Eyeworld

58 | EYEWORLD | APRIL 2019 ROGRAM PREVIEW P by Liz Hillman EyeWorld Senior Staff Writer Contact information Engler: samantha@asoa.org expect of the ASOA Opening General Session from a man who has spoken to clients like Micro- soft, Verizon, the FBI, the CIA, and the IRS (for the last of which, he jokes, he withheld 30% of his best strategies). Mr. Montgomery will not just talk about engagement but will show attendees how to "harness the power of your own awe- someness." In 2018, ASOA added a second general session to keep the energy from the Opening General Session going. Ms. Engler said people commented that there was something about the 2018 meeting that made it even more fun than in previous years. A major factor, she thinks, was the addition of this second general session. Ms. Engler said administrators are increasing- ly encountering situations where there are more jobs than there are qualified people to fill them in medical practices. As such, many practices are experiencing a lower rate of employee retention. Keeping good employees is what Ms. Silletto will address in the Sunday general session, providing insight on why slowing the revolving door is so difficult and offering advice on how to more ef- fectively manage and maximize time with employ- ees. Ms. Silletto will give attendees insight on how to become a M.A.G.N.E.T. for job seekers. A SOA sets out to achieve different goals when selecting speakers for its two general sessions. The organization goes after an uplifting, entertaining, morale boost with a positive message for its Opening General Session, set- ting the tone for the rest of the meet- ing. For Sunday's general session, ASOA selects a speaker to address important issues affecting medical practices, providing concrete ideas and solutions that administrators can bring back home and implement immediately. This year, Brad Montgomery and Cara Silletto fulfill these goals. Mr. Montgomery will present "Embrace Your Awesomeness" on Saturday, May 4 at 9 a.m., and Ms. Silletto will present "Staying Power: Why Your Employees Leave & How to Keep Them Longer" on Sunday, May 5 at 8:30 a.m. "Our attendees work so hard and wear so many hats. Companies are sitting on their shoul- ders, and they deserve something uplifting. A little fun reminds them that it's OK to laugh and enjoy what you do," Samantha Engler, ASOA meeting and programming manager, said of Saturday's Opening General Session. "On Sunday, we have a speaker who is going to talk to them about an issue that they really care about, one that affects practice morale and finances in a significant way." Mr. Montgomery, a Council of Peers Award for Excellence Speaker Hall of Fame inductee, thinks that practice administrators know people are a medical practice's most valuable asset, but just knowing that isn't enough. In his presenta- tion, Mr. Montgomery will give attendees tools to empower and inspire, increasing productivity, accuracy, retention and loyalty, morale, customer service, leadership, and the bottom line. This presentation will have the humor, ener- gy, and interactivity that attendees have come to A look at ASOA General Sessions Other Opening General Session features • Introduction of 2019–2020 ASOA President Janna Mullaney, COE, OCS, OSC • 2019 AE Editor's Choice Award • 2019 Pinnacle Award for Volunteerism • 2019 ASOA Fellow 99.4% of ASOA Annual Meeting attendees would recommend it to others

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