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ASOA NEWS ASCRS ASOA ANNUAL MEETING by Liz Hillman EyeWorld Senior Staff Writer he said. "There are people in this room who need that from you. There are people in this room who need you to say 'I see greatness in you.'" While you might not think you can change lives, Mr. Mont- gomery said, you can—just break it down into smaller pieces. "You have a greater ability to create positivity in others than you normally act on, and when you work on that, it makes you happier, increases your wellness of being," Mr. Montgomery said, adding that it's also great for busi- ness. According to science, "being awesome" can improve productiv- ity by 25%. Mr. Montgomery left the au- dience with a final story. It was the story of a man named Orlando at the San Francisco airport whose job it was to shuttle travelers on a bus through airport construction to their appropriate gate. This man was so good at this simple job that it struck Mr. Montgomery. He later tracked Orlando down and brought him to one of his presen- tations. He asked him, "Orlando, how do you deal with people like me? I'm tense when I travel." Orlando said, "In you, I see a brother. … If I see a senior woman, she becomes my mother. … Serving others is what nourish- es us." "What are you going to do? What will you do today to craft an interaction based on Orlando?" Mr. Montgomery asked. people serving people, it will make you happier." Mr. Montgomery illustrated his point with a few stories, like one of a 22-year-old, curly haired man working at a bagel shop. "What kind of awesomeness can I hook you up with today?" this man asked when Mr. Montgom- ery and his family approached the counter. Mr. Montgomery told the man that his daughter wanted her bagel with "awesome" cream cheese ("That's the only kind we have, bro"). What name would be on the order? "Dude, what would be the best name to use at this instant?" Mr. Montgomery asked. The response: "Spartacus." "That kid is awesome. He gets it. He knows he's not in the bagel business. He knows what's really important is the people," Mr. Montgomery said. "If we are peo- ple serving people and focus on that fundamental truth, everything is better." In another story, Mr. Mont- gomery described his son's soccer coach as one who reduced the morale of his players. A football coach, however, saw his son's po- tential and brought him onto the team where he became a success- ful kicker. This, Mr. Montgomery said, restored his son's mojo, built him up, and in doing so also built up the team. "Coaching is cool. Coaching is significant. You are coaches," Mullaney said it took time for her to build confidence, find her voice, and share insights in ophthalmic practice management. It was joining ASOA that helped her learn that her experience and her lessons learned could help others. "What does it take for each and every one of you to offer your support, your insight, your inge- nuity," Ms. Mullaney said, adding later that ASOA is an inclusive or- ganization, an outlet where voices of all kinds, at every level can be raised with "no expectation that you need to be at the top of the hill to be heard." Ms. Mullaney issued a formal invitation for attendees to get involved with ASOA beyond just attending the meeting. A comedic look at the science of positive psychology As attendees of the Annual Meet- ing have come to expect of the ASOA Opening General Session keynote speaker, Brad Montgom- ery, CSP, delivered on laughs, while providing his message of how positive psychology can im- prove your life, the lives of others, and your business. "We're going to talk about you; I'm going to remind you that you're important," Mr. Montgom- ery said. We might sometimes forget this, Mr. Montgomery con- tinued, but "when we focus back on that basic truth that we are L aureen Rowland, CAE, ASOA executive director, kicked off the ASOA Opening General Session, which included the intro- duction of the incoming president and culminated with a lively keynote speaker. "This year's meeting rep- resents an exciting transforma- tional period for both ASCRS and ASOA," Ms. Rowland said, high- lighting ASOA's new logo, mission statement, vision statement, and core values. While ASOA was previous- ly referred to as a division of ASCRS, it is now recognized as a strategic partner of ASCRS, united by three common goals, those goals being to educate, advocate, and donate. "ASOA will continue to bring unrivaled best practices, tools, and resources to those committed … to ophthalmology," Ms. Rowland said. "These are exciting times for ASOA, and on behalf of ASOA leadership, I say thank you for your continued support of and loyalty to ASOA." Janna Mullaney, COE, 2019–2020 president of ASOA, Towson, Maryland, took to the podium, thanking current and past leadership of the organization and providing several honors. Keith Casebolt, Medford, Oregon, was recognized with the 2019 Admin- istrative Eyecare Editor's Choice Award, David Miller, MHA, Shreveport, Louisiana, with the 2019 Pinnacle Award for Volun- teerism, and Daniel Chambers, MBA, Dallas, as the 2019 ASOA Fellow, ASOA's most prestigious membership status. The new ASOA logo includes the words "Your practice. Our passion," but Ms. Mullaney added one more thing "Your voice." Ms. ASOA Opening General Session gives attendees comedic lesson in the power of positivity 18 | EYEWORLD DAILY NEWS | MAY 5, 2019 Mr. Montgomery gives an inspiring keynote talk, sharing with ASOA attendees the power of personal positivity.

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