EXCLUSIVE! Using A Program Logic Model for Success: Giving Up High Drama and Low Performance
By June Darling, Ph.D.
Background: Agencies using program logic models have been impressed with the power of collaboratively surfacing implicit work theories and turning them into concrete graphics, storyboards, or formulas for groups to use as a working hypothesis for how they will bring about success. Dental staffs can use this same approach to design a practice "program," evaluate their success, and make necessary changes toward improvement.
Evaluators are often called into a business or non-profit agency to ascertain the merit of their "program." Program logic models consists of planned systems, procedures, and behaviors specifically aimed at maximizing particular desirable outcomes while minimizing other undesirable outcomes or results.
Often non-profit agencies must submit their program logic models for inspection so that administrative boards and funders can ascertain if their approach seems likely to work. After the programs are operational, evaluators examine adherence to models, the success of the program, and make suggestions for areas of improvement.
An Example of a Dental Program Logic Model
One dental practice staff identified their "program for success in 2001" to include these three categories: internal marketing, external marketing, and technology. That is, their recipe for becoming the type of successful practice they wanted to become in 2001 (as well as to prepare the groundwork for following years) included a mix of internal and external marketing ingredients, plus a rou�f technical expertise.
A graphic with "Success in 2001" at the center was drawn on their easel. The three arms of internal marketing, external marketing, and technology were selected and drawn after brainstorming all the sorts of activities thought to lead to success and categorizing them.
External Marketing � A Major Category Identified for Success in the Program Logic Model
Specifically, in external marketing, they would, at minimum, design a brochure and send out four separate mailings to an identified target group. The mailers would include teasers for two new products (TscanII and BriteSmile) and direct consumers to their website. They identified their goal: to generate two new comprehensive exams per week with clients from their identified market. Their secondary goal was to receive a minimum of 100 unique visitors per year to their website.
The graphic "arm" of external marketing was completed again after brainstorming all those sorts of marketing activities believed to lead to generating new clients. Selecting the specific approach of direct mailers was based on their research regarding cost to outcome return ratios and their budget for external marketing.
Internal Marketing � A Second Major Category Identified for Success in the Program Logic Model
Internal marketing included their own design of a tool for customer satisfaction feedback. Their mission statement and vision helped them design questions that uniquely dealt with perceptions of costs, quality, relationships, and service for their market which were consistent with their own values. The tool took the form of a customer exit evaluation. The goal was to get it completed, successfully implemented, and to receive a rating of 95% or above on all questions. Open questions allowed for new ideas for improvement.
The graphic "arm" for internal marketing and the choice of designing an exit evaluation was made again after brainstorming all those activities thought to bring about high customer satisfaction and deciding what activities were central to the identity of the practice.
Technology � The Third Major Category Identified for Success in the Program Logic Model
The Technology "arm" included the area and subareas related to the ability of the staff to accurately and comprehensively perform their work including: staff (also lab) morale, individual and team education and development; the equipment and facility. The staff identified four main areas as goals: 1) to develop self-evaluations for all employees, 2) to take a class and implement procedures aimed at developing advanced team communications, 3) to begin use of TscanII, and 4) to finish AACD accreditation.
The logic of program for this staff in formulaic terms was: EM (external marketing= 4 direct mailers to identified market) + IM (internal marketing= customer exit evaluation at 95%) + T (technology=advanced communication knowledge and skill, team self-evaluations developed, TscanII procedures initiated, AACD accreditation)= Success in 2001 (which they further defined as: fun and limited work days, growth and sustainability for the future, and desired revenue)
Budgets and action plans were refined after the Program Logic Model was designed. This curbed potential impulsive responses to the seductive siren call of the latest, greatest dental toys; the $5,000 a day consultants, and continuing education in Cancun.
The Illogical Dental Programs for Success often Fail, but Still Appeal
Note the difference in the Program Logic Model of Success and three other common illogical dental success approaches � "Let�s just get through the Day and Maybe Tomorrow Will Be Different (The Ostrich Model of Success)," the "Blame Game and Why We�re Losers (The Pervert Model of Success)," and "Let�s Go to a Course in Hawaii and Get Pumped Up (The Junkie Model of Success)."
The alternative approaches have not flourished for nothing--they have appeal. They can offer high drama, adrenaline and emotional roller coasters, freedom from complexity and problem solving, and lots of busy-ness. They may not, however, actually help practices reach their economic desires.
The Ostrich Model is reminiscent of the musical Annie. "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow." The symptoms are easy to diagnose. There will be little to no staff meetings. Little to no numbers will be collected. The dental staff often stares as a group into space with vacant eyes and pasted on smiles.
The Pervert Model reaches highest drama, pumping adrenaline into the system, and sometimes creates group nausea. The symptoms can be easily recognized. These ill thought out programs for success start with a finger-pointing-blame-game in which each member blatantly or subtlety accuses the other for not doing their jobs. After everyone is thoroughly depressed and emotionally drained, home remedies are pulled from every other dental office medicine chest and tried next week.
The Junkie Model probably is one of the favorites for dental staffs. And why not? It�s a rush; a feel-good team experience. The symptoms include some bi-polar behaviors (moments of mania followed by long "blah" periods), bank overdrafts, and stacks of brochures advertising Anthony Robbins. Staff meetings mainly consist of examining the pros and cons of various CE settings and talking about the memories of past settings, headaches, and dance establishments.
The problem, of course, with most of the illogical models of success is that they seldom work to improve practice economics or staff morale in the long term. Statistically the results are poor. They need to be replaced with more logical approaches.
The Logic Model Keeps on Working and Working
A Practice Program Logic Model can be returned to and examined and perhaps slightly revised in times of unexpected economic downturns when staff often feels concomitant emotional stress. This process will support the dental staff in using less reactionary behaviors and build them into a more resilient and resourceful team. The group members will learn to stop using the easy, but poor defense mechanisms of burying heads in the sand, pointing fingers, and searching for the nonexistent "guru breast" as coping tools for setbacks. Escaping those senseless activities will free much individual and team time and energy for concentrating on how to become a high performance practice.
Openly and collaboratively strategize your Future Plans for Success; Design Your Program Logic Model
*With your staff, brainstorm all the contributors to a successful practice
*Chunk the items into major categories
*Detail specific behaviors under the major categories
*Look at your formula, does it make sense? Do you have the resources?
*Tweak your plan to fit your financial, physical, and emotional resources
*Write down your specific timeline for actions
*Execute your actions following your timeline
*Revisit your Logic Model periodically and refine if necessary
June Darling earned a Ph.D. in education working with program evaluation and "brain-friendly" learning. She coaches and consults with high performance work groups and is the author of Mind-Bending Chats with Great Thinkers. For more information, log on to www.summitgroupresources.com
