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Beyond the Podium: Thought Leadership in Optometry is Evolving

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A thought leader is an expert in their field who is actively engaged in promoting their ideas and sharing their knowledge with others. They are often seen as a change-maker or thought- provoking individual, and their aim is to influence and inspire others. They have a vision of what optometry is supposed to be, not what is dictated by others in the industry.

In order to become a thought leader, it is not enough to simply be an expert in your field. You must also be proactive in sharing your ideas and engaging with others. This can be done through writing articles or blogs, giving talks or presentations, or using social media. In the past thought leaders we ODs that lectured at conferences and had busy practices. With the rise of social media this has changed. Different voices are now able to be amplified. Thought leaders aren’t selected by optometry magazines, pharma boards ,companies or conferences anymore. Thought leaders are created from changing the norm and utilizing the different platforms they have to provide a different perspective. Corporate ODs have been underrepresented in the past. Now is the time to seek opportunity to amplify their voice in the industry. Different voices help our industry grow.

However, becoming a thought leader is not without its challenges. It takes time, effort, and dedication. And, once you have established yourself as a thought leader, there is a certain amount of responsibility that comes with it.

Are you up for the challenge? Here are some ways ODs have become thought leaders over the last 10 years.

1. Develop your expertise: To become a thought leader, you need to have in-depth knowledge and expertise in your field. This means staying up-to-date on the latest research, trends, and technologies in optometry. Attend conferences, seminars, and webinars. Read industry publications like Vision Monday and network with other professionals in the field; whether in person or on Facebook groups.

2. Create a platform: Establish a platform for yourself where you can share your ideas and thoughts. This can be in the form of a blog, a podcast, or social media. Create content that is informative, engaging, and provides value to your audience. Don’t be afraid of thinking outside the box and talking about things that others don’t.

3. Network: Networking is a crucial part of becoming a thought leader. Attend events, conferences, and seminars to connect with other professionals in the field. Meeting people face to face has a lot of meaning. You have to attend all the major conferences and add value to those conferences, whether it be cocktail hours, dinners, panel discussions, Facebook live events and podium time. Engage with others online through social media, LinkedIn groups, and forums.

4. Engage with your audience: Engage with your audience by responding to comments, questions, and feedback. Start a conversation and get people talking about your ideas. Encourage debate and be open to different opinions and perspectives. Thought leaders interact with other industry professionals throughout the year, not just at conferences. When you have other ODs asking you your thoughts on topics in optometry and breaking news, you have become a Key Opinion Leader.

5. Be authentic: A thought leader is not someone who pretends to know it all. Be authentic and transparent with your audience. Admit when you don’t know something and be willing to learn. Optometry is an evolving profession, leaders are readers. The more you continue to learn the better you will become and continue to evolve as a thought leader.

6. Seek out opportunities: Look for opportunities to speak at conferences, contribute to publications,provide content on social media and participate in webinars. Use your platform to promote your expertise and showcase your skills. Content is key! The more content you develop the more recognition you will get on the area you are looking to break into. Thought leaders seek out opportunities for exposure, it is never about the money but for the purpose.

7. Be consistent: Consistency is key when it comes to building a following and establishing yourself as a thought leader. It takes time and effort to build a reputation, so be patient and keep working at it. If your competitor is providing 1 content a week look to do 3x-5x more content per week. Over time content development will become part of your routine and won’t take up as much time as it did before.

Becoming a thought leader in optometry is not an easy task, but with dedication, hard work, and a passion for the field, it is achievable. As you establish yourself as a leader, remember to always be humble, open to learning, and eager to share your expertise with others.

The Problems with Under-Coding and How to Avoid Them

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Under-coding is a popular concept in optometry practices. Many times under coding can be considered fraud and lead to an audit.

Many problems arise due to under-coding; one is the unnecessary investigation of unreported medical cases. Under-coding is considered a severe crime as it’s highly illegal and unethical. If your office is experiencing under-coding, there are ways you can stop it.

Let’s explore how you can stop under-coding.

Train Your Staff

The best way to overcome under-coding at your office is by ensuring your staff is adequately trained. They’ll ensure every patient walking in has a proper file and officially gets recorded when they’ve received sufficient training. If you want your office to succeed while avoiding any audits due to under-coding, you must hire efficient staff who know how to work. As long as they’re well-equipped, you hopefully won’t encounter under-coding at your facility.

