Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast!
Recently, I attended a webinar by Dr Allen Zimbler, who was Chief Integrating Officer at Investec plc and is now retired. He has helped Dentex identify its Values and Vision. He came up with some interesting points which I would like to share with you. His views resonated with mine.
So, it’s very clear to us all that we are now in the midst of a crisis. However, this, like everything else in time, will pass and change. Life will go on, albeit not as you have known before. But, if we have been given this chance, then we should see it as an opportunity and take advantage of it to strengthen ourselves, to make ourselves better.
How often does life give us this chance? This pause to think about what we would like to do and change. What is working? And what isn’t?
It would be a terrible waste if we didn’t grow in some way — grow in understanding, knowledge or in our relationships.
Ask yourself: What opportunities can I take right now to ignite my passion once again? Perhaps, you can believe in a greater purpose? Surely, this is your Vision!
The more we focus on our Vision, the less the present becomes crippling or incapacitating.
Some of you have been working on your Vision, Mission and Values. This is the time to remind your team of those things that you discussed together. Your Mission and Values, and how you are going to achieve your Vision, become very important right now. It is these things that are going to keep you all together and gelled.
It is your Values that create your team culture. What are they? And are you all now practising them in this COVID situation? Are you reminding your team of them when you are having a conversation with them?
When you lead a team meeting, this is when you need to be bringing into your conversations your practice Values. Give your Values the momentum they deserve.
On another point, is your Vision strong enough to keep your team motivated during this crisis?
If not, then you need to make it stronger so that you and your team never falter again. This is an excellent check on whether you have a strong enough Vision or not. It is a STRONG VISION that will keep you all united in a crisis.
Meetings should cover (or remind everyone of) one or two Values each time to hone them. It would help if you discussed them and what they mean to everyone. Remember, it’s about how you all behave as a team that counts.
It’s your job as a leader to keep your team focused on the Values you all decided on in the first place — the Values with which you were going to do business.
Culture Is Stronger Than Strategy
You can have excellent strategies, but without the “buy-in” of the team, you won’t be able to develop the culture you need to action your strategies. Hence, you will not be able to grow as fast as you need to.
Most people do the exercise to create their Vision but then don’t work on the Values consistently. It takes work, and someone has to remind the team of the Vision and Values constantly.
Values are how you build relationships. We have to work hard on relationships. Eventually, the work will pay off. You will know this because everyone will be working together as a team.
Take the current crisis: how you all work together as a team will govern how successfully you come out of this. The way you work as a team depends upon your Values as a Team. This, in turn, develops your Team Culture.
Keep well and stay safe (I feel like Spock in Star Trek when I say this… Live Long and Prosper, LOL!)
Bhavna
19 Dec 25
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About the Author
Dr Bhavna Doshi
Dr Bhavna Doshi is a dental business coach, author, speaker and co-founder of Dental Wealth Builder, with over 30 years of experience in dentistry, practice ownership, leadership and business transformation.
Before moving fully into coaching and consultancy, Bhavna built her career as a leading UK cosmetic dental surgeon and co-founder of The Perfect Smile Studios and the Advanced Training Institute. Through this work, she gained first-hand experience of building, leading and growing high-performing dental practices while developing the systems, communication frameworks and leadership strategies now taught through Dental Wealth Builder.
As CEO of Dental Wealth Builder, Bhavna helps associates, practice owners and dental groups increase profitability, improve team performance and create more structured, sustainable growth. Her work focuses on change management, transformational leadership, patient communication, case acceptance, marketing strategy and practical business systems that allow dental practices to grow without becoming more stressful or dependent on the owner.
Bhavna is the bestselling author of Lead to Grow and Dental Alchemy, where she shares practical frameworks for leadership, team alignment and successful business transformation in dentistry. She is also an international keynote speaker and a respected judge for the UK National Private Dentistry Awards, giving her deep insight into the qualities that define successful, award-winning practices.
Her coaching style is built on real-world experience, not theory. Having owned, grown and led dental businesses herself, Bhavna understands the pressures practice owners face and helps them create practices that are more profitable, more organised and more rewarding to lead.
Bhavna has featured in national media including The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, Tatler and Extreme Makeover UK.
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