Valuocity 2

The financial crisis of 2008 affected business all across America and all around the globe. No one and no business was exempt. Carl Oldquist, a 49-year old dentist from Madison, was caught in the downward spiral of the economy. After 14 years of hard work to build his practice into a thriving business, it seemed to be evaporating before his eyes. The advice of the consultants was not working, the employees were disheartened and Carl was slowly becoming resigned. The prospects of financial collapse began to affect him at work and home. For the first time in his life, what was most dear to Carl, his practice and his family was being threatened. How was this possible when he had done everything right?

When the disciple is ready the teacher appears. In Valuocity; A Fable for Dentists, Carl meets Sidney Kaprov, a businessman and former dentist. Like most of us, Carl is resistant to Sidney's offer to help, but the threat of failure trumps Carl's ego and he allows himself to be mentored by Sidney. The moment Carl surrenders his pride and enters into the relationship, the magical journey of self-discovery began for Carl. It was, in fact, a life changing decision that offered Carl a new perspective-one that allowed him to see how to turn the practice around.

Valuocity is written as a fable. With Sidney's guidance, Carl learned that it is possible to construct and manage a business, based upon his core values. He also discovered how to define his values, unique to him, in a way that allows his business, and the people that work within it, to operate consistent with those values. He learned new and more powerful ways to communicate and by the end of the story is ready to go back to the office with a new sense of purpose and a plan.
We follow Carl into Valuocity 2 as he returns from the weekend with Sidney and needs to confront the reality of his situation face to face. Sidney arranges for Carl to meet Frank and they enter into a coaching relationship. With Frank's guidance, Carl is able to take what he has learned at the ranch and put it into action. In Valuocity 2 he faces the staff and learns to become the leader that he envisions. By the end of the book Carl and the staff make some difficult choices and some difficult decisions that help steer the practice back in the right direction.

What we learn in reading the Valuocity series is that there is a Carl that lives within each one of us. This is the story of how Carl overcomes barriers to successfully generate a practice grounded on core values, a clear purpose and a powerful mission.

Dr. Mark E. Silberg
Silberg Center for Dental Science
Pittsburgh PA