Uniform Coding Is a Must

Two types of patients walk into a optometry office: those who pay cash and those with insurance. Ideally, these patients should go into the registers if under-coding is avoided. The best way to ensure that happens is by providing a code. There will be no confusion when uniform codes are present for each type of patient. Also, there won’t be any discrepancy between patients with codes attached. Even if there is, you can easily sort it out through the billing. Also pay attention if you are billing routine eye exams to vision plans when you are supposed to bill it to medical because the patient has significant cataracts for example.

Double-Check Everything

When you have a high inflow of patients coming in, the wise thing to do is double-check everything. This includes their files, medical reports, history, etc. It’ll be easier to manage to code when you know everything about your patients and keep up with their cases now and then. You can stay on top of your coding game by ensuring there’s no case of over or under-coding whatsoever. However, you’ll have to be pretty vigilant to do that.

Hire a Professional Medical Billing Company

If you’re having trouble keeping up with your facility’s billing, you can always employ a professional medical billing service. They’re professionals who specifically deal with numerous healthcare facilities’ billing. That way, you won’t have to stress so much regarding billing, and you can also avoid the constant problem of under-coding. Yes, such companies charge a fee, but paying them is better than paying large sums of money as penalties if your facility is under investigation for under-coding.

Don’t Overuse Codes

If you want to avoid under-coding at your facility, it’s recommended you don’t use the same codes repeatedly. Using the same codes often leads to confusion regarding patients’ files, which might result in double-coding. If you don’t want that to happen, please keep using new codes each time you enter a patient’s information into your system. The newer your codes are each time you have a new patient, the fewer chances of under-coding. Hence, please focus on using codes appropriately.

4 Tips for Young ODs

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Since the pandemic hit last year, the world is still trying to adapt to some major changes.

Professionalism is the art of conducting yourself in a manner that lets others know they’re in good hands. It’s a guarantor to the people you’re dealing with that they can trust you and rely on you. An individual who embraces a code of ethics, values time, and stays true to their word is generally considered a thorough professional. The case is no different when it comes to your optometry practice.

The importance of professionalism

According to a survey conducted by The College of Optometrists, it has come to light that the clearest definition of professionalism embraces a number of factors.

Among them, building and maintaining relationships with patients, as well as staying on good terms with colleagues, takes precedence. Furthermore, looking to other professionals for guidance and mentorship, while making valuable contributions through research adds value to the profession as a whole.

Also talked about was the fact that routinely analyzing one’s practice, and suggesting and implementing ways to improve can do wonders for patients.

Here are some ways that are sure to make you stand out:

Look and dress the part

It’s true what they say about first impressions.

While every profession requires individuals to maintain their appearance, you need to be even more mindful of personal hygiene when dealing with patients.

Stick to your personal code of ethics

A solid set of ethics can take you very far. If you’re an honest person outside the workplace, chances are, you bring the same values to the clinic.

On an even more serious level, ethics include compliance with state and federal laws, which are ultimately meant to protect you, your family, and your patients.

Stay calm under pressure

Maintaining your calm when everything is falling apart is what will set you apart as a true professional. Everyone has days that are especially taxing, but it doesn’t help to lash out at colleagues or start whining.

Instead, take a deep breath, temporarily detach yourself from the situation, and try to look at it objectively. The next time a similar situation arises, you’ll know what to do.

Find a mentor

Even if you’re the best in the business, there will be days when you find yourself stumped.

Mentors can be sources of great support in such cases, and can include anyone from past professors to people you’ve met at training workshops.

Now that you’ve got these handy pointers under your belt, you’re ready to take your personal brand of professionalism up a notch or two, especially in these trying times.

3 Solutions to Optical Staff Issues in Corporate Optometry.

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Working in the corporate optometry has its own set of challenges that many Corporate ODs face. If you are leasing space from the corporate optical, you may run into some complications with your regional manager and the optical staff.

If you are not careful, some form of miscommunication can lead to issues like mishandling of appointments, mismanagement of patients and not getting your insurances verified regularly.

These sublease issues coupled together can really affect your performance and cause patient dissatisfaction. Follow these simple steps to overcome these problems and make sure nothing comes between you and your patient.

Hire Your Own Staff

As a sublease OD, you have to let go of some control when it comes to administrative and managerial work. If the staff works directly under the corporation, scheduling errors may occur because you haven’t had the chance to train the staff.

In such cases, you can always request to hire your own staff and train them according to your needs and objectives. This requires some time and effort from your end. But once you’ve managed to train your team, you’ll have more administrative control and you can make your own rules keeping patient care as the topmost priority.

