Eye Care Leadership Live

Mike Lyons, SPHR
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I speak with eye care and healthcare clinical leaders and the experts who help their clinics succeed. 

  1. 10h ago

    Dottie Anstine Talks AI and Tech

    Send us Fan Mail AI is everywhere in healthcare right now, but most eye care leaders are still asking the same question: what can we safely use, what will actually work, and how do we roll it out without blowing up trust with our team? We bring on Dottie Anstine from Three:13 Consulting to make AI practical for ophthalmology and optometry practices that need real efficiency, better workflows, and stronger culture, not just another shiny tool. We talk through the most common starting point, conversational AI like ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot, then move into the use cases that are showing real traction in clinics. Dottie shares what she is seeing with AI call centers, AI analytics for practice data, and AI meeting notes that automatically capture action items. We also unpack how to think about ROI beyond simple cost cutting, including expanded capacity, fewer low-value tasks for staff, and the long-term impact on turnover and burnout. Just as important, we get honest about change management. Dottie explains why transparency matters, how to communicate “why” without overpromising, and why staff training can turn fear into confidence. We also cover the ugly side of the market, including “vaporware” AI products that fail after big promises, and the implementation mindset that prevents expensive do-overs: slow is smooth and smooth is fast. If you want a grounded roadmap for AI in medical practice management, this conversation will help you start with purpose and lead with clarity. Subscribe to Eye Care Leadership Live, share this episode with a fellow practice leader, and leave a review so more iCare teams can find it. === This episode is brought to you by Seasoned Advice HR, where I help eye care clinics to hire, retain, and manage better — helping you get Better Results Through People. Learn more at seasoned-advice.com.  Contact me directly at mike@seasoned-advice.com  Get my free HR and leadership downloads here: https://www.seasoned-advice.com/signup-for-free-downloads

    Dottie Anstine Talks AI and Tech

  2. Oct 27

    Microcast: Leadership Communication

    Send us Fan Mail Communication is the leadership skill hiding in plain sight, and it’s the one that quietly decides whether your team feels safe or on edge. I break down why communication works like a Swiss Army knife for managers: it motivates, guides, teaches, improves performance, and creates the clarity people crave. When you get it right, trust goes up and confusion goes down. When you get it wrong, small moments can turn into stress, rumors, and avoidable conflict. We spend time on two costly pitfalls: letting emotion take over and staying too closed off. I talk about how emotional messages often show up in email, how leaders get triggered into replying with heat instead of help, and how to refocus on facts without ignoring the human side. Then we get practical about transparency. When people don’t hear from you, they fill the silence with worst-case stories, so being open and timely is a real retention and culture strategy, not a “nice to have.” You’ll also get actionable communication tips for day-to-day leadership: writing emails that reassure instead of alarm, pausing when your message runs longer than two paragraphs, and choosing a verbal or face-to-face conversation when the stakes are higher. Finally, I connect the dots to workplace culture and psychological safety using a key idea from The Culture Code: leaders build trust faster when they communicate with vulnerability and humility, showing they’re open to being influenced and willing to be wrong. If this helps, subscribe and share it with a leader who needs it, and please leave a quick review. What’s one communication habit you want to improve this week? === This episode is brought to you by Seasoned Advice HR, where I help eye care clinics to hire, retain, and manage better — helping you get Better Results Through People. Learn more at seasoned-advice.com.  Contact me directly at mike@seasoned-advice.com  Get my free HR and leadership downloads here: https://www.seasoned-advice.com/signup-for-free-downloads

  3. Oct 20

    Getting Personal With Dottie Anstine

    Send us Fan Mail Leadership advice is everywhere, but the stories that actually change how we lead are usually personal and a little uncomfortable. We sat down with Dottie Anstine, a consultant with Three:13 Consulting, to go beyond tactics and talk about what drives her as a human being: connecting people in ways that genuinely help. That simple idea turns out to be a powerful tool for healthcare leadership, clinic culture, and long-term performance, especially for eye care leaders navigating constant change.  Dottie walks us through formative moments that shaped her mindset, from a first food service job that forced her out of a timid comfort zone, to mission trips that exposed her to hardship and gratitude in a way she never saw growing up. Those experiences built empathy and perspective, two qualities that show up every day in ophthalmology practice management and team leadership, even when the work gets messy.  We also get real about pressure and regret. Dottie shares an early “welcome to the real world” moment training doctors on an EMR system, plus her biggest leadership lesson: tough conversations rarely get easier with time, and postponing them for comfort comes with a cost. She explains what helps her refill her cup, how golf became a true mental break, and how tools like StrengthsFinder, mentors, peer groups, books, and podcasts helped her rebuild confidence when it took a hit.  If you want practical insight on leading people, handling discomfort, and growing into change with more clarity, this conversation will stick with you. Subscribe to Eye Care Leadership Live, share this with a leader who needs it, and leave a review so more clinic leaders can find the show. === This episode is brought to you by Seasoned Advice HR, where I help eye care clinics to hire, retain, and manage better — helping you get Better Results Through People. Learn more at seasoned-advice.com.  Contact me directly at mike@seasoned-advice.com  Get my free HR and leadership downloads here: https://www.seasoned-advice.com/signup-for-free-downloads

