PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE


Robert Perkes, DC, President WSCA Board of Directors


“There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus.”


—Bob Phillips, TV Journalist


I love the magic of Christmas. The glittery lights and pageantry never fail to make me smile. I am fairly confident that I am the only one in my office who doesn’t complain when the radio starts playing Christmas songs, usually right after I eat my Thanksgiving turkey.


Maybe it is the memories. My siblings and I, all piled in the same room, staying up all night listening for hoof beats and sleigh bells. Waking up on Christmas morning to presents spilling out from under the tree and around the room was pure joy and happiness.


SPOILER ALERT. (Information about the identity of Santa to follow.)


I am now Santa. I am responsible for the magic and the joy of Christmas. I have thought a lot recently about how the Santa of my childhood could do it all.


When we think of Santa we usually think of his red suit or his flowing white beard. We don’t usually think of the leader of a multinational production and distribution center with a multilingual customer service department.


The Christmas magic is real but Santa’s success isn’t magic. Santa is a great leader who we can all learn from. These are a few of the lessons I learned from studying Santa’s operation.


Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork


Santa isn’t doing all the work. He is the front man and face of the franchise. Santa has to delegate and lead a team. He trusts his elves to be experts in toy making and wrapping. The reindeer are responsible for distribution and delivery.


We need our people. We have to trust them and empower them if we are going to deliver for our patients.


Know the List; Check it Twice


Santa keeps lists. He has systems. He tracks and records everything. He knows what works and what doesn’t. He knows who is naughty and nice.


We need to keep track of our numbers and have systems. Success doesn’t happen by accident. Make sure to be consistent and check twice.


Adapt to Challenges


The “incident” as it is remembered in the North Pole will always live in infamy. It was a foggy Christmas Eve and Christmas was going to be lost. Santa didn’t give up. He didn’t complain. He found a creative way to overcome the obstacle.


As business owners we are constantly faced with obstacles. Do we complain or give up? Do we inspire our teams and help them find ways to succeed? We can be creative and find answers.


Spreading Joy is the Real Job


Imagine the stress Santa faces every Christmas Eve — a massive work load with tight deadlines and no room for error. He still approaches the evening with a twinkle in his eye and a joyous “Ho, Ho, Ho”. Santa knows that positivity is contagious. He has to show confidence and inspire his team.


As leaders in our offices we need to set the emotional tone. If we allow ourselves to be stressed and grumpy our staff will reflect that. We can help our staff and patients to enjoy the Christmas cheer and be joyous this time of year.


Conclusion


Santa is the leader we should strive to be. If we try and emulate his energy and example we can bring joy and happiness to our patients year round.


Ple x us December 20 2 5


7


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32