Dr. Golson’s 2012 Holiday Gratitude Letter
Every year, at the years end, Dr. Golson writes the Envision team a letter of gratitude and shares it with us at our holiday party. He does this to express his deep appreciation to us for our hard work and dedication to our patients. Read below to hear what Dr. Golson had to say this year!
Welcome everyone to the 2012 year’s end celebration! It is with deep gratitude and abiding joy that I get to treat you all to a lovely dinner and year end appreciation party for a year well done! This practice means a great deal to me. Thank you for allowing this Doctor to practice in the only way that makes total sense from a perspective of integrity and service to others.
When I look back at 2012, I’m amazed at how far we have come. In many ways and numerous levels, it has been a year of transition. For me, it can be easy to lose sight of the forest when we work within the trees each day. This is the fifth team Gratitude letter I have written and read to the team at the year’s end and looking back, each and every year has brought its unique challenges and its rewards. Speaking from the heart, it is a true joy to work with you and be a part of this exceptional practice. You each embody the Envision Mission, Vision and Golden Rule statement in your actions every step of every day. Let’s take a step back for a moment and take a bird’s eye view at the many changes and advancements in our humble, local, private, Optometry practice.
Technology/Software category: We improved our utilization of Solution Reach and Eyemaginations. We purchased three new computers, and one printer.
Optometry Equipment category: We purchased an OCT instrument. This instrument will provide a new age of patient care and convenience. We have three new lines of amazing eye wear which is a continuation and further step to making our optical legendary, and finally, we have developed a new way to treat dry eye.
Office improvement category: More workspace has been created in our lab and pretest organization has improved.
Team Category: We added Katie, Lauren and Kia to our team: all extremely beneficial additions, and we lost Jeni as a teammate but not a friend 😉 .
Marketing Category: Social Media expansion—blog, FB fans and interaction with Patients-go Katie! Of all the Asheville eye care practices out there, Envision has the most google reviews and highest ranking. We are happy to be becoming a part of Angie’s list as well, soon!
Awards/Honors Category: Small Biz Leader of the year, 40 Under 40’s Award, 2nd place in WNC Best of 2011 Eye Care—1st place is coming in 2013 ;), four Cleinman Awards (growth and Pearl), Retained designation as Living Wage Certified with JE.
Growth Category: Keeping pace with 30% growth in 2012! December will tell the tale! Our success as a small biz is not an accident. It is through talent, dedication, loyalty, team work, compassion and consistent, genuine care for others that have allowed us to experience the growth we’ve seen in 2012.
Observing how you each show up and are present each day, I’d like to re- quote an excerpt from “The Prophet,” by Kahlil Gabran. “Always you have been told that work is a curse and labor a misfortune. But I say you work that you may keep pace with the soul of the earth. And in keeping with labor, you are in truth loving life. And all work is empty save when there is love. And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to your higher power. It is to charge things you fashion with your own spirit. Work is love made visible.”
I’d like to share my observations noticed in the past year for each of you in your work.
Jess: You continue to broaden your leadership skills as Envision Eyecare Office manager. You have managed to maintain day-to-day operations skillfully and with precision so that your teammates, patients and I have what we need. You have the courage to, in a kind and effective manner; give me upward feedback to make me a better leader. You also have the humility to accept feedback to make you a stronger manager and leader. You have an ever firmer grasp on what this organization needs to be successful from an operation and financial perspective and you consistently do what is needed toward that end, while keeping our patients best sight and eye health the primary focus decision-making. I’m excited to watch your skills continue to evolve into 2013. My hope is that our practice will grow to a level in which we can have another optician to give you even more resources to devote to office management. Very few practices in the country can boast to have such a devoted and talented office manager that cares for her practice as a mother cares for her child.
Jeni: your contribution to Envision over these past 3+ years has been immense. For the next several years I’m going to have to hear patients say, “What happened to Jeni, she was so friendly and sweet!” You laugh, but with each team member we’ve lost, our patients return and express their appreciation for your care. Sometimes it’s hard to know how we truly affect our patient’s lives. I’ve heard it said that my job as a leader is to develop a person and then send them out into the world to continue challenging and developing themselves. My hope is that you will be able to use some of the skills you learned at Envision to further broaden your talents. Thank you for staying on and training Katie in the art of Opticianry, which not only helps her, but also our team and entire practice at large. We hope that you won’t be a stranger and will visit often. At a level that is hard to put into words, I’m going to miss saying, “Hey Jeni.”
