ASP Retreat I

The Applied Strategic Planning process has given us and the rest of the MDA staff the opportunity to see where we need to go in the future. I speak for the entire staff when I state that we are excited about what is in store for the future of the MDA. Thanks for your superior work to provide this plan to lead the Association forward.

The quiet, facilitative environment in a retreat setting coupled with the ability to mastermind with other couples and teams made Applied Strategic Planning a life-transforming experience. Bob is an exceptional mentor who has the expertise and personality to guide individuals through this challenging process. If you commit to the work required, your personal and professional lives will be those of your dreams.

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.

Thank you so much for the fabulous Applied Strategic Planning sessions for the International College of Dentists. I have attached the final report with the Integrated Action Plans (IAP's) that were approved by the Board of Regents last fall in San Francisco. We have updated the IAP's for our Executive review held in January; I could send you those if you wish. Please let me know too if you would also like a scanned electronic copy of the report.

It is an exciting thing to see the wheels moving forward...with a firm direction no less.

Thank  you for all the work you have done to assist us in seeing the path to becoming a better organization. It is very much appreciated.

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.

I would like to tell you how much we enjoyed your workshop and our entire Texas experience! Teresa and I have already been implementing the three-appointment approach. We are all extremely excited and pleased with the responses we are getting - we feel invigorated and liberated somehow! I believe that I may have found the most inspirational information from your teachings in my six and a half years of dentistry! Dentistry doesn't seem so stressful when you're not putting pressure on people you don't know! Thanks for the experience!

Dr. Bob Frazer was outstanding. I announced during his introduction that, in an effort to get more members to stay through Friday, I had saved the "keynote" for Friday. I could only hope that his presentation would provide the "Wow!" factor I needed to finish out the meeting. Everyone was tired, low on energy, and ready to go home, and then Bob started speaking. Within the first 30 minutes of his three-hour presentation, Bob had our energy levels back up, we were re-energized, and everyone was on the edge of their chair and participating. After another 15-20 minutes I left briefly to go to the restroom, where another Schulman Group member commented, "Have you noticed how the energy level in the room has spiked?" We both laughed and rushed back to the room so we wouldn't miss too much of the presentation. I can't tell you how pleased everyone was with Dr. Frazer's presentation; they were overwhelmed. Please accept my sincere gratitude for recommending Bob!

I want to personally thank you for all the work you have put into making the ASP process a success for our 13 doctor group. We could not have gone through this without your guidance, hands-on care and enthusiasm. My only regret is that I will not be with you as frequently as during this past year. My hope is to get with you at other courses and activities you offer to continue to grow both my leadership and our friendship. I look forward to our future experiences together.