patients, your team, and your standards, they won’t protect what you built. A successor is not just taking over a business. They are inheriting your reputation.
That is why attitude matters as much as production.
You also have to be honest with yourself. Sometimes, the associate you wish could be your successor is not the right one. Wanting someone to step up doesn’t make them capable of doing it. Grooming is a two-way street. You give opportunity. They show commitment. If that doesn’t happen, you can’t force it. It’s better to start grooming early than to wait until you’re tired, burned out, or desperate. Desperation creates bad deals, rushed transitions, and regret. Internal succession done well gives you leverage. It lets you choose when and how you step back. It lets you negotiate from strength and leave on your terms.
E YOU OOMING
down. They care if the team is frustrated. They talk about the future instead of just next month. They don’t have to be perfect or know everything. But they do have to care about more than their own chair. Grooming an internal successor starts with trust. You can’t hide everything and then expect someone to magically step up later. You have to slowly bring them into the real world of ownership. That means letting them see how decisions get made. Why some investments are worth it, and others are not. Why certain systems matter more than fancy equipment. Why cash flow matters even when production looks good. This isn’t about dumping stress on them. It’s about teaching them how to think like you think. Most associates leave because they can’t see a future. They see a ceiling. They see a role that never changes. If you want someone to stay long enough to become your successor, they have to believe there is something ahead of them. Not someday. Not maybe. But realistically. That means talking about the path early. You don’t promise ownership on day one, but you explain what ownership looks like, what it takes, and how someone earns that opportunity. Clear expectations protect both of you. They prevent resentment and guessing games. Internal succession also protects your value. A practice with a trained successor is worth more than a practice that depends on one person. Buyers pay more for stability. Banks lend more easily when continuity exists. And you sleep better knowing the practice can run without you for a while. But grooming an associate is not passive. You can’t just hope they figure it out by watching you. You have to coach them. You have to let them make small decisions and learn from them. Let them manage a project. Let them lead a system improvement. Let them own a problem and solve it. They won’t always get it right. Neither did you when you started. The point is not perfection, but growth. The associate you should be grooming is also someone who fits your culture. Skills can be taught. Values are harder to change. If they don’t respect your
And it changes how you work today. When you know someone is being prepared to take over, you stop carrying everything alone. You delegate more thoughtfully. You document systems better. You build something that lasts instead of something that only works because you’re there every day. That is the real value of grooming an associate. It lets you build a practice that doesn’t collapse when you step out of the room. The associate you should be grooming right now is the one who could protect what you built when you’re no longer the one holding it together. They may not look like you or think exactly like you yet. But if they care, if they are teachable, and if they want a future inside your practice, they’re worth investing in. Because the best exit strategy is not always a stranger writing a check. Sometimes, it’s someone who already knows your patients, your team, and your standards, and wants to carry them forward.
Stan Kinder - (703) 298-1690 · 13
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