High performing employees often attribute the high expectancy and coaching of their employers for their success.
 
It’s true in sports.  Brady & Belichick.  Jordan & Jackson. Landry & Staubach.  Their unique relationship, coupled with the demands that each place on the other, produces championship results.
 
In the workplace, great employers and supervisors bring out the best in great employees.  The demands are high.  The input is consistent.  And the rewards are great. 
 
Sales increase.  Managers flourish.  Ideas abound.  And profits rise.
 
But every now and then, the high performing employee needs a break.  You notice that they make a mistake or two.  Their attitude dips.  Perhaps, you’ve responded with more feedback and more pressure, and often that works.
 
Sometimes, the high-performing employee just needs space.  They need space to work through the work-equivalent of a 0 for 16 slump.  What to do?
 
Trust them.  Let them know you trust them.  Give them the space they need.  Give them a break.  Typically, you’ll notice that their sales will increase.  Their performance will rise.  Their temperament will change.
 
And what if they don’t?  Then, you follow up as any good superior and coach would do.  But good employees typically bounce back just like great athletes.
 
--
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success and has trained employees for nearly 20 years.  ProSight offers a host of resources for the optometric and small business field.  You can find front desk training at our Front Desk Academy.  Additional resources can be found below:
 
Digital ProSight Success System
Paperback ProSight Success System
 
And our best value:  the ProSight Success Workbook that includes a digital copy and a free hour of consulting.
 
​

In “Streamlining”, we talked about finding time where you could reduce distraction on essentialtasks, reuse time for multi-tasking, and most importantly, find time to rest.

I’m  my calendar is full each week, and my planner is full each day.  But until I scheduled this one crucial event, I didn’t become as productive as I needed.  That one crucial event was rest.
 
While business professionals typically plan those big vacations with the family, and while many folks take Sunday to watch football (maybe not anymore), few professionals schedule rest during the week.  However, doing so might be the game-changer that you are looking for.
 
In a study of nearly 400 employees, researchers found that sleeping too little — defined as less than six hours each night — was one of the best predictors of on-the-job burn-out. A recent Harvard study estimated that sleep deprivation costs American companies $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity.
 
So, scheduling even 15 uninterrupted minutes (no phone, no nothing), can refresh you and help you get more done.  How ironic would it be if you worked hard for 10 hours during the day, but you got less done because you didn’t take 15 to separate from all of your distractions? 
 
Find that 15 or so minutes each day (longer if you can), and watch your mental and physical productivity multiply. 
 
--
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success.  His book “Streamlining” is an essential element of that system, and the Streamlining Planner will be available in October.  Additional resources can be found below:
 
Digital ProSight Success System
Paperback ProSight Success System
 
And our best value:  the ProSight Success Workbook that includes a digital copy and a free hour of consulting.
 
 
 
 
 
​

Replacing a good employee can be miserable.
 
Finding great employees is hard enough in the first place, but when you lose a good one, you wonder how in the world you can replace them.
 
But for the small business, there is one option that you may not have thought of:  ask the leaving, great employee to recommend someone they know to take their place.  While not always possible in a large business, in the small business setting, this may very well work.  Let me give you an example:
 
I was working with a company not long ago, and they had a fantastic employee squaring away one of their areas.  She showed up on time, worked hard, had great ideas, and was amazingly efficient…and she found a new job with better benefits.  Good for her.  Hard for the business.
 
Obviously, the company was concerned with replacing her.  Employees like her don’t come along often.  So, guess what?  She replaced herself.  She had worked at a similar company prior, so she reached out to a former co-worker.  Before you know it, interviews happened, and the new hire was perfect.  She even got training time with the out-going employee.  The transition was as seamless as possible.
 
This approach doesn’t solve every problem. Not every employee leaves well.  Not every employee knows their replacement.  But quality employees often know potentially good hires.  With the challenge of finding good employees these days, this approach is worth a shot, so don’t miss out on this window of opportunity. 
 
Either way, just make sure you start the hiring process the day you find out that your outgoing employee is leaving.
 
--
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success and has trained employees for nearly 20 years.  ProSight offers a host of resources for the optometric and small business field.  You can find front desk training at our Front Desk Academy.  Additional resources can be found below:
 
Digital ProSight Success System
Paperback ProSight Success System
 
And our best value:  the ProSight Success Workbook that includes a digital copy and a free hour of consulting.
 

I am stunned. 
 
My wife and I bought a fixer upper a few years ago, and one of the fixers is our bathroom shower.  We are at the place where we want to find out what it would cost to replace it.  So, Saturday, I invited a company who replaces showers to come to my house because they have good reviews and offer a free quote.
 
I was prepared for a full on sales pitch and a hard close.  I mean, he is coming to my house free of charge.  I wasn’t concerned with it, and I was prepared to hear it and maybe even make up my mind.
 