    Getting Personal With Dottie Anstine

  4. Oct 6

    How Physician Owners Get Time Back Without Losing Control with Lisa Namnoum

    Send us Fan Mail If your clinic is growing but everything still runs through one person, you’re not “busy,” you’re bottlenecked. We sit down with Lisa Namnoum, a fractional chief of staff and the founder of Premier Project Solutions, to unpack what happens when physician owners and managing partners keep running every meeting, making every decision, and trying to push every initiative forward on top of patient care. Lisa explains what a chief of staff looks like in small to mid-sized healthcare practices and why the role is less about hierarchy and more about execution. We talk through how to structure leadership time, create clearer operating rhythm, and move real work from “approved and planned” to actually done. If you’ve been wondering how to regain 8 to 15 hours a week without losing control of your practice, this conversation gives a concrete path. We also get tactical on change management for healthcare. We cover why surprise announcements kill buy-in, how to engage the people doing the work without letting the loudest voice drive strategy, and how to win over skeptics including physician partners using data. From EHR rollouts to AI in healthcare, the common thread is simple: define a specific measurable business outcome, decide how you’ll measure success, and adjust fast when reality doesn’t match the plan. We close with trends that matter for independent practices, including efficiency, profitability, and whole-person care through health-related social needs that may even be billable. Find Lisa Namnoum at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisanamnoum/ and use her Calendly link to book a free 30 minute assessment.  Subscribe on your podcast app, share this with a clinic leader who’s carrying too much, and leave a review so more healthcare leaders can find the show. === This episode is brought to you by Seasoned Advice HR, where I help eye care clinics to hire, retain, and manage better — helping you get Better Results Through People. Learn more at seasoned-advice.com.  Contact me directly at mike@seasoned-advice.com  Get my free HR and leadership downloads here: https://www.seasoned-advice.com/signup-for-free-downloads

  5. Sep 29

    Three Pillars For A Strong Practice Culture

    Send us Fan Mail Culture drama, disengaged staff, and “toxic employee” stories get blamed on hiring all the time, but I think the real lever is leadership. We lay out a simple but not easy framework for building a great workplace in a healthcare practice: three pillars that create stability, plus the one factor that ties everything together. First, we talk workplace culture and what actually makes it healthy: psychological safety, leader vulnerability, and a clear purpose people can believe in before they ever get hired. Then we shift to job design and motivation, using Daniel Pink’s Drive to explain why autonomy, mastery, and purpose matter so much for employee engagement. If your team feels micromanaged or disconnected, this part will help you rethink how the work is structured and why every role, from coding to patient education, has real meaning. Next, we cover the “great people” pillar through Patrick Lencioni’s Ideal Team Player model: hungry, humble, and smart. Finally, we connect it all to great managers. We break down what managing partners, executive leaders, and frontline supervisors each need to do, and why a toxic manager can quietly collapse culture, job quality, and retention. I also share where I’ll be presenting these ideas at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in New Orleans in October 2026. If this resonates, subscribe so you do not miss future microcasts, share the episode with a practice leader who needs it, and leave a quick review. What is the biggest leadership bottleneck in your workplace right now? === This episode is brought to you by Seasoned Advice HR, where I help eye care clinics to hire, retain, and manage better — helping you get Better Results Through People. Learn more at seasoned-advice.com.  Contact me directly at mike@seasoned-advice.com  Get my free HR and leadership downloads here: https://www.seasoned-advice.com/signup-for-free-downloads

