a “daily scrum”? Google it, they are well documented meeting methods.
Predictability: For a regular team, ‘stand ups’ that are scheduled for the same day, time, and duration ensure participants work around them and plan for them. It may take some time to shift from a weekly two-hour meeting to a nimble 25 minute daily ‘stand up’. But the benefits may include being able to identify and tackle issues sooner, defining daily must-do-tasks, adding accountability that these tasks are done (next day check up), smoother work flow, and elevated team communications. Managing Meetings: It is a critical business skill to be able to get things done in a meeting. Managing a short ‘stand up’ sharpens the skills of sticking to agendas, delegating, coaching, summarising, timing and making decisions. As you hone these skills use an agenda or check list that includes actions from the previous meeting, new items, and team reports. Change may take a little while to navigate. As always, there is a lot to read online about this meeting methodology! It could be an option for busy and transient teams, or a powerful substitute for formal sit down meetings.
A stand-up meeting is a brief, rapid fire meeting where all participants stand in a circle. Energy and alertness levels are high, details brief, and action outcomes paramount. It is one form of meeting that may suit aspects of your team management: a daily check in with the admin team, a scrum with your therapy team, a stand up with your book keeper and admin team. Two people make a meeting, this method is not limited by numbers. Health Benefits: The process of standing reportedly releases endorphins, promotes deeper breath, circulation of blood and fluids, aids digestion, and offers a weight bearing opportunity for bones and joints. Check google for additional health benefits. Time Efficient: I have read that stand-up meetings reduce the length of meetings by 30 percent. Participants are focused in part due to the absence of computers and mobile phones - conversation is more succinct and energetic.
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Worthy of your consideration: How could you give it a go? How could this help your team? What skills will you need?
GUEST WRITER - KERRIE CANNING
DO ABSENCES FROM WORK EXTEND AN EMPLOYEE’S PERIOD OF NOTICE?
Once an employee submits their resignation to their employer and provides the required period of notice, the effective termination date will remain unchanged unless an extension is requested and agreed to by both the employee and the employer. Providing a period of notice does not change an employee’s entitlement to access the entitlements which are set out under an applicable modern award, the National Employment Standards, or their contract of employment. Periods of leave or absences from work that occur during an employee’s notice period (including personal leave, public holidays or annual leave) will not extend the termination date and will count towards the notice period provided. For example: Personal/Carers Leave: Unless otherwise agreed to by the employer, an employee who has given notice to their employer will be required to work out the period of notice, except where they are prevented from attending due to illness or injury. This means that an employee can take a period of personal/carers leave during their notice period if they are unable to attend work due to illness or injury. Annual leave An employer may approve a request made by an employee to take a period of annual leave during the employee’s notice period. Generally, an employer can not unreasonably refuse an employee’s request to take accrued annual leave.
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However, in instances where an employee has given notice of their resignation, it may be reasonable for such a request to be declined by the employer due to the requirement for the employee to be present to finalise their tasks and to facilitate a handover of their duties to another employee. Unapproved Absences An employee who is absent from work on unapproved leave without having reasonable cause during their notice period will not be entitled to payment for the period of the absence. However, as with other forms of leave, the length of the notice provided will not be extended by the period of the absence.
Author Bio As an experienced Human Resources and Organisational Development professional, Kerrie brings over 20 years’ experience working both within organisations and as an external consultant on cultural change, leadership development, recruitment and selection and coaching. Kerrie sees HR Advice Online as an accessible way for small and medium business to gain the type of advice normally reserved for large corporates, which makes it an incredibly powerful tool for business growth and success.
TEAM TALK 2017 Team Talk is a unique series of 10 live and interactive Paediatric PD teleconference calls Cathy Love (OT), Megan Ingram (SLP) and special expert guests will present and discuss topics central to contemporary multi-disciplinary service delivery to children with special needs. The series is perfect for occupational therapists, speech pathologists, special educators and psychologists. Join us for a lunch and learn event on the first Tuesday of the month at 12.30pm Melbourne time. There is room at the virtual lunch table for all. Think convenient, niche, bite sized, Q&A professional development without the internet, accommodation and travel hassles. Positive outcomes include: • Deeper understanding of core concepts relevant to working with children with special needs • Spring boarding into new ideas, resources and practical strategies • Expanded knowledge and application of team work, family centered practice and coaching • Building professional networks nationwide • Re-energise your professional practice Reference and pre-reading materials will be sent to you via email prior to the teleconference. Calls are recorded and a link provided for future listening. In addition to the 10 hours of awesome content and support materials you will receive one free 30 minute one-on-one power coaching call with Cathy Love or Megan Ingram. Your Investment is AUD $495 incl. GST (for all 10 teleseminars) Early Bird Rate is AUD $445 incl. GST (book by 30th January 2017)
BOOK NOW PAEDS BIZ 14
Here’s the 2017 Programme March 7 Supporting students with ASD at school April 4 iPad apps for intervention May 2 Delivering services in a NDIA world June 6 Helping families have fun out in the community July 4 What’s Praxis, what is the best practice? Aug 1 Toxic start to life – drugs, cortisol, alcohol Sep 5 Understanding the attachment theory in children Oct 3 Team approach to C.P Nov 14 Update: Funding and supports for students with specific learning difficulties Dec 5 Magic Mealtimes: Teaming around tricky eaters
Contact cathy@nacre.com.au if you wish to discuss group rates or an invoice method of payment.
Next month’s edition will include: Business Resolutions 2017 Plans Onboarding Staff
What an epic year 2016 has been. I hope you’ve all enjoyed it. Please take a moment, pause, flick back through your diary, and write down all that you and your business have achieved. Think about the successes, challenges, and impacts you have on the lives of your team and your clients. Also… don’t forget to celebrate. Have you written your letter to Santa yet? I wonder what is on your wish list, a new therapist contractor, practice admin software, new rooms, tests, resources or toys. Amidst the blur of December, it is critical to carve out a lot of 2017 planning time. Yes, January is always a good time, but it often gets wasted and you need to hit the ground running. You want to be implementing ideas not thinking them up.
As many of you know I am the founding director of Nacre Consulting. A cool business with an unusual name. Nacre is the natural process of a little seed, held in an oyster shell whist it grows, layer by layer, into a brilliant unique pearl. This process takes time, special conditions and forces of nature. And so it is true for ourselves and for the children and families we serve. More about my clinical supervision, parent coaching, teaching and private practicing coaching services on my (soon to be facelifted) website: www.nacre.com.au
A superstar sized thank you to Emma my incredible VA. Emma calmly manages our global virtual team, all aspects of Paeds Biz: she books flights, accommodation, venues, cars, organises, and patiently makes me look way better than I am. A massive thank you Emma. Wishing all of you a terrific festive season celebrating in your own way with family and friends. Take care, rest, and recharge. See you in 2017.
FOLLOW NACRE CONSULTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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If you are curious about my specialist private practice coaching services you are most welcome to get in touch, find out more and experience a 30 minute complimentary session: cathy@nacre.com.au