Maria: you have added to your skill set: Insurance Specialist. That is a very important part of the success in our practice and the amount of diligence and perfection you operate that area with is noticed and appreciated. You have stepped up in a big way to fill in the gaps at the front desk with your willingness to contribute and be flexible in serving the needs of Envision. You have done an exceptional job training Kia in short order which lets us all rest easy knowing that important position is in good hands. We will miss you the next few months as you pursue your dreams and also bring smiles to theatre patrons during the holidays. Thank you for logging in and contributing to Envision even during that time. We look forward to having you back in the office once again and feel fortunate we get to celebrate with you this time around!
Bonnie: your skill set as medical assistant and capable IT facilitator has truly blossomed in the past year. You set patients at ease when they first start the examination and it sets the tone for the Doctor to carry on the thorough care in the exam room. You have done a tremendous job training Lauren to follow in your footsteps as a superb medical assistant. You are a joy to work with each day and embody the positive attitude that is so important to Envision’s success.
Dr. Denton: we are all sorry you could not be with us tonight. You fit into this practice seamlessly and I hope we can continue to add days onto your Envision schedule. I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel to have my first associate Doctor at Envision be of your caliber. You are intelligent, knowledgeable and genuinely care about our patients who have quickly embraced your personality and expertise and there are already those that are requesting you by name. Thank you for trusting in our practice to a level that you are proud to be an important part of the Envision team.
Katie: you may never know exactly how hard it was finding you to fill the much needed role of rock star Optician. You are well on the way to becoming just that and you have moved mountains in the few months you have been here. Your skills with communication have and will continue to help set our patients at ease so they can be open to making good decisions about their eyewear—something they typically know little about. At times, it’s hard to know how we truly affect our patient’s lives. In being an Eye doctor that has been in practice over 10 years and that has traveled to third world countries to deliver eye care, our effect on our patient’s lives is transforming. Just ask the patient you recently helped purchase her first pair of glasses in five years.
Kia: you have moved rapidly into the challenging and detailed role of patient experience coordinator. Your willingness to ask questions to learn your role with greater intimacy helps make every single person on this team’s job easier and more streamlined. As you have gained experience, I’ve noticed that you greet our patients immediately as they enter the practice. You do this with a type of sweetness and kindness that sets the tone for overall impression of our practice. You are super helpful with all the little things I need on a daily basis and I appreciate knowing you are up front as the first face our patients see when they arrive.
Lauren: it was clear to Jess upon first impression that you were hired! She was so excited when she told me about you that I became excited before even meeting you in person. You think quickly on your feet and although not even here for three months, you can roll and jive like a seasoned medical assistant. You ask good questions and have a tremendous work ethic. It is clear with more experience and time at Envision that you are going to be a powerhouse at this practice.
Overall, my sense of Envision is that we have a “dream team” in place at this time. We have a special place here and my hope is that this thought will surface for you often. There are times when our office is crammed with our wonderful patients, and watching you all shuck and jive to manage their needs with a kind, efficient and effective intention is magical. Each day, you are making people’s lives better. That’s important to remember when times are stressful. You not only make practice at Envision possible, you make it proliferate and shine. At a personal level, you enrich my life with your positive attitudes, your unique individuality and a belief in importance of work and its inherent ability to strengthen character and benefit others. Thank you for all that you do.
A look at 2013: As we continue to gain momentum in the year to come the path is laid for a major expansion in 2013. This means we all win: our community of patients, our team and our practice. We will continue to find innovative ways to deliver top tier care by improving our systems. We will continue to support our community through donating eye care, donating to worthy causes and helping our patients in times of need. We are poised to descend on Asheville in an even more-encompassing way to raise the bar of health care in one of the finest cities in the U.S. In my opinion, it is an exciting time for our practice.
I said it last year at this time and I’ll say it again now, “our future is so bright we have to wear UV/HEV shades!”