  6. Sep 12

    Microcast: Get Your Mindset Right

    Send us Fan Mail Your mindset is not just “how you feel.” It’s the filter that decides what you notice, how you react under pressure, and whether a rough morning turns into a rough week. We recorded a short, content-rich microcast to share the simple mindset habits we rely on when we want more good days, fewer spirals, and a steadier kind of leadership.  We start with the fastest reset we know: physical movement. A short walk, fresh air, and paying attention to what’s around you can quickly change your outlook and your energy. We also talk about perspective, the kind that reminds you the world doesn’t revolve around you and that today’s problems may be smaller than they feel in your head. That shift matters in healthcare leadership, business leadership, and home life because you can’t lead well when you’re stuck in stress.  Then we get practical about sleep hygiene and recovery: screens away from the bed, lights down as bedtime approaches, and not working until the last minute when you can avoid it. We share what we’ve tried for sleep support, including researching L-theanine and magnesium glycinate and discussing options with a medical practitioner. From there, we move to mindset tools you can actually see: note cards by your desk, simple mantras like “I can do this,” and reminders that you are not your productivity.  If you want a quick boost in self-leadership, press play, try one habit today, and tell us what works for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review so more leaders can find the show. === This episode is brought to you by Seasoned Advice HR, where I help eye care clinics to hire, retain, and manage better — helping you get Better Results Through People. Learn more at seasoned-advice.com.  Contact me directly at mike@seasoned-advice.com  Get my free HR and leadership downloads here: https://www.seasoned-advice.com/signup-for-free-downloads

  7. Sep 10

    Microcast: Employee Compensation

    Send us Fan Mail Underpaying is not a savings plan, it is a turnover strategy.  In this microcast, I get real about staff compensation and why it’s often the number one issue behind poor retention, constant rehiring, and teams that never feel fully settled. If you run a healthcare clinic or ophthalmology practice, pay decisions set the tone for motivation, growth, and whether your best people stick around when the market heats up.  We walk through what “do your research” actually means, and why common sources like job postings and big salary sites can mislead you fast. Instead of guessing,  focus on compensation research that fits your market and your roles, plus what to consider as pay transparency laws push more employers to post salary ranges during recruiting.  You’ll also hear how to build pay ranges that work in the real world: setting a clear minimum and maximum, leaving room for experience, and keeping positions properly spaced so promotions feel worth it. That alignment across roles is internal equity, and when it’s off, people notice immediately.  If you want a tighter compensation plan that helps you hire, retain, and lead with confidence, listen now. Subscribe for more microcasts, share this with a practice owner or manager, and leave a review with the pay question you want us to tackle next. === This episode is brought to you by Seasoned Advice HR, where I help eye care clinics to hire, retain, and manage better — helping you get Better Results Through People. Learn more at seasoned-advice.com.  Contact me directly at mike@seasoned-advice.com  Get my free HR and leadership downloads here: https://www.seasoned-advice.com/signup-for-free-downloads

  8. Sep 8

    How Clinics Use Voice AI with Jakub Grajcar

    Send us Fan Mail Your phones can be “busy” and still be leaving money on the table. When calls spike on Monday mornings or right after holidays, even great teams miss opportunities, patients get stuck on hold, and front desk burnout creeps in. We sit down with Jakob Grajcar from Talkie AI to get specific about what an AI medical receptionist can actually handle today and what clinic leaders should ignore in the hype.  We break down the real use cases that matter in a healthcare call center: answering repetitive questions, routing requests without painful phone trees, and increasingly handling complex patient scheduling conversations using natural language like “next week after work” or “after Thanksgiving but not Monday.” We also talk about why EHR integration is a make-or-break detail. If calls get captured but staff still must re-enter everything manually, you are moving work, not removing it.  Just as important, we get practical about change management. We cover how to introduce voice AI without threatening your team, how to set expectations for patients who want a human, and why adoption often improves over 60 to 90 days as people get used to a new workflow. We also touch on SMS and web chat options, hybrid intake forms, reminders that reduce no-shows, and where AI agents may head next.  Learn more about Jakub here https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakub-grajcar/ and Talkie can be found at talkie.ai.   === This episode is brought to you by Seasoned Advice HR, where I help eye care clinics to hire, retain, and manage better — helping you get Better Results Through People. Learn more at seasoned-advice.com.  Contact me directly at mike@seasoned-advice.com  Get my free HR and leadership downloads here: https://www.seasoned-advice.com/signup-for-free-downloads

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About

I speak with eye care and healthcare clinical leaders and the experts who help their clinics succeed. 

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Lyons, SPHR
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    83
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Eye Care Leadership Live
  • Show Website
    Eye Care Leadership Live