Guess what?  The salesman never tried to close.  He never asked, “So, would you like us to install a new shower for you this week?”  All he did was write the number down on a piece of paper and tell me that they offer financing or at least 1/3 down to get started.
 
Why didn’t he ask me if I wanted to buy a shower?  Why did he go through all that effort of coming to my house, working a quote, explaining the process, and not even asking me if I wanted to buy a new shower?
 
This is the fault of so many salespeople.  Ask yourself, “Is it the fault of your salespeople?” 
Do they ask for the sale?
Do they ask for the close?
 
Assure your sales people that asking for the close is not pushy.  If a customer/patient is in the sales area, they are looking to buy something.  Even if they say they are “just looking”, then they are looking to buy.  They aren’t looking for entertainment.  They have phones for that.
 
What if each day, your sales people increased their sales by just one?
 
One car.
One pair of glasses.
One anything.
 
Wouldn’t that make a tremendous difference in your company?  So, much hinges are asking for the sale.
 
Encourage your staff today to ask for the sale.  If they say they aren’t willing to do that, you might need a new salesperson.  If they do ask, then you will see your sales and your profits grow.
 
--
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success.  He has trained employees for nearly 20 years in various industries.  His expertise is the eye care field.
 
You can find a host of tips and strategies for increasing sales in the ProSight Success System.  We now offer it in three formats.
 
Digital ProSight Success System
Paperback ProSight Success System
 
And our best value:  the ProSight Success Workbook that includes a digital copy and a free hour of consulting.

The employee challenge appears to be the #1 challenge facing industry today. 
 
And this not just a small business challenge; it is an all-encompassing issue.  And while challenges this large are typically cyclical, this one appears to want to hang around.
 
Why do I say this?  From this consultant’s perspective, my in person consulting deals with this issue more than any other, and my staffing articles are trending higher than almost anything else I write about. 
 
Case in point, my last 4 articles have been about employee challenges and how to deal with them.   They have also been read more than almost every other thing I’ve written about in the past few months. 
 
So, to consolidate them, check out these 4 articles, and let me know what you think.
 
Do they accurately describe the state of the workforce?
Are their proposed solutions helpful?  Just let me know.
 
Poor Customer Care is the Death Knell of Retail
 
Why Will Your Employees Work Harder?
 
3 Reasons Your Employees Hate Their Job
 
And the most read:  A Story of Front Desk Failure
 
Gordon Duncan
[email protected]
 
Gordon Duncan is an author/speaker/consultant.  He has worked with everyone from the individual eye doctor to $25 million a year industry.  His employee resource “Resourcing Human Resources” was an international bestseller and can be purchased as part of the ProSight Success System.  ProSight is a 7 step guide towards improving and growing an optometric practice.  However, 4 of the books can be applied to any industry.  You can find the ProSight Success system at:
 
www.prosightsuccess.com
www.prosightworkbook.com
 

The constant cycle of hiring, firing, and finding employees is exhausting.  Be honest; you work hard, and you expect your employees to do the same.   It makes you wonder, “Why can’t employees just come in, do their job with excellence, and repeat?”
 
This is the most common problem I see as I consult:  frustrated employers who just want to put an end to the constant employee stresses.  And while that stress will never go away, there are things that can alleviate it.  Here is how I help business owners.
 
When I work with a business about personnel issues, I spend time with the employees and report back what’s going on from a ground level view.  That way, the business owner gets an objective view as to what’s going on.  Even though the employee knows that the owner brought me in, the employees tend to open up.  And, I can determine a lot just by being around them. 
 
But there is no new science here.  Business in and business out, I find that most employees don’t like their job or don’t perform well in their job because they have a struggle in one of the following 3 areas:  working conditions, compensation, and coworker relationships.  Let’s take a look at each one to find a pathway out of this maze.
 
Working Conditions:  This is either a frustration with the physical environment or the hours.  Sometimes these things can’t change.  But a real difference is made in an employee’s attitude when owners and manager are sympathetic and when small differences are made.  Is your environment hot?  Then, once a week, bring in Gatorade or ice cream.  Are the hours long?  Every now and then give someone an hour off.  Whatever it may be, seek to alleviate the challenges of the work environment and watch employees improve their attitudes.
 
Compensation:  Everybody complains about what they make.  Even the top earners want to make more.  So, what do you do if an employee has reached the top of their earning potential within your organization?  Create a bonus system to keep them motivated.  Base that bonus system on the companies increases and you win both ways:  increased income and happier employees.
 
Coworker Relationships:  Sometimes, employees just don’t like each other.  It can’t be helped.  The only options are either moving employees around or letting some go.  But your employees need to know that their “getting along” with co-workers is a job requirement for keeping their job.
 