Schedule a Meeting

If you are not able to hire your own staff, you can always schedule a meeting with your managers and staff. During the meeting, you can raise your concerns in detail. Understand their objectives and expectations, and figure out a strategy to keep yourself and the staff satisfied.

Communication is extremely important. You need to let them know that the problem at hand is affecting the quality of patient care, and as a team, you should work together to enhance the patient experience.

Check Your Lease

Checking your lease may be one of the simplest ways to solve your problems. Your lease has all the requirements and role expectations stated clearly. If your staff has been mismanaging your patients and their appointments, then you can print out your lease and inform them of their tasks.

This will help clear up the confusion of who’s in the wrong and you will be able to get to the bottom of the issue more quickly.

It is important to know the roles of employees working for you to make sure everything runs smoothly and no one falls out of line.

One precautionary measure you should take is to have access to your own phone line (unless your sublease agreement doesn’t allow you, in which case, make sure to negotiate before

signing the lease). Many times the phone line given to you is a property of the corporate optical and, if you decide to end things with them, you can lose all contact with your patients.

As patient demands and expectations are increasing, you need to make sure there are effective business processes in place fulfilling those needs. You need to give immediate attention to any problems you face because with every mistake you make, you could potentially lose a patient forever.

Habits of an Influential Optometrist.

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What they say almost always holds weight and all of their opinions are valued by the people around them.

But guess what? You too can expand your circle of influence if you make some important changes in the way you view the world and yourself.

1. Think for Yourself

It’s not a good sign if you’re easily swayed by public opinion or the latest trends. Believing everything you hear and forming opinions based on other people’s judgments will get you nowhere.

You need to start thinking for yourself. Do your research and study facts before coming to a conclusion. Be willing to change your mind if there’s evidence supporting it. Start tuning out what other people think and only gain influence from what you know.

2. Disruptive the Norm

So many problems result from our lack of empathy and unwillingness to change our ways. You need to be curious about the world and long-running traditions. You shouldn’t be afraid to question the status quo and challenge conventional ways of thinking.

Becoming graciously disruptive means you’re doing it for the right reasons.

3. Innovate

Explore new ideas and try to think outside the box whenever you can. Spark conversations about causes that deserve more attention. When you truly care about the world, this should come naturally to you.

Inspire people around you to think differently and be more open-minded.

4. Network

Make connections everywhere you go. Don’t hesitate to learn about other people’s background and culture. Look out for people in your social circle and add value to their lives. Be forthcoming with advice where necessary to make lasting connections.

5. Welcome Disagreement

When people disagree with your ideas, you need to humble yourself and really listen to what they’re saying. You shouldn’t respond defensively because you don’t know everything and you could’ve easily missed something. It should be more important for you to challenge your own ideas than to always be right.

The other person may have a point and if they do, you should be more than willing to change your opinion.

6. Think outside the box

Deliberately seek newer ideas and technologies instead of waiting for them to come to you. Stay updated with the latest innovations and become an early adopter. Spread the word about what’s coming in the future and always stay in the know.

7. Respond

When someone in your team or circle of influence makes a mistake, you need to take a step back and assess the situation instead of reacting immediately. Value your relationships and respond appropriately to any mishap. The last thing you want to do is cause a scene. If you overreact, people will start keeping their distance from you and trusting you less.

Learning how to be a person of influence may take a while, but with small steps every day, you can change the world and earn a place in everyone’s hearts.

Red Flags in Your Corporate Optometry Employee Contract

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You can always seek the opinion of professionals within the industry. They will tell you what is reasonable to expect and what isn’t.

Another thing to note is that you need to be patient and let your employers bring up the contract themselves. Don’t get ahead of yourself; wait for them to start the conversation.

You need to be honest and straightforward when you’re making an agreement. Remember, there is no reason to be hesitant or embarrassed because it applies directly to you.

Ask questions every step of the way if something is unclear to you. Ask about the frequency of reviews, compensation, bonus and factors that will influence promotion.

Similarly, when you’re becoming a corporate OD, there are some things you need to watch out for things like the number of patients you will see an hour, hours of operation, holidays, weekends, staff support etc.

No Transparency

You need to know that in a corporate setting, it is completely normal to talk about growth opportunities, raises and bonuses, among other things.

If the employers at your workplace of interest are not keen on going into details about their business procedures, chances are that it is not a good sign.

Some element of transparency should be there when you’re negotiating a contract, and withholding of relevant information on any end is a huge red flag.

