Is the world a better place because of your practice?

Editor’s Note: Welcome to “Eye Catching: Let's Chat,” a blog series featuring contributions from members of the ophthalmic community. These blogs are an opportunity for ophthalmic bloggers to engage with readers with about a topic that is top of mind, whether it is practice management, experiences with patients, the industry, medicine in general, or healthcare reform. The series continues with this blog by Donna Suter, president of Suter Consulting Group. The views expressed in these blogs are those of their respective contributors and do not represent the views of Ophthalmology Times or UBM Medica.

When Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream,” he had a vision for people, not a program. Visionary leaders have the ability to communicate values and ideas in a way that connects. In your practice, they bring certainty into the uncertain world of reimbursement rates and rapid change.

What is your capacity to bring vision and direction into times of uncertainty? If there is one thing that sets a practice apart from the crowd, it is the leadership ability of the owner/doctor/administrator. Any one of these positions may be where a truly visionary leader is found. Why do people reluctantly comply with one leader, while passionately following another to the end of the earth?

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The answer lies in the focus of the individual. He or she seems to have an uncanny ability to infuse every department and employee with a clearly articulated vision of where the practice is going. A visionary is a leader that sets the tone in the workplace and insists that patients be treated with respect, excellence, and has revenue-generating ideas for the future.

Offices that have an “I CAN” attitude when it comes to excellence in patient care and collaborative teamwork are often ran by leaders with vision.  On a daily basis, the emphasis is on quick, pleasant patient interactions and fast, accurate treatment.

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The cultures of today’s practices are so diverse. How does a leader even know which model to pick? And then it’s a question of how to communicate it day-after-day to employees and eyecare practitioners alike.

Despite all of the images, signals, forecasts, alternatives, and hypothetical possibilities they must consider, the best leaders are able to formulate a comprehensive goal based on a myriad of influencing factors, and then achieve it in a manner that supports the earning power and net worth of the practice.

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Leadership can be developed. Sure, natural leaders excel quicker, but leadership can and should be developed (or recruited) by all practice owners.

Improve your leadership abilities by developing vision at these seven ‘focal points.’

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