G
reat leaders often cite mentorship
as a determining factor in their
success. It is easy to understand
why. Professionals, particularly those
in health care fields, work in complex
environments where the stakes are high.
Having someone to lean on when the
complexity seems too great can make the
difference.
In 2012, the OCA initiated a
mentorship pilot program designed to
create reciprocally beneficial relationships
between chiropractors. Eight chiropractors
joined the pilot program. The experience
of each mentorship pair was informative
and, based on the feedback from the
pilot group, the program was enhanced
and launched this past summer. Over
60 chiropractors submitted applications
to participate in the first full class of the
program which gets underway in Fall 2014.
Dr. Phil McAllister and Dr. Jim
Aru were instrumental participants in
the success of the pilot project. These
colleagues committed wholeheartedly
to the program. Both contributed to
the success of the relationship and both
benefitted. The way they constructed
their partnership indicates a number of
the key ingredients to success in such a
relationship. Here’s how they did it.
D
r. Phil McAllister, a 1995
graduate of the Los Angeles
College of Chiropractic, has
led an accomplished career. Specializing
in sports chiropractic, he has worked
with many Olympic and professional
athletes. His professional home is a
multidisciplinary clinic in Guelph. With a
wide array of experience to draw upon, Dr.
McAllister was among the first to answer
the call to contribute his expertise to the
mentorship pilot.
“It was mentors that helped me
establish where I am today,” Dr. McAllister
said when asked why he joined the
program. “If I can share what I’ve learned
along the way the others can stand on my
mentors’ shoulders as well,” he added.
Entering the program, Dr. McAllister’s
hope was to be a resource and he stressed
the importance of listening more than
sharing. Dr. McAllister was surprised at the
similarities between his own experiences in
the earlier stages of his career and those of
Dr. Jim Aru, his partner in the mentorship
program.
Dr. Aru, who began practicing in
Ontario in 2007 after graduating from
the Palmer College of Chiropractic, saw
the pilot program as an opportunity to
get some advice from a chiropractor who
had already cleared the barriers that he was
facing in expanding his practice. “I was a
relatively new practitioner experiencing
the usual barriers and saw the mentorship
program as a good tool to improve the
performance of my clinic,” Dr. Aru said.
Conversations in the early stages of
their partnership focused on business
skills development and the day-to-day
operations of a practice. Topics like paying
staff, tax withholdings, how to effectively
market a practice and how to balance a
clinic budget were discussed. In addition
to specific tactical help, Dr. McAllister also
encouraged Dr. Aru to remember that the
challenges he was overcoming are common.
“Dr. McAllister absolutely outlined that
he had experienced the same kind of
pitfalls and drawbacks. Hearing that from
someone who has been there assures you
that you’re on the right track,” Dr. Aru
said.
Their mentorship ran both ways.
Both Dr. Aru and Dr. McAllister
benefitted greatly fr