What is the Purpose?

It’s only when companies are clear about their purpose, have clearly communicated it, and it is understood by the team that they can achieve both unity of effort and distributed decision-making." — Marc Koehler, Leading with Purpose

In the hustle of daily operations, it's easy to lose sight of why we started our business in the first place. Most of us dentists spend our time handling immediate issues, taking care of our patients, and navigating the constant demands of running a practice.

At the end of the day, we're often too exhausted to reflect on the bigger picture.

Over time, our business becomes more about paying the bills, supporting our families, and maintaining a certain lifestyle. While there’s nothing wrong with these practical reasons, we often forget that there is more to our work than just survival.

Rediscovering your purpose can give you a fresh sense of control over your practice and even your personal life.

So, Why Are We Here? ( Not in the big picture sense, but limited to our chosen profession...)

Is it about money, prestige, or just having a place to work each day? These questions are central to clarifying your business purpose. Understanding your true "why" gives you a North Star—a guiding principle that influences every decision you make.

Once you figure out your purpose, you should articulated it in a concise, clear, and powerful way to shape your business’s direction and policies.

This process doesn’t happen overnight. It may take a few days or even years to fully understand and articulate your purpose (as it did for me). But once established, this purpose statement becomes a vital decision-making tool, ensuring that everything you do is aligned with your core mission.

How to Discover Your Business Purpose

• Reflect on Your Origins: Think back to when you first started your practice. What were your initial goals? What inspired you to begin?
• Evaluate Your Operations: Consider the specific actions you take each day to serve your patients. How do these tasks connect to your broader mission?
• Write It Down: Draft a purpose statement that’s clear and concise. A strong purpose statement should be just one or two sentences that distill why your business exists.

Tips for Creating the Purpose Statement

• Reflect on Daily Responsibilities: Use your day-to-day tasks as inspiration to define what truly drives your business.
• Keep It Short and Sweet: Aim for a purpose statement that is direct, but flexible enough to evolve over time.
• Revisit Old Mission Statements: Look at your previous mission or value statements for guidance on refining your purpose.
• Get Team Input: Your staff can provide valuable insights to ensure the statement is clear and represents your collective mission.

The Power of Purpose

In our own case at Dental Care Team Group, we distilled our purpose into a simple, clear statement:

“We improve and maintain people’s health by providing the best dentistry available.”

To be honest, I'm thinking about shortening it further to "WE IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN PEOPLE'S HEALTH."

This focus allows us to make decisions, build policies, and navigate challenges with a central, unified vision. And when things get difficult, which of course, the often do, our purpose serves as a reminder of what we’re truly striving for.

Ultimately, the clearer your purpose, the more in control you will feel.

Rediscovering or refining your purpose not only gives you direction but also empowers your entire team to move in harmony toward shared goals.