Author: Chris Barrow

Chris Barrow has been active as a consultant, trainer and coach to the UK dental profession for over 20 years. As a writer, his blog enjoys a strong following and he is a regular contributor to the dental press. Naturally direct, assertive and determined, he has the ability to reach conclusions quickly, as well as the sharp reflexes and lightness of touch to innovate, change tack and push boundaries. In 2014 he appeared as a “castaway” in the first season of the popular reality TV show “The Island with Bear Grylls”. His main professional focus is as Coach Barrow, providing coaching and mentorship to independent dentistry.

I am pondering the distinction between leadership and management. Managers create, monitor and measure systems. Leaders inspire people. Many of my clients in dentistry are poor at management (they have few measurable systems) and do no leadership at all. A few of them are excellent managers with robust systems. A small minority are leaders. Your
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Completed in 4 hours and 53 minutes with my running partner (and first-timer) Gill Onley. My 14th Marathon and a metaphor – no matter how tough it gets – you can reach your finish line if you have the attitude, skills and knowledge.

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A phrase I read in one of my client’s ezines this week. I especially reflected on how often we do not fail fast enough – we know that a business or a relationship isn’t working – and yet we sustain an increasingly futile and complex effort to find a solution. Why? Because we are either
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The most useful thing I learned yesterday was that sometimes life becomes so complicated that our attempts to control events are futile. My client Traci Cleary sent me her newsletter yesterday, in which she reminded her readers that, in those moments of overwhelm, we must “surrender” to events for a while – stop controlling and
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Monday was the 4th quarter dental workshop in Plymouth, Devon. A timely reminder of the principle of “reservoir marketing”….. That when a prospect says “no” to your business proposal – it may mean “no never” or it may mean “no not now”. You have to ask for clarification and not sink into a “failure” attitude.
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Is it me? I am sick and tired of calling Britain’s biggest insurers, telecoms companies, retailers – and being re-directed to a series of taped messages that ask me to make multiple, multiple choices before I can speak to a real person – who is then equipped with the customer service and technical ability ability
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Monday saw the delivery of a much delayed webinar to delegates in the Million Dollar Coaching Practice programme. Billed as a “fourth quarter” workshop, our intention was to cover the material on marketing and balance in my dental workshop – but we quickly left the agenda far behind and enjoyed a day-long “good conversation” on
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It happens to me when I work in one spot for more than, say, three days. I suppose it’s because I have become such a reluctant road warrior these days, that when I sit in my UK apartment for three days solid, answering emails in the morning and then spending afternoons and evenings on the
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Day three of “Funnels, Pies and Schools – the three building blocks of a successful coaching practice” was completed yesterday. We welcomed our largest audience yet, over 20 people, to an day that had always promised “overwhelm” with the quantity of information that I wanted to share with the delegates. The training in my core
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Tuesday was a call-in day for clients – 15-minute laser coaching sessions by telephone. They are always a rich source of wisdom, emanating from the “good conversations” (see yesterday’s blog) that take place. A favourite yesterday was with a coach client who is developing a new programme for clients in the healthcare sector and was
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