August 17, 2016
Ted McElroy, OD, says that positive change happens when the “pain of change” is deemed to be less than the “pain of staying the same.” Despite this simple axiom, many OD-owners fall short of making the necessary changes to right the business side of their practice.
KNOW WHEN TO CHANGE. Know when your office’s difficulties have gotten to a point where the pain to make changes will be less than the pain of doing nothing.
PLAN FOR CHANGES. Ask your team to gather–maybe closing the office for a day or two–to vent frustrations (even at each other), and then spend another session with staff discussing how to change to lessen these frustrations.
GAUGE MOTIVATION FOR CHANGE. If you and your staff are not willing to go through the pain of change, then you are agreeing that it’s less painful to continue having the difficulties you’re having, rather than creating a better practice.
Ted McElroy, OD, is the owner of Vision Source Tifton in Tifton, Ga, and the president of SECO. To contact him: tam6767@gmail.com
