​Capacity Blocks

The very first question may be what is a Capacity Block? It is virtually as the word or name applies; it is something that is “blocking” your capacity or capability to accomplish whatever it is you are trying to accomplish.  In reference to the Chiropractic office an example could be the patient volume and/or new patient volume. Essentially, to grow a Chiropractic office you have to do one of two things; see more new patients/returning old patients or see the patients you have more often.
The Chiropractor should want to impact as many lives as humanly possible!  Millions upon millions of people are suffering and dying every day.  These same millions who are suffering and/or dying don’t even know about you or Chiropractic.  Let alone that Chiropractic has something unique and limitless to offer them.  Some, most or all could be helped if you could reach them so why are you not seeing millions? Why are they not crashing down our doors?  Lining up outside of our offices?  It’s crucial for the Doctor of Chiropractic to realize that capacity blocks are a very real issue and are directly related to practice growth and reaching your full potential.  
Many ChiropracTORs “educationally” think, I need a bigger place.  I need more CAs.  I need an Associate ChiropracTOR.  Although, we find no fault in doing these aforementioned ideas as long as you have eliminated your capacity blocks FIRST!  You are just overlooking the “Big Idea” of practice by hiring an associate or two, or maybe some staff as your “reasons” why you are not seeing more new patients or established patients.  This will only increase your overhead, stress, frustration and stifling your full potential and practice growth.  Let me tell you this may not always be the answer!  I have personally had up to 5 Doctors of Chiropractic and up to 5 Chiropractic Assistants at the same time! At this level, we were still seeing about the same established volume and new patient volume as we were with half of the doctors and half the CAs. Why? Because we never truly identified what our capacity blocks were.  Identifying your capacity blocks can be very challenging and difficult to recognize unless you are truly looking for them.  You must be extremely objective in your approach.  You must get your “educated mind” out of the way and let the “Innate Brain” through.  This means it can be difficult and challenging but the results are extremely and extraordinarily rewarding.  You will have to work on yourself daily.
Capacity Blocks come in two forms
Capacity Blocks come in two basic forms or identities; concrete and abstract or physical and mental.  Concrete is the physical identity and abstract would be obviously mental.  In other words, concrete is physical plane.  For example, the building may only be so large you only have a certain amount of square feet to work with.  In reference to our office it is 3600 square feet.  The layout could create a physical capacity block or eliminate capacity blocks.  For example, how many Spinograph rooms, exam rooms, ROF rooms, adjusting rooms and/or resting areas do you have?  What is the most critical portion the flow or transition from these areas or rooms.  These blocks may be for the most part obvious to some but not to others.  The opposite is true of the abstract capacity block.  It is the things that are not so obvious however you still may be able to see the result of them but can’t see them literally or physically due to the fact they may be different from day to day.  An example is your vision.  As B.J. Palmer D.C. Ph.C. said, “Many a man has the eyesight of a hawk and the vision of a clam.”  Is your glass half full or half empty?  What about your self-esteem?  Is your self-esteem based on who or what other people around you think you are or should be?   Are you exuding high or low confidence? Are you self-motivated? “If you’re a self-starter the boss won’t have to be a crank.”  How motivated are you to getting sick people well?  These and many more need to be identified and properly answered.
Abstract Capacity Blocks (Mental)
The most limiting capacity block in the world that exists in every practice is the Abstract Capacity Block.   We have personally seen some beautiful offices with large square footage fail or come up way short. Why? They had the physical capacity block eliminated but not the abstract capacity block.  The abstract blocks are much more powerful than the physical blocks and can therefore be much more devastating because you either are not aware of the abstract block(s) or choose not to self-reflect and correct them.  If the Chiropractor doesn’t see themselves doing very well in practice or if they can’t handle the patient volume or patient load then guess what? They won’t. Think now of Henry Ford’s quote “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right”.  The vision of the practice is one of the most important factors for practice growth.  B.J. Palmer D.C. Ph.C. said, “The growth and development you see here is the result of taking ourselves seriously while others took us as a joke.”   Where do you see the office climbing to?  This is the exciting part to envision your success and growth.  B.J. Palmer D.C. Ph.C. said, “Success consists in the climb.”  What are you doing to help facilitate that growth?  Along this path you will come across blocks that may limit you. Remember BJ Palmer’s quote, “An obstacle is what you see when you take your eyes off the goal”.  In other words, what are you focusing on? What you focus on will become your reality.  What do you want your reality to become?  You and you alone can make this happen.  B.J. Palmer D.C. Ph.C. said, “Concentrate upon the work in hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”  What is your day to day focus?  Are you focusing on what went wrong? Who broke up with who? Or what can you do to make the office bigger and better?  How can you get more new patients?  What can you do to make sure patients keep their recommendations? What can you do to improve your adjustic thrust? What can you do to improve your knowledge understanding and interpretations of Spinographs? What can you do to improve your communication skills with patients, CAs and fellow Chiropractors in the office?  What can you do to reach those millions of patients previously stated above?  What can you personally do to ensure absolute success in the office?  You may not remember it but when you were learning to walk you were very committed, determined and focused to accomplish the goal of walking and guess what; you did it!  You would fall and get back up, daily if not hourly.  Can you imagine what would your life be like? If you were that commitment to practice growth and your personal achievements like you were when your first began to walk. 
Physical Capacity Blocks (Concrete)
This capacity block is important but not as important as the mental or abstract block.  I have seen offices with very small square footage and what I would consider to be limited space and parking but yet they flourish and patients flocking to their offices.  Why? See above. However, this cannot be overlooked and still is important.