ASP Retreat I

Since I had not experienced the 'vision' aspect (of Applied Strategic Planning) before, I found this to be the most helpful in determining what I want to do with the next 40 years. Articulating and writing down vision then mission really helped me get balance into my life which was one of my original reasons for attending the retreats. Vision, personal mission, and leadership information was most meaningful. The team enjoyed the visualization process and symbols and their meaning. For the office, getting a clear mission statement done and being able to refer back to it and hire new people was most helpful.

Applied Strategic Planning has been the most beneficial investment of time, energy and money we have ever made! Without it, I can't imagine what the future might look like. This powerful process and your leadership brought clarity to who we are, what we want to be and how to go about getting there. It made us create our future on purpose rather than just letting it happen. It focused us on a target and plan. At the same time it brought energy, enthusiasm, commitment and ownership to all participants. The words "Thank You" are not strong enough for all you have done for us!

The Applied Strategic Planning process was extremely rewarding to me. The sessions helped me on the journey toward more effective leadership and caused me to realize that more growth is needed. You are to be commended for the excellent way that you worked with us, bringing out our best and correcting us when needed. You role modeled many valuable leadership skills. I learned how to better interact with others and express appreciation more often. I also gained considerable knowledge regarding the full scope of strategic planning, how to listen more effectively, and how to focus planning efforts into a coordinated plan. Your focus upon what is important in relation to God, family and relationships was most appropriate and contributes immeasurably to your success as a person and leader. Thank you again for your wonderful example of leadership. You have much to offer.

Bob, all of your courses are phenomenal – the time, organization, delivery and most of all the genuinely caring effort you make to give each attendee the best possible learning opportunity is remarkable. That said – the Emotional Intelligence Workshop is the foundation for everything else you teach. It’s simply golden.

The overall Applied Strategic Planning Series was very positive and stimulating. Previous goal-setting seminars did not provide the tools to fully develop and implement a strategic plan. This process provided a new sense of excitement and clarity about where we are. It gave the team a sense of purpose about what we're trying to achieve. As a result of this process, our 21-year-old practice grew 25% in both gross and net the year after completing ASP.

For me, the overall A.S.P. Series was a process that was long overdue for the USA Section. As I stated at Retreat II, this planning technique was entirely different from the others I was involved with. With our continued diligence, I have great faith that this will be of enormous benefit to the Section. In addition, it was a great learning experience for me personally. I believe this will make a difference to me in my practice and in the way I conduct my life.

My involvement in the Environmental Scan was most meaningful part from the retreats. Such work! However, what I learned about everything that will have an effect on the College, the profession of dentistry, and me personally was incredible. That and working with such an energetic, professional committee was a great reward.

For the College, this process set an agenda with a mission and goals for us to proceed in a productive and efficient manner. As we proceed, the Section should gradually strengthen and rise in prestige and influence. For me personally, it helped me to align and realign my life’s priorities. Professionally, it became a method of reexamining the way I conduct my practice and my professional goals.

The first retreat was a great intro to the ASP process and how it differed from other SP processes. It tied together the books we had read by Covey and Sinek, as well as the Organizational Health Survey and other resources you provided us to make sense of what we were going to do and to inspire us to exert the energy to get it done. The Values audit helped us define our core values and how to create a new Mission for the Section.

As we proceeded from the first retreat forward, it was exciting to take all our work and formulate a strategic business model, and then the integrated action plans to give us an actual roadmap and timetable for achieving our goals.

Thanks, Bob, for a wonderful life experience. I believe it will be valuable for the Section and for me personally.

Incredible! These tools [from the Personal Applied Strategic Planning Series] are a lifelong gift. I can now map the road to my vision and I'm confident I will realize much of it well before five years. I've already experienced better balance and self-awareness. I'm more satisfied in my life and work. We got so much: team building and commitment to this plan/accountability/personal clarity ...the integrated action plans are the best part!!! I have a growing passion toward my future! Thanks so much! I can't say enough about the Applied Strategic Planning experience and how it impacted our office. Dr. Frazer and his team have a way of teaching that is very different from any of the ways we've approached vision, mission and goals in the past. This process was very powerful for me and my team, both personally and professionally. It has given us a structure that we can continue to build on as we intentionally create the practice and lives of our dreams. I highly recommend it to everyone! [Eighteen months after the end of ASP, working no more clinical hours, Dr. Watts reported production and collections rose such that the practice was up 49% in just the past 12 months! And, they have never done as many major cases.]

Years before Lucy & I attended your Applied Strategic Planning seminar you had been instrumental in helping me change my office from one in which I was a benevolent dictator to one in which everyone played a role in planning and carrying out shared visions and goals. The ASP Series gave Lucy & me the tools to complete the very important transition to retirement. It really took work to achieve our goals as we proceeded into retiring. Your whole process in the seminar truly guided us each step of the way and for this I will always been indebted to you. My office was truly grateful also. I wanted this to be a win-win-win situation for Lucy & me, for my staff (as many had been with me 25 – 30 yrs) and finally, for my patients. Your ASP Series was vital in me achieving these three goals.