Ambiguity

If the contract language and the context aren’t completely understandable, you should always ask for clarification. You can easily misinterpret ambiguous statements and the organization can hold you accountable. It is best to avoid signing something you’re not sure about.

Certain language as, “it depends on the store and region”. There are protocols from the corporate level. Make sure all your requests and agreements are in writing. Some other ambiguity could be that anything that you develop during that time that you are an employee is property of the company. As an employee, doing eye exams intellectual property is your own property not the company. If you have this clause it needs to to be removed.

Non disclosure agreements in an employee contract can be a red flag. If you are an employed OD at the store level many times sensitive information is not provided to you. If you are in this position you should not sign an agreement that is not specific to a certain situation or doesn’t have a time frame.

Verbal Agreements and Cues.

Anything that you and your employed have agreed upon needs to be clearly stated in your contract. If you’re denied this, then you should take this seriously because when something isn’t contractually binding, it is easier to get out of. What was verbally agreed upon needs to be in the contract. Many times if a contract is being “sold” as it is a great opportunity that you don’t want to miss because there are other ODs, don’t rush into it. Take your time to review, you don’t want to rush into something that might be hard to reverse.

Long Notice Periods and Restrictive Covenants.

Beware of notice periods that are extraordinarily long. There is something to take notice about any organization that requires you to have a notice period longer than 60 days or if they require to help find a replacement.

Restrictive Covenants are very common in Corporate optometry. A typical covenant is 1-3 miles over a year. Beware of vague covenants without an address to start with and longer than a year. If you are a traveling OD make sure that you are not required to not work 1-3 miles from all the locations because that can limit you to certain locations in your state.

Now that you know some of the warning signs in a contract, you will be able to negotiate in a way that benefits you in the long run. It is necessary to go over the best and worst-case scenarios that can happen during your term of employment and request for amendments accordingly.

When you’re signing a contract, you need to take your time and understand every clause. Consult a lawyer to help guide you. Very contract is negotiable.

CREATING A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE IN CORPORATE OPTOMETRY

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Creating a Memorable experience in Corporate Optometry.

When you think of  memorable experiences you think of positive times filled with joy and laughter. It could be a game winning shot, a vacation, childhood memory of your parents or even just enjoying a loved ones company as laughter fills the room.  You tend to remember the times that you felt something. Creating a memorable patient experience is no different! The way a patient “feels” about the experience will reflect directly to your bottom line. People will generally really love something or not like it and there is no room for in between or being average in today’s competitive market.  Creating a memorable experience involves everyone through the patient journey. Think of a patient experience as a journey, it is not a single appointment or transaction but a journey that can evolve over the next 20-30 years as they continue to see you and refer others to your office.   Here are some ways to make a memorable patient experience:

1. Active Listening

Active Listening is paying attention to the patient from the moment they call for an appointment. Train your staff to take notes during the initial touch point. If a patient is calling the office because of having a negative experience at another office, have the staff ask probing questions to understand what type of experience they are looking for. Once the patient is in your exam chair you have a “blueprint” of their expectations. You are able to address their pain points that guided them to your office.  Provide a personal approach by facing  them when they are talking and maintain eye contact. Many times patients will tell you want they want, it is your job as an eye care professional to recommend the best options and help guide them to best personalized solution. Active listening establishes  the patient/ doctor relationship and aligns an active approach to their health care. If they feel like their part of the decision process it will create a memorable experience that will make your office stand out from the rest.

2. Doctor Driven Dispensing

Whether you own your office or are an employee, doctor driven dispensing is a way to not only to create a memorable experience in the optical, but create patient loyalty through patient education of products. The clinical findings from the examination should be aligned with the eye wear lenses options that you recommend, to the specific artificial tears that you prescribed to that patient. It goes back to active listening. You are the authoritative voice and experienced professional of that office, “customize” and educate patients to why you are recommending a product and how it is different from online retailers. Maintain eye contact when discussing personalized eye care. Doctor driven dispensing is an art that is frequently ignored by many ODs. Asking different questions will create a “wow” experience for the patient, ” they never asked me those questions before, maybe I wasn’t getting the right exam or eye wear that I should have had before”

3.  Storytelling

Storytelling can be an influential connector to your patients because it is an emotional driver. Memorable moments are created by emotions. It makes the patient experience a human experience. Storytelling can be formulated from active listening to understanding what the patient likes to talk about and transitioning it to an assessment/plan strategy for that patient encounter.  Storytelling by itself can be a powerful way to be memorable. Be yourself. Being authentic will connect with people. Letting them know that your family member has a the same issues with  progressive lenses and what specific product you prescribed compared to an affordable option creates more value for your office than competing on price.

