Tag Archives: Leadership

According to an American Medical Association study in 2012, 53 perccent of physicians were full or part owners of a practice; 42 percent were employees; and 5 percent were independent contractors. Of particular note is that in 1983, 75.8 percent of physicians were self-employed. This trend has continued as approximately 75 percent of physician hiring in the last two years has been by hospitals.  Anyone familiar with the medical industry knows the challenges of being an independent physician practitioner today. The amount of complexity involved in operating a medical practice from a regulatory and financial perspective is staggering.  Since the health care industry is such a large part of Mississippi’s economy, I am always interested in learning from leaders in the medical field.  My interviewee this week, Dr. A. Terrel Williams, is a successful ophthalmologist and practice owner.

Dr. A. Terrel Williams

Williams is a native of Churchill and graduated with degrees in history and chemistry from Millsaps College.  He noted, “I believe that the liberal arts education that I received at Millsaps has been a great benefit to me in my quest for learning and knowledge. It gave me a broad perspective and allowed me to learn about a range of areas, including religion, philosophy, art, and politics as well as science.” Williams received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and he completed a surgery internship at Tulane.  After completing three years of eye research at LSU’s Eye Center, he completed his ophthalmology residence back at UMMC.  Williams began his private practice career with Dr. William Aden before opening his own solo practice in 1990.  Since then, Williams has built a very successful practice focusing on cataract surgery, contact lenses and dry eyes.

One of the things that struck me about Williams was his diverse interests and knowledge.  I quickly picked up that he was a leader committed to continual learning.  He shared, “I have always had an interest in business and economics. In 2008, after my youngest son went to college I obtained a healthcare MBA at George Washington University with an emphasis in health care policy.”

While none of his sons followed his footsteps into medicine, they have all pursued business careers and have traveled broadly.   He shared, “When my sons were young we traveled extensively, including visits to China and Uganda.  I took them along on mission trips around the world which I believe taught them and me a great deal, and when they were older they pursued humanitarian works on their own.”

We discussed the challenges faced today by today’s medical practitioners. Williams noted the difficulty in navigating the ever-changing healthcare industry landscape.  He explained, “Physicians today in private practice not only have to stay on top of the latest development in their medical field, they also need to know and understand the ‘business’ of medicine as well as the regulatory environment.”  He shared that physicians coming out of school today have to decide whether they want to become employed practitioners and just focus on medicine or be in private practice which require knowledge and skill in running a business.

For future leaders, Williams emphasized the importance of being teachable.  He said, “You have to realize that you never know everything, and thus always continue learning both to keep up with current teaching as well as for personal development.” He also explained that honesty and character are what truly count.   He always emphasizes to “Do the Right Thing” and encourages his employees to follow the Golden Rule.  I was inspired by Williams’ intentionality in his continual learning, and his focus on mission work around the globe.  He is a great example of how health care providers can still successfully operate in the complex world of medicine today.

Originally published in the Mississippi Business Journal, January 29, 2015.

A common trait I have found in successful leaders is a commitment to preparation.  Benjamin Franklin noted, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  On game day, well prepared athletes make it look easy.  However, we know that hours of hard work went into getting ready.  Legendary football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant explained, “It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”  In our fast paced culture, it is easy to cut corners and not do our “homework.”  However, digging in and really being prepared makes all the difference.

Whether preparing for an interview, sales opportunity, or investor presentation, being prepared helps you stand out from the crowd.

Colby Lane has led a life of intention and preparation. He is a business leader on the rise and one to watch in the coming years.  Lane, a native of Brandon, earned a B.A. in Economics from Millsaps before going on Harvard Law School.  After practicing with Wilmer Hale in Washington D.C., he returned to his home state to serve as Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Mississippi.  He then went on to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Counsel for Governor Haley Barbour.  After a very successful career in the law and public service, Colby formed Eagle Ridge Growth Partners as an operator-led private investment company which recently acquired its first company, PEC Safety. As of November, Lane has assumed the role of CEO of that company.

Colby Lane

During his career, Lane has benefited from learning from some very talented leaders. He shared, “After law school, I had the opportunity to work for a couple of world class lawyers, Mark Dewire and Jay Watkins, who taught me the value of preparation and actively listening to clients.  As a leader, I try to apply both learnings: always prepare (if anything over prepare) and always listen first, whether talking to an employee, customer or vendor.   It is amazing how much success comes from doing these two things.”

Lane also noted that he learned a great deal from U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton about aggressively pursuing solutions. Lane noted, “Dunn always tried to find ‘yes’ and ‘can do’ and avoid ‘no’.  Too often an ‘easy no’ can stand in the way of success.”  While working for Governor Barbour, Lane learned how, in the face of crisis, the best teams and leaders stay calm and act.  He said, “A crisis may require you to work faster, but the best teams follow the same core principles and practices and make decisions. Inaction is paralyzing.”

For future leaders, Lane offered some sage advice.  He encourages people to “find the best people to work with and volunteer for the hardest projects.  You will learn from the best people and you will grow by succeeding (and failing) at hard projects.”  He also explained that he believes the job of a leader is to help the team win and take the blame when they don’t.  He said, “As a leader, it is essential to be transparent and explicit.   Let your team know exactly what your goals are and why you are pursuing them.  This clarity of purpose eliminates surprises.  And finally measure results.  As they say, what gets measured gets done.”

Lane has worked hard and developed a reputation for delivering results with high integrity.   His commitment to hard work, preparation, and service have allowed him to be successful at each stop in his career.  I know his new venture will certainly benefit from his skills, expertise, and preparation.  He will be one to watch in the years to come.