Rebuilding Morale in the Optometric Practice
The key difference between the owner of the business and the people employed by the business is that leaders find the vision first (i.e. the Optometry Practice) and then the people he or she needs to employ to see that vision come to pass. People on the other hand find the leader first (i.e. place of work to earn a living) and then the vision (i.e. discovering what they really want to do)
For the vision of the company to become a constant reality; that means there has to be a personal ownership of the vision of the company by each staff member
As the business owner you determine whether or not the vision is credible and worthy for your staff to be part of, let alone pursue.
The vision becomes acceptable by the staff when it is compelling and you share and inspire it upon them.
The more confident your staff become with the vision, the greater value it will have as a result.
Your responsibility as the owner is to keep the vision in front of the staff at all times, for that is when it begins to direct the staff and eventually creates an opportunity for their commitment levels to rise up.
Finally the vision becomes a reality and leads to success when all employees take ownership of it
What does the above mean for your business in a practical manner?
Get rid of the roster you have on the wall in the kitchen and put up the vision for the business there.
Get rid of the list of contact details you have on the wall and put up the vision and sales targets.
Get rid of the rules and regulations you have on the wall in the test room and put up the vision.
Have a chat group with the staff where you constantly sharing things that have to do with the vision of the company.
Every time there is a company meeting, share and discuss the vision.
As a business owner, your commitment towards the vision on a daily basis determines the staff attitude and actions towards the vision every day.
Once the vision is very clear to everyone in the company and all parties involved have bought into that vision, team work then starts to take effect as each person then knows what their specific role is in that vision
Vision alone is not enough, there is still a critical role that you as the owner need to play over and above the vision being shared.
As the leader of the business, it is imperative that you realize that for your business to succeed, you need the right people on your team who will help take your business to where it needs to be.
You cannot do everything on your own as the owner or Optometrist, and therefore there are numerous tasks and responsibilities that you need other people to take care of.
This can only be done if the right people are functioning at the right place within the Optometry Practice.
This can be explained as follows:
There is a phrase that says those closest to the leader will determine that leaders` potential. Well this is important when it comes to delegating responsibilities
Most business owners make the mistake of putting on all the different types of caps required for the success of that business instead of delegating authority and responsibility to the relevant individuals
The great value of team work in an Optometric Practice is that it affords more:
human resource capacity
creativity
innovative ideas
energy
multiple perspectives
several alternatives
maximum potential and ability
efficiency and effectiveness
increased productivity
As the leader of the business you need to connect with the team individually
Why?
Connection with the team leads to your vision becoming the aspiration of the staff.
When the vision is worthwhile and bigger than what the team can comprehend, it does the following for them:
Stretches them
Challenges them
Inspires them
Unlocks what they themselves can achieve
How then do you identify the right people to delegate too?
You need to constantly empower the people working for you and afford them opportunities to grow beyond their level of expertise.
Your team`s capacity to achieve is determined by your ability to empower them. (That is your most important role as the owner of the practice)
Identify the potential leaders within the team
Look at the character of the individuals on your team and see which people are the best candidates for what the business needs to grow and expand
Build team members up continuously
New employee needs direction regularly
Few months into the job employee needs coaching
Committed team members need support
Those that have proven their loyalty need responsibility
Equip team members regularly and consistently
Employees desperately require an eagle environment for them to grow
Keep a compelling vision of the company before their eyes
Reward team members with incentives and great benefit packages as the business grows
Encourage creativity and challenge them beyond their comfort levels
Believe in them, support them & show them what they are able to achieve
Take Note:
The strength of the team is impacted by its weakest link.
Team members who don’t carry their own weight slow down the entire progression of the team and that of the business. (E.g. late coming; incompetence; not doing the job they are being paid for; etc.)
The bigger the difference in competence between team members, the greater the detriment to the business.
Most important thing to remember is that everything that happens in a business is a direct reflection of the leader at all times, nothing else, nothing less.
People buy into the leader first and then the vision.
The leader finds the vision and then the team.
The team finds the leader and then the vision.
“People only follow worthy leaders who promote worthwhile causes”
“People can do just about anything for the vision of company when they believe in the leader”
Below is a quick example of the impact vision has when it connects you with your staff:
Therefore as the leader of the business, it is important to model creativity; hard work; punctuality; excellence; completion of tasks and most importantly a genuine care and appreciation of your people.
The above results in the team becoming and producing what the leaders are and what the business requires
What is the take home message in all of this?
The highest return of investment for a company is brought about by high levels of team work.
Victor Hugo is quoted saying: “No army can withstand the strength of idea whose time has come”
That simply means when a team functions together as a unit, nothing can stop or limit their growth potential and that of the organization.
A team that functions together, grows together and multiplies the organization`s effectiveness to the highest level.
It is better to have a great team with a weak vision than to have a great vision with a weak team.
Nothing fruitful can ever come from having a great vision with a bad team.
Remember the following:
When the leader grows, the team grows and business grows as well.
The leader only goes as far as he or she is willing to sacrifice for the vision.
The team can only go as far as the leader can go.
The business only grows as far as the people are willing to go.