4. Marketing a memorable experience

Online retailers like Warby Parker will donate a pair of glasses. It creates a memorable experience for the patient because they know that their eyeglass purchase with help others in need. The promotion is “Since day one, over 4 million pairs of glasses have been distributed through our Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program. Alleviating the problem of impaired vision is at the heart of what we do, and with your help, our impact continues to expand.” The key phrase is “The whole story begins with you“, it creates a memorable experience where the patient is involved in something for a bigger purpose. Whether is is a local charity event or mission trip your office can do the same. Use your email database and social media platforms to educate your patients about your involvement in the community and how they can be involved by donating old glasses or how you can do a promotion for free eye exams for those in need through your office.

 5. Follow up

The patient experience does not end at the end of the exam.  Making a follow up call to a patient can make a lasting impression. Whether is it a follow up on corneal abrasion or a call to see how their contacts are performing. This discussion has more impact than you think in making your business successful and developing the critical doctor/patient relationship. Following up 1 week, 1 month or 6 months will create a memorable experience, simply set reminders in your EMR system to have your staff follow up on progressive adaptation or simple satisfaction with service or products. Let your patients know that you remember specific personal information, document in your chart; job information and children’s names to have a starting point for your next exam.  Your EMR system can be a great way to follow up on reactivating patients by sending birthday texts/emails with special promotions.

6.Unique Style

Your unique style makes you memorable. Humor is a memorable factor. Don’t be afraid to have a different approach to patient care, humor will make you likeable and approachable to new patients. You want patients to feel comfortable, being funny is one way to do it. Everyone likes getting compliments and it will also make people feel comfortable to ask questions and enhance the doctor/patient experience.

Your personality, humor,empathy, attention to detail is your signature to the world. It speaks volumes, use it to create a memorable experience that no one can mimic because “you” is UNIQUE.

Digital Marketing Strategies for Optometrists

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Digital marketing strategies to help optometrists with there business. Never before has digital marketing been more important.

Digital marketing is a very expansive term that holds various different concepts within.

The advancement of technology has brought about several marketing opportunities for businesses and individuals, alike.

However, with the profuse amount of concepts and options out there it can be difficult for someone who has not been involved with marketing before to choose what platform they should promote themselves or their businesses on.

The case with optometrists is similar. Simply opening up a business and advertising it in the newspapers does not work anymore, they will have to heavily indulge in digital marketing to let their services and availability be known to potential clients and recruiters.

The one problem is that a lot of the concepts of digital marketing have been spread around haphazardly, failing to make sense to someone new to the field:

Search Engine Optimization

When looking for anything or anyone, the first thing we do is search google. Even when we look for a tutor, physician, therapist, etc. we will always go to either our friends and family or google. Search engine optimization is when your website and your name is the first response to come up when a keyword related to you or your field is typed and searched. For example, a keyword that you have written in your website is “optometrist in Manhattan” then the next time a potential patient types those words in the search bar, they will see your name and/or website/profile first.

You can learn how to optimize your own website or even pay an expert to do so.

Pay per click advertisements

This is a great way to reach your target audience. This also works through the keywords, which your potential consumers type in.The results usually appear on the top or sides of the google results or page that they are visiting. For example, the user types “glasses frames in Manhattan” or “best eye specialist in Manhattan” then the page they visit will have your profile in it as well, or they may see your profile on top of the search result. You only have to pay for the advertisements when a client clicks on the ad.

Content marketing

You can write intelligent and informative articles on your website about optometry which can attract patients to your website. You can write about different topics, especially those that consumers would normally search about. This will also help patients trust you more since they will you see as someone who knows what they are doing.

You can even post an article that has all the FAQs typical to the optometry and then answer those questions. Near the end of your blog add a link to your website which the consumers can follow to know more about you and contact you through. You can also share those blogs on social media to gain a wider range of readers and customers.

Social media marketing

You can really work well with building your own social media page on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Instagram. You can engage with your follower through videos, pictures, polls, fun facts about eyes, answering questions, and also ask your patients to write a review about you after they have visited.

Digital media marketing is very easy once you have found which platform and method suits you best, once you find that stick to it.

How Being a Parent Makes You A Leader in Your Optometric Practice

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Optometry entrepreneurs often take inspiration from various sources to enhance their skills of being a leader. This can be from different areas such as psychology, geography, history, literature, language, etc.

