"I'm starting with the Manager in the mirror
Oh yeah,
I'm asking him to read this page
And no message should be any clearer
If you wanna make the optical world a better place
Take a look at yourself before you hate that change"
Shoulda, woulda, coulda, and the optical industry changes go on 24/7. Some of the changes affect single entities and some affect the entire planet. Or at least that's what it seems like sometimes. We read about industry changes all over the internet, hear about them in meetings, place bets on what will happen next, some even start rumors by fabricating predictions.
It's depressing to be affiliated with negative people and naysayers especially in the workplace. A full time position at 40 hrs a week is over 2,000 hrs a year. Some of you reading this are saying to yourself, I wish I only had to spend that much time with such and such. Enough negative exposure and you could be headed for industry burnout and resentment beyond repair. So why is it that misery loves company? Is it so everybody can be miserable together as a group? Don't you think misery love seems overrated?
Avoiding a dreaded, negative workplace should be top priority. Some of us wake up everyday with a sourpuss attitude and tell ourselves we are stuck in our jobs or situation. Are you really glued, fastened, fixed, trapped, baffled or burdened?
I've often thought that the optical industry would be a great segment for a reality TV show.
So I've put together a casting crew including an OD, Optometric Manager and various staff members. Some of you may have auditioned in your town and are playing some major roles. We can probably find you in the dressing room doing a mirror check. For the others, please sit back, relax and enjoy the show....As Our Optical World Turns On Us....
The scene opens with Breaking News hot off the press announcing that X Company is merging with O Company. The company's new name will be XOXO and the new tagline will be XOXO-You Gotta Love Us.
Phones, emails, texts and tweets are buzzing all over the optical industry. The world wide web is being saturated with congrats, success wishes, bashing and sarcasm. Meanwhile, at Dr. C. Good's office Polly Patient has been waiting outside over an hour to see the good doctor. An emergency meeting is called and the front door is locked. A piece of paper that reads “We will reopen soon” is scotch-taped to the door. Or is that a cheap blocking pad? Molly Manager leading the meeting is unsure about everyone's future. The merger is described as one that will take some time to complete. Whether the merger ends up being good or bad there is a reaction of anxiety from the staff. A short chaotic meeting is conducted and the staff pulls themselves together and resumes their schedule.
The front door is unlocked and given a slight push to do the unlocked door check. The note is ripped off of the door and forced through the paper shredder leaving sticky residue. Polly Patient gets out of her car and enters the practice with a relieved look. She is so thankful that everyone is OK and no one was in danger or harmed. (Ha, ha, if she only knew....). She was worried because she was locked out of the building at her appointment time. She bypasses checking in and is seated in the exam chair for her thorough eye health exam. While being escorted to the dispensary she overhears the merger discussion. Several staff members try explaining it to her using their optical babble. She quickly picks out a hideous pair of eyeglasses that are discos (not related to dance genre), places the order and she is gone.
A huddle takes place around one of the computers to read the latest minute by minute merger mania. What is it? What is it? Move your head, I can't see the screen. Polly Patient calls back with a question about her order. She's placed on hold and listening to custom messaging that's playing Dr. C. Good's slogan on commitment to excellence. Dr. C. Good walks out of his exam room with the next patient and hands go flying to hit the minimize screen button on the keyboard. ECPs scurry around the office and Dr. C. Good just shakes his head. Polly Patient eventually hangs up since no one returns to the phone.
From the back of the room, the newest staff member smiles with her pearly whites and says, “I knew I should have stayed in dental hygiene.” The room breaks out into laughter.
CUT!
What's wrong with this picture? It's reality TV, right? I can't stand it though, I feel terrible about the way Polly Patient was treated. I mean with the waiting, the babble, the hideous eyeglasses, the phone call that didn't get returned... She probably thinks the place is going out of business.
With today's changes in the industry, is that the direction we are headed in?
Change has been around forever. If you are alive, you are a change survivor. The way we handle change says a lot about our character. A nice change would be for everyone individually to do a daily character check. Not on everyone else, just yourself. Are you pleased with you today? Would you want to work with a bunch of you?
Do you recognize any of these characters?
Whiner A. Bunch - complains even when everything is actually going well, loves to exaggerate about how busy he is, complains about co-workers and wants you to side with him.
Burnie Hothead - short fused good worker, provokes arguments, believes you have to act out to get noticed, he needs anger management courses and is furious about it.
Joy Killer - unhappy person, determined to tell the reasons why rules or ideas won't work, pleasure zapper, never owned a self help book.
Amma Hypocrite - sneaky, does the opposite of what she pretends to be doing, purposely misleads others, snickers to herself when people make mistakes, then offers her help.
Noe Ittawl - self confidence galore, knows everything about everything, has little use for your input, non- negotiable, likes to say “I told you so.”
Pot Sturrer - devotes time to figuring out how to create office drama, likes to sit back and watch the disarray unfold around the office.
Isa Worrywart - creates non existent issues in her own head, wants everyone's approval that it is OK to worry about everything, second guesses everything she does.
These characters usually don't make the final cut. Some of them end up auditioning again and again.
Here's what Production Managers look for in an optical crew:
Paula Positive - upbeat, always greets the patients with a friendly smile, insurance does not put her in a bad mood.
Edna Encourager - loves to help new staff members, has fresh flowers on her desk, loves to say “you are doing great.”
Wayne Winner - wants everyone to believe in themselves, teaches classes on success after hours.
Greg Goodguy - nothing bothers him, willing to do anything to help the team, likes to work on weekends if necessary
Tom Thanks - Grateful to have a steady income, loves to thank patients for the opportunity to serve them.
I better get this show on the road and get to my next practice. I don't want to miss any change.
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