The most overlooked skill in leadership: self-care

Dr. Dan Bills has a confession: “At 50, I’m finally figuring out something that took me 20 years of hard knocks to learn: you can’t pour from an empty cup.”

Early in his career, he admits he was terrible at taking care of himself. Little sleep. Long hours. Pushing through because when you’re young you think you can get away with it.

That all came crashing down when his practice faced a crisis. He had 10 clinical assistants — and four left at the same time.

“It was more about factions. One group not getting along with another. I didn’t lead very well.”

Here’s his honest reflection: “Some of the ones that left had some of the best hand skills I’ve ever seen. I just thought it would work itself out. And it didn’t.”

That experience taught him a crucial lesson: leadership has to be intentional. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t have the energy to tackle the small problems—and they’ll turn into big crises.

Now, Dr. Bills approaches things differently. He blocks his schedule. Gets eight hours of sleep. Works out. Makes time for golf. Most importantly, he’s learned that leadership starts with taking care of yourself first.

This is exactly why I emphasize the relationship foundation in both The Magnetic Culture Equation and the updated Practice Rx. You cannot give from an empty cup.

When Dr. Bills started taking care of himself, everything improved. His decision-making got sharper. His patience grew. His ability to lead through challenges strengthened.

The truth is, practices that thrive aren’t just led by the most skilled clinicians. They’re led by people who understand that personal wellbeing directly impacts professional performance.

On October 1, both books release with insights from Dr. Bills and six other practitioners who’ve figured out how to build success without sacrificing what matters most.

Because you matter. Your wellbeing matters. Your relationships matter.

Stay strong,
Dino