However, there is one major element that often tends to get overlooked as a valid source of inspiration: Parenthood.

Having to bring a new human being into the world, raising them, nurturing them, keeping them safe and sound, and at the same time transforming yourself as an adult and a human being comes with its own challenges and needs to take initiatives.

Pulling all-nighters because of a crying and irritated baby, toddler sick days, teaching to be empathetic while learning to be empathetic, and at the same time handling household and office demands can be overwhelming yet will also teach the most valuable lessons of life.

Having an optometry business is like having a child. You have to take that risk, and then nurture it into a full grown entity that the world recognizes, and deals with. This is why a lot of the optometrists have named being a parent as one of the best teachers of skills when it came to being a leader in the business.

Be farsighted

You will have to treat your business exactly like your child. It is not your responsibility and you will have to think of its future like you do with your child’s. The way you start thinking about what school your child would be at the age of 10 you will have to think where you see your business in 10 years. Have a plan for growth, a defensive strategy for the competition and exit strategy among the many things to consider.

Toddler communication

Communicating with a toddler who may be throwing a tantrum or being stubborn is one of the most important things a parent does. Parents who have dealt with their toddlers while they throw a fit and have negotiated with them to come to a deal which will keep peace at both sides has become a master at bargaining. A lot of parent optometrists have discovered that after having taken care of a toddler they are able to handle negotiations better and have learned patience. They are able to develop skills like active listening and communicating effectively.

You are not afraid of saying no anymore

Fresh optometrists might be a little afraid of saying “No” at first, so as not to come off as rude to the other person. This could also be so as not to risk losing good business as well. But as a parent, you become aware of what things are to be said yes to and what things are to be said no to. It takes some repetition of doing so but now that you have started to say no, it will become way easier for you. There will come a time when you can say no to an email or out loud to a stakeholder without another thought of hindrance. The parent optometrist can take on a lot but saying no to the little things can be open doors to more opportunities and have an authoritative  voice for your decisions.

4 Skills That Make Moms Great ODs to Work With

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I’m sure many of us can agree that being a mom is hard and rewarding work. Being a mom is basically like having a full-time second job, so have we considered what skills being a mom gives us? How can we apply those skills to our careers as ODs? Read these 4 skills moms have that make them great ODs to work with:

Time Management. When it comes to time management moms really do take the cake. Moms are always thinking ahead to what needs to get done next. Planning is essential to getting through the day and making sure everything gets done on time. When you have a child, there isn’t much time in the day to sit back and relax, so there needs to be some type of routine in place. Moms are always multitasking. Ever try making a phone call, jotting down notes and holding a talking child all at the same time? Its hard work but it teaches moms how to focus on multiple tasks at once while understanding which takes priority. These skills are an incredible asset when working as they prepare you to manage your time, plan ahead and handle multiple important tasks to meet ever important deadlines.

Decision Making. As a mom you learn to be able to adapt to any situation. Sometimes plans don’t pan out the way we want them to, but it’s a mom’s ability to fall to Plan A or B that can really make the difference in those situations. Moms learn to have confidence in their intuition and make split second decision. How do you get a child to eat a certain kind of food they don’t like? It’s questions like these that really makes a mom think creatively on how to solve different problems. This skill can be incredibly beneficial within the workplace.

Communication. When you’re a mom you need to learn how to navigate your way around a conversation and negotiate. Having a child means learning to think the way that they do to understand the message they are trying to convey. In the same token you need to be able to use this language to persuade them. This is no different than in the workplace in which you meet many different types of people that come from different cultures and communicate differently. Having the skill to learn how to communicate effectively with anyone that you meet is important! Being a mom makes you into a natural leader. You oversee teaching your children what they need to know and guiding them through life with your examples and actions. It’s no different then what you do when you’re at work.

Discipline and Patience. Taking care of children can truly take the energy out of a mom, and yet they still manage to get up and do what needs to get done. It’s this type of discipline and ability to take charge of your life and have a positive outlook on the day that is important to getting your work done. As a mom you learn patience. Potty training may take more time than you thought but it’s the end goal that makes things so rewarding. It’s the same for work. Despite knowing there’s a long road ahead you have the mentality and positivity that things will pay off if you work to your best ability and continue to stay determined. Being a mom teaches you where your strengths and weaknesses lay. Knowing these and working on them makes you even stronger within the workplace. You know exactly what you can and cannot take on and where your skills and experience can best be used.