EP31: Elevate Your Practice: Topic 8 - Tough Talks, Stronger Team: How to Lead with Language and Intent

What if the real price of avoiding difficult conversations at work is losing your best team members and holding back your business growth? How much longer can you afford to stay silent?

In this episode, Michael Nasser is joined again by Opticare’s Commercial Manager, Joanne Scott-Dostine, to dive into one of the most avoided yet essential parts of practice management: navigating difficult conversations with intention and clarity. From understanding why people avoid difficult conversations to walking through how to approach them with emotional intelligence and strategy, Joanne shares a useful and effective approach for practice owners and team leaders. 

Joanne also shares transformative concepts like the Emotional Bank Account and “putting on your business hat,” offering leaders tools they can implement immediately. Whether you manage a small family-run optical store or lead a large multi-location practice, this episode equips you with the mindset, language, and leadership presence to handle the most challenging team dynamics with confidence and care.

Key Topics with Timestamps:

1:58 - Managing people is often underestimated in small practices

4:18 - Why people avoid tough conversations in the workplace

7:28 - The impact on business when issues go unaddressed

11:17 - “Bacon walls” and the danger of minor issues piling up

12:33 - What is the Emotional Bank Account, and why does it matter to businesses and people

16:05 - The power of vulnerability in leadership: Why owning your part builds credibility

17:21 - Maintaining strong relationships and accountability through the ‘business hat’ approach

22:49 - Navigating family dynamics in business (husband-wife teams, siblings, etc.)

26:42 - When not to have the conversation and when you absolutely should

30:16 - A step-by-step guide to preparing for tough conversations

36:29 - Avoid these common mistakes when dealing with challenging conversations

40:26 - Emotional management and the power of tone and language

47:13 - Real-life stories: how tough conversations led to transformational growth

51:59 - Your action step this week: stop avoiding, start planning

Join Michael at the ODMA Fair on Friday, June 28, from 2–3 PM at ICC Sydney as he shares top takeaways from the Elevate Your Practice series, practical insights to boost your team, efficiency, and patient care.

Register here: https://regonsite.eventsair.com/odmafair-2025/tradevisitor/Site/Register

Episode Suggestions: 

EP30: Digital Health and the Evolving Scope of Optometry with Nicola Mountford

Connect with Michael Nasser:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-nasser/

Connect with Joanne Scott-Dostine:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-scott-dostine-144297152/

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