I've been developing associates for almost 40 years. By God's grace, and with some hard work, I've been very successful at it – developing a large group of associates to over 250, another to over 390 and even two doctors to 500+ visits a week. Additionally, I've sold 10 successful practices to 10 successful associates that still call me friend. Several of my associates have asked me to train their younger brothers, and clients have asked me to train their associates for years.
1. I hire correctly: I've never turned a complete dud into a prize winner, so I try to not hire the duds. THE most important question I ask a prospective associate is "What do you want to be doing in five years?" If their goals don't match mine, or if working for me won't further their goals – no deal. However, if they want to help a lot of people, have a lot of fun and be successful – I can help them do that.
2. I require a lot of hard work: The older I get the more direct I become (and I'm very direct) about how hard I've worked to become successful. SO, I ask my associates to do everything that I had to do to become successful. There has never been a job that was beneath me and a day too long for me. I tell my associates it's the only way I know how to become successful and I make it clear that if we work together, they should plan on hard work.
3. I'm really on the side of my associate: I won't hire them unless I like them, believe they really want to be successful and for the right reason. After they show me they're hard workers, I'll do all that I can to see them become successful.
Don't misunderstand me. I don't do their work for them, but I'll train, coach, cheer and push as much as I can to help them succeed. My associates know that I'm committed to their success. However, if they prove to me that their success is more important to me than it is to them, we've got problems.
There's one more thing. I love chiropractic and I love to see people successful at helping sick people get well.