mivision Issue 49, Aug 2010

Gary Hamel suggested in Harvard Business Review: “Successful companies, particularly those in benign environments, find it extraordinarily difficult to reinvent their business models. They can often experience prolonged reversals of fortune when paradigm busting change occurs”.

Could this be your practice? Absolutely! What if the Roche laboratory in Switzerland is developing a pill to cure myopia as we speak? How would we manage that change? Are your practices at risk? Yes they are. Always!

Astute business consultant to the optometry profession, Mark Overton says: “It is easy to assume that business models are immortal, particularly in an environment like optometry where stability is the norm and life cycles are long. We might have learned that this is not always so in the last two years.”

What practices (and businesses in general) need to do not only to survive, but to thrive, is develop a culture that supports innovation and continually questions why we do what we do and how we do it.

“This change for an optometry practice can only come from you, the critical resources of the practice, its owners and staff,” says Overton.

“The quest to find strategies that create change can’t start with an inventory of best practices or problems. Our goal must be to create a business model that is forever changing and adapting, forever taking advantage of opportunities and trends. If we get this right there should be fast painless change. No major surprises, crises, reorganisations or trauma. It will be very exciting and stimulating.

“A core enemy of success is a creature called complacency. It is insidious and pervasive. It is very easy to be comfortable and accept what is, rather than question and move forward.

“Complacency has three little friends. They are called inactivity, nostalgia and denial. They support complacency in holding back change when it is most needed.”

Allowing complacency to creep in will make you vulnerable and ordinary. Add to this “the absence of key ingredients, which add spice and flavour to your working life,” (as business sage John Lees pens in his column this issue) and a business can come to a stand-still.

The online retail landscape and social media are having a significant impact on the world of optics, particularly to many whose way of life and business practices are reluctant to change. Could there be an opportunity here to add something innovative and exciting to the way we all do business?

In this issue, we speak to industry leaders about their approach to the online optical landscape.

In fashion we look at the latest in summer sunglasses for next summer and our cameras drop in on the Bollé anniversary bash and the Eye Ball.

We pay tribute to the brothers Nicholson who cycled from Perth to Sydney recently with Lorin’s exclusive first hand report for mivision and Geoff Lawson shakes us up again with his always thought-provoking column.

Also in this issue, with the Federal election looming, the Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon. Peter Dutton, writes exclusively for mivision about the Coalition’s thoughts on eye health and what we can look forward to in that regard if the Coalition gains Government.

Enjoy this issue.

Mark Cushway
Editor

Contents August 2010 mivision

	News: We bring you all the latest news from the world of optics.
	mistory: Online Optical Retail – a web of controversy: We look at how the internet is affecting retail optometry in Australia, what the regulations are and what industry leaders think.
	mifeature: The Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon. Peter Dutton, writes exclusively for mivision on the Coalition’s view on eye health.
	mifeature: Lorin Nicholson writes a first hand account of how he and his brother Dean fulfilled their dream of cycling more than 4,000 kms from Perth (across the brutal Nullarbor Plains) to Sydney with the aim of raising funds for Vision Australia.
	mifeature: mivision had the privilege recently of interviewing two miracle workers from East Timor, who along with only a handful of other eye care nurses, attend to the eye care needs of the countries more than one million residents.
	mifeature: Dr.Raf Ghabrial writes on thyroid eye disease, an autoimmune which affects the retro-bulbar tissues of the orbit.
	micolumn: An Ear on the Ball: Geoff Lawson writes a thought provoking piece on Australia’s vision impaired cricketers.
	mioptometry: Happenings and events from the optometry divisions in Australia and NZ.
	mieyecare: Contact Lens Compliance Education: Studies have shown that contact lens non-compliance can be as high as 80 per cent of all wearers.
	miprofile: Growth and Change: Norm Lipson writes on the story behind the Brien Holden Vision Institute.
	mibusiness: We tackle the brave new world of social media and look at how optical businesses can use social media to more effectively connect with customers.
	mibusiness: John Lees writes on how you and I can avoid ennui.
	mibusiness: Location Location Location! Advice from our financial expert on how to invest in the right property.
	miproducts: The latest products from suppliers to the eye care professions.
	mifashion News: All the latest fashion news for the month.
	mifashion: The Heat is On: The latest sunglass trends for next summer.
	mievent: A spectacular event – Bolle’s 30th Birthday anniversary.
	mievent: The Eye Ball 2010.