Episode #512: #InternationalPodcastDay, with Laura Barry & Andy Konkle

Since launching The Best Practices Show many years ago, it is still going strong. And to celebrate International Podcast Day, Kirk Behrendt brings in two amazing ACT team members, Laura Barry and Andy Konkle, to share and reflect on some of the most valuable and life-changing advice they’ve ever received. Not only will their tips help you in life, but it will also help greatly in your business! To continue hearing the best information to build a better practice and better life, listen to Episode 512 — and all future episodes — of The Best Practices Show!

Episode Resources:

• Laura’s email: [email protected] 
• Andy’s email: [email protected] 
• The ACT Team’s social media: @actdental
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Links Mentioned in This Episode:

Kolbe: https://www.kolbe.com

Main Takeaways:

Surround yourself with the right people.

Figure out what you're good and bad at early on.

Lean into your core values. It will simplify everything.

Life is difficult. Don't try to do everything on your own.

Every situation is “flippable”. Choose the better attitude.

Quotes:

“Surround yourself with great people, and don't try to be good at things that you're not good at.” (4:30—4:34) -Kirk

“Finding out what you suck at is really important, in life and in business. And I would suggest, do that as fast as possible.” (7:43—7:49) -Kirk

“In a business, when you start to realize what you're good at, and you spend more of your time doing what you're good at, and you surround yourself with people that are good at the things you suck at, that makes your life better.” (8:03—8:16) -Kirk

“I think [ACT puts] great intention in getting the right people together. I had worked for a former company — and I say this all the time — I would still be there if it hadn't been for an acquisition. But they were big on the right fit. It was an IT consulting firm. So, obviously, you have to be IT savvy, which I wasn't. But then, they went for the cultural, ‘Do these people fit what we believe in?’ That was many, many moons ago, and we still have gatherings. We had an office in Madison, Appleton, and the Milwaukee area, and we can still get a good 20-plus people together for a mini reunion. That showed how solid, and the intention in gathering the right people to accomplish whatever your business goals were. And I think [ACT] does the same thing.” (12:12—13:01) -Laura

“For me, I was at the same place for over 20 years. And for many of those years, I thought it was a great culture fit. We got along. Everybody in my area seemed to be striving for the same goals: lifelong learners, always looking back, trying to improve on your situation. And then, the pandemic and a couple other things changed that, in my mind. I didn't feel everyone was all on board anymore. And as I had plenty of time to think about it, I'm like, ‘This isn't working for me anymore.’ And when I started doing my research and saw the posting for this position here [at ACT], I didn't know it was core values until I read that. I'm like, ‘Holy cow. That means a lot.’” (14:39—15:29) -Andy

“When you lean into the core values and you get the right people in the right seats, it’s crazy. You can't even describe what happens. It’s so weird. Because everybody talks like, ‘Oh, I want a great team. I want this. I want to have fun at work.’ And if you really diagnose, ‘Why aren't you having fun at work? Why aren't you getting somewhere?’ it only comes down to two things: you have the wrong people that have different values, or you're just not getting results. Like, you don't have them in the right seats. And so, simplifying that by saying, ‘Hey, look. You hire people because they fit your core values and they get results,’ and it starts to make things more and more simple.” (17:06—17:40) -Kirk

“Celebrating victories is an important thing. Getting some acknowledgement means a lot.” (18:37—18:42) -Andy

“Everybody here, I think, going along with the right people in the right seats, it feels like a family to me. I know I can trust that somebody is going to help me if I need the help. “We before me” is one of our core values, and that's in full practice every day.” (18:43—19:04) -Andy

“If you're a dentist listening, you've got to call those out, what are the things you like, what are the things you don't like, and put words to them. And then, your team members can communicate that. Because that was a feeling I had, but I never knew how to describe it accurately without getting angry or fired up. Now, it’s just a value. That's all it is.” (19:58—20:15) -Kirk

“Yelling at work doesn't work. It just doesn't.” (20:55—20:58) -Kirk

“I think my dad [gave me the best piece of advice], in so many different ways: you can be right, or you can be married. But you can't be both.” (25:09—25:16) -Kirk

“Another piece of advice is, surround yourself with the right people. But that’s a little cliché. You hear that all the time. The real magic happens when you have a tool, or you can actually see a methodology in how to do it. Because it’s one thing to say, ‘Surround yourself with the right people.’ But what does that really mean? And I think really honing in on this process of core values and people that get results, that is one of the biggest life-changing things I've ever experienced in business.” (25:53—26:29) -Kirk

“Your children don't hear what you say. They watch what you do. I think that's a thing I'm constantly thinking about, because I don't always say the right things.” (26:37—26:47) -Kirk

“I was speaking with a life coach many moons ago, and it was super, super simple. ‘All you have to do it flip it. Whatever it is, you can flip it.’ So, her story was, you see a penny on the ground. It’s like, ‘Ugh, it’s just a penny,’ or, ‘It’s a penny! I've got one more penny.’ So, you can look at something bad or good. But everything is flippable. It’s your interpretation and how you move ahead. Are you going to take a bad attitude or a good attitude? And odds are, you're going to be better off with the better attitude.” (27:13—27:48) -Laura

“When I was a freshman in college, moving into the dorm, before my dad left to go home after dropping me off, he said, ‘Now, you need to look at this as if it’s a job. At least eight hours a day, you should be focusing on your studies.’ And that resonated with me, for some reason. Number one, ‘Do you think I'm going to mess this up and do nothing?’ But it was great advice where I took it seriously. Like, ‘You're right. Holy cow, this is my future. I need to pay attention to these courses and study.’ Now, did I study for eight hours every day? No. But I guess if I looked at it, yeah, I did stuff on the radio station. I did stuff for the TV station. So, probably put more than eight hours in a day. But that's what I loved, and that's where I found what I'm good at. So, that meant a lot to me, and that's always come back to me. And, in fact, dropping my nephew off at college this week — and I didn't know how he’d take it, so I wrote it in a card because I'm not the best speaker. So, I'm like, ‘Okay, don't open this now. Open it some other time.’ So, whether he takes advice or not . . . But I think he is.” (28:11—29:24) -Andy

“Dentistry is hard. Don't try to do it on your own. Leading a business is hard. Don't try to do it on your own.” (43:38—43:42)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

3:14 Celebrating International Podcast Day.

6:19 Find out what you're good and bad at.

10:36 Does Andy ever get angry.

11:31 What works and doesn't work in improving workplace culture.

15:51 Core values will simplify everything.

20:39 The last time Kirk and Laura got angry.

23:20 Q&A: What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

30:15 Q&A: Do you have a good scar story?

35:43 Pop quiz: podcast history.

42:30 ACT’s Master Class, Money Roadmap Tool, and To The Top.

Laura Barry Bio:

Laura joined ACT Dental in September of 2021 as an Executive Assistant. She brings over 24 years of senior administration, project coordination, and relationship-building experience.

"Better Practice - Better Life is what drew me to ACT Dental — truly a mindset that applies to all walks of life."

Andy Konkle Bio:

Andy joined ACT Dental in February 2022 as a Video Producer. A lifelong resident of Wisconsin, he has made a tour around the state calling Milwaukee home for the past two decades. He brings over 25 years of storytelling, video producing, and social media experience. Past assignments have included a little of everything. Covering Super Bowl XLV, spending a night on an aircraft carrier, and the Tick Races are a few of his most memorable stories.

When Andy sets the camera down, you can find him and his wife, Lisa, taking full advantage of nice weather, especially when there's an outdoor festival involved. Experiencing different locations and cultures while finding craft breweries and attending sporting events with family and friends are some of his favorite pastimes.