Dr. Cargo shares the books that made a big difference to the development of his optometry practice team.
Professional development for optometry practices through book reviews
By Jonathan Cargo, OD
Sept. 11, 2024
At Cargo Eye Care, one of our core values is to pursue growth and learning. We challenge our team to constantly stretch themselves so that they can become more confident and productive.
As a leader of our company, one of my personal goals is to develop each of our team members to be better both professionally and personally than when they joined our company. We expect them to become eyecare professionals when they join our team, and we achieve this through training, certification and personal development.
The Power of Reading
One of the ways I have personally developed is by reading books. I frequently hear mentors and colleagues suggest great business and relationship books, and I make sure to add them to my reading list. I digest the information and often share it with my team. However, I realized that I wasn’t conveying all the information effectively, and there was much more to share.
Inspired by my wife’s 20-year book club, we decided to implement an office book club at Cargo Eye Care. Most of the books are suggested by colleagues and can cover a variety of topics. We typically read one book a quarter, ordering a copy for each team member. We break up the chapters over a month and discuss them each week during our team meetings.
Recent Success: Crucial Conversations
Our most recent book, “Crucial Conversations,” was selected because several team members expressed the need for better skills in handling difficult discussions with fellow team members, patients, administrators and even family members.
In this book, we learned how to maintain a safe environment for good dialogue, approach conversations with an open heart and avoid silent or violent (emotional) responses. We discovered that crucial conversations often happen spontaneously, so having the proper skills ensures a productive outcome.
Our team frequently engages in various crucial conversations, and not everyone has been taught effective communication strategies. We take for granted that everyone knows these soft skills, but most people have never discussed how to have meaningful conversations.
This book was instrumental in improving our ability to hold difficult conversations, whether it was staff explaining delays to patients, co-workers managing shared responsibilities, or administrators discussing excessive time-off requests. We now have a better understanding of how to have more meaningful conversations and achieve productive conclusions.
Long-Term Benefits of Book Reviews
Over the past five years, we’ve read numerous books, each providing an opportunity to better ourselves and our team. Some staff members prefer to listen to the books during their commute, so we offer audio books as an option.
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Many have never been challenged to learn and discuss thoughts and ideas like this as adults, which unites the team and fosters individual growth. This practice also levels the playing field, as everyone has the same background and experience with the ideas presented.
Investing in Our Team
Our investment in the team demonstrates our commitment to their growth, which helps with retention and ensures Cargo Eye Care remains the best place to work each day. We also recognize that not everyone will stay with us forever, and we want their time with us to prepare them to be the best candidates for future employment.
Imagine having an applicant who is CPO(A,T) certified, reads four business books a year and is cross-trained in all departments. Such a candidate would undoubtedly be at the top of any employer’s list.
Conclusion
Implementing a quarterly book review at Cargo Eye Care significantly enhanced our team’s professional and personal development. By fostering an environment of continuous learning and growth, we empowered our staff to make better independent decisions, leading to greater service productivity and profitability.
Investing in our team through book reviews not only benefits our practice, but also prepares our employees for future success, making it a win-win for everyone involved.
Jonathan Cargo, OD, is the owner of Cargo Eye Care, a Vision Source practice in Irving, Texas. To contact him: drcargo@cargoeyecare.com
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