So, these challenges will never go away, but they can be mitigated if you take active steps on your part.  Alleviate even one of these three, and your environment will improve for you and your employee.
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success.  He does on sight and tele-consulting for businesses across the country.  Contact him at [email protected] if he can help.  Find resources to train your front desk staff at:
 
Find the best employee training resources online at Front Desk Academy
And be sure to check out our resources for the eye care industry at:
www.prosightsuccess.com
www.prosightworkbook.com

 The other day, I visited a local business.  I wasn’t in a hurry, but I wasn’t planning on waiting for hours either.
 
When I walked in, the receptionist said, “Just grab a seat anywhere.” I dutifully complied. 
 
After waiting for 3-4 minutes, I noticed that a family of 4 got up and left.  They said, “The wait is 30 minutes, and I’m freezing.  Let’s go. I’m never coming back to this place.”  So they left, and the receptionist said a meager, “I’m sorry,” on their way out the door.
 
Soon, another person came in, and they were addressed and cared for immediately by the receptionist.  After about 10 minutes of waiting, I finally got her attention and explained that I had been ignored. 
 
Ultimately, the receptionist brought me up, and after a total of 25 or so minutes waiting, I was cared for. 
 
How many problems can you find in this scenario?
 
My greeting was not warm.
The family was not addressed during their wait, and their wait was too long.
I wasn’t cared for until I got the receptionist attention.
And on and on.
 
Business owners, training your receptionists/front desk to be warm and helpful is a small investment with a big payout.  Their friendliness costs nothing and is often the difference between a customer/patient for life or one that tells the community how awful your business is.
 
Don’t let your front desk/receptionist kill your business.  Enable them to be the promoters of your business and customer care.  Don’t assume it will happen, and hold those up front accountable to do a good job.
 
If not, you may lose more than just a single customer/patient.  You may lose your reputation.
 
If you would like help with training your front desk/receptionist, Prosight has a successful, custom fit training program called the Front Desk Academy.  We find out what your needs are, call in and train twice a month, and help you create the best front desk environment possible.  Just let us know how we can help.
 
Gordon Duncan
 
Front Desk Academy
www.prosightsuccess.coom
www.prosightsuccessblog.com
www.prosightworkbook.com
 
 
​

​Why would your employees work harder or take on new responsibilities? 
What would cause them to put in extra hours or lead new projects?
 
There are only a couple of reasons an employee will work harder for you than they presently are:
 
They are good people and always want to improve.  There are employees like that out there.  They are few and far between and sustaining that kind of character is challenging even for the best of people.
 
They like you and want to earn your approval.  Some employees’ efforts are based on a loyalty and affection for their employer.  Great.  I just hope that you can sustain that relationship or the employee’s financial needs never change.
 
They like their co-workers and want to ease their burden.  Team unity is a strong motivator, but few practices maintain the same staff year in and year out. 
 
There might be more motivators, but there is one sure-fire methodology to get employees to work harder and take on new responsibilities:  Incentivize them with financial stretch goals that are attainable. 
 
And what happens if you don’t?  John Maxwell says it this way.
 
When the pay that your people receive doesn’t match the results they achieve, then they become highly discouraged.  If that happens under your watch as a leader, it will not only take a toll on your people’s effort, but it will also take a toll on your leadership – 360 Degree Leader.
 
Give your employees a clear picture as to how they can make more money.  Make their pathway to a raise clear.  Give them a bonus structure that is based on the economic growth of your business.  That way you aren’t giving money away just because a calendar page has turned.  That way your employees are eager for new responsibilities and tasks. 
 
“And what happens if these motivations don’t work,” you might ask.   Then you know who to get rid of.  Not trying to be harsh, but if you have employees who won’t work harder when needed and won’t take on new responsibilities, you probably don’t need them. 
 
But the employees who rise to the top because of these motivations will be staff that you can build a foundation on for years.
 
--
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success.  He has written 5 optometric bestsellers charting in 5 countries.  His ProSight Success System is a 7-step guide to help you increase profits, manage staff, and even maximize tax deductions…just what you need right now.  You can find the ProSight Success System in 3 formats.
 
$169 Digital PSS plus One-Hour Consult
 
$199 Paperback PSS, Digital Copy, plus the One-Hour Consult
 
$229 Workbook PSS, Digital Copy, plus One-Hour Consult

Jobson Optical Research is the leading source of business intelligence in the optical industry.  They produce training and educational resources for eye care professionals that can’t be matched.
 
For that reason, ProSight Success is incredibly excited to announce that Jobson Research has picked up the 7 Step ProSight Success System and in now offering it directly from their website.  While you can still purchase the ProSight Success System directly from us, its availability with Jobson Research gives more and more eye care professionals the opportunity to grow their practices, increase their revenues, and maximize tax deductions.
 
Check out Jobson Research, and if you have not downloaded the ProSight Success System and begun to transform your practice, ask yourself, “What am I waiting for?”
 
As always, we can’t wait to hear your success stories. 
 
Gordon Duncan
ProSight Success
 
www.prosightsuccess.com
www.prosightsuccessblog.com
www.prosighworkbook.com
Front Desk Academy