The Wagging Tail

Did you know that when you open up to your team members, associates and staff at the practice, it actually helps reduce anxiety and stress, along with boosting your well-being? It’s true. Studies have shown it including one from the University of Michigan that appeared in the Science Daily. The study focused on women specifically. Although the majority of veterinarians entering the field are female these days, I think this theory applies to both genders and is valuable information to know.

There was also an article posted on dvm360.com addressing the same thing. Gabbing, as they referred to it (or bonding) can make you happier and healthier. The article also mentions gossip but no one condones spreading rumors or that type of behavior in the workplace.

You know, every year at this time, probably like you, I have the same problem. I struggle to keep it together and not bite someone’s head off. Interestingly enough, it was only a few months back, pre-summer, around April/May, that I remember looking forward to the lazy days of summer. But here I am, near the end of August, counting down the days to Labor Day and the stress of the kids returning back to school. I bet that you and a few of your veterinary staff surely can relate to this, having children of your own. Schedules are going to change, rides will be needed, conferences will need attending and so on. When I feel this familiar end-of-the-summer anxiousness hit, I know exactly what to do. I do what I always do when I’m about to lose it. I phone a friend. It always helps. You obviously wouldn’t do this at the hospital but I think conversing about these “common” or shared feelings during a down time, at lunch or between patients is a good way to build stronger, better relationships at the practice. It’s also another opportunity to connect by getting to know your team members on a more personal level.

Think about it. Sometimes the best stress-reducer is simply sharing your stress with someone else. Maybe it’s a complex case or a non-compliant client who is frustrating you, or just merely the day-to-day scramble of running a practice. The act of talking it out — and getting support and empathy from someone else — is a great way of blowing off steam and reducing stress.

It’s never too late to cultivate these important relationships.

Last week I talked about doctors, whether they are the owner or not, having to balance their role as leader in the team with their role as a member of the team. This week, I’m continuing the blog on the same subject and am offering some more friendly advice.

Support the hospital’s mission, protocols, standards, policies, etc. If you’re the owner and the one who sets the policies, this is very easy to do. If you’re new to the practice and you don’t understand a policy, have the owners explain it again so that you understand the idea behind it and don’t start a “war.” There’s nothing more frustrating than a grudge between the “new” and the “old” or the “front” and the “back.” We’re all on the same team, and very early on I banned the use of the phrases “front” and “back.” I can’t remember the last time I heard such divisive talk. I also try to get all of my team members to be at least partially cross-trained so that they appreciate the hard job that the “other side” has to do.

Never say “that’s not my job!” That phrase is demeaning and belittles the employee to whom it’s directed. Are you really too good to clean a cage or wipe a table? Everyone who works at the hospital is there for the purpose of helping Pets. We all need to do whatever is necessary to chip in and get the day’s tasks done so we can enjoy helping Pets while we’re at work and leave at an appropriate time to enjoy our families when we get home. If you’re constantly busy, your team will want to be constantly busy.

Ask the team members about their weekend or their family. Let them know that you respect them as individuals and not just as someone to sweep the floors. Share quick stories about yourself, your Pets, family, etc. What are your hobbies? What are their hobbies? One of my team members bakes cakes as a hobby. How great is that? I’ve bought birthday cakes and even an occasional “I love you” cake for no particular reason for my wife. I think my whole team knows that in my spare time I’m a video game/computer geek. Obviously there’s a balance to strike between sharing and “too much information” but don’t miss out on the human side of our profession.

If you’re new to the team and an associate doesn’t respect you, make sure to address it quickly, firmly, and respectfully. Let everyone know that you’re interested in working as a team to take care of the Pets and provide great customer services and not in “bossing” people around. Also, let them know that ultimately you have the legal and ethical responsibility to provide care for the Pets, so it’s important to find a way for them to respect your position within the hospital as team leader.

You want to be friendly and feel like part of the team, but you don’t want to spend your whole time cutting up and telling jokes. You want to work efficiently and accurately and friendly. Joke, tell stories, laugh, listen, live, but don’t forget to work. Don’t work so hard at becoming part of the team that you forget to lead the team to the finish line.

Doctors have to strike a balance between being the leader and being a member of the team because if they spend too much time “leading” then they might be resented or looked at as a tyrant, and if they spend too much time being “just one of the guys” then the team might not work efficiently or truly respect the doctor’s position within the hospital. This is an especially delicate balance for young doctors and for doctors who recently joined a new team.

The doctor sets the tone for the entire hospital, so make sure you behave how you want the team members to behave. If you are on time, they will respect and understand why you expect them to be on time. If you adhere to the dress standards, then they will understand why they have to do the same. At my hospital, I always make sure to wear clean dress shoes, slacks and a nice shirt. When it was our policy for the male doctors to wear a tie, I always wore a tie. When the policy changed due to the risk of spreading germs, I stopped wearing ties. When a team member showed up with open toe shoes and I asked her to change them, she understood that I respected the hospital’s dress code.

Set a positive, friendly tone. Don’t let negativity take over. If you’re upset about a client, then take a quick break — walk outside, use the restroom, get a drink from the water fountain. Collect yourself and return to the team. I don’t try to hide the fact that I get upset, because everyone gets upset. But, I let the team know that I have the tools to handle it appropriately. For example, sometimes I take a deep breath and slowly count to ten. I do it quietly, but not necessarily in private. Let the team know, “Gosh, that was a difficult situation, but now it’s time to move on€¦” The team will learn by example how to do the same thing. I’ve seen team members close their eyes and take deep breaths or ask to step outside for a quick break. It makes me proud to know that they can handle difficult situations.

Don’t engage in gossip or make negative comments about other team members. It’s OK to say things like, “Hey, let’s be nice.” I have learned to immediately stop talking when I hear myself say or think something like, “I probably shouldn’t say this€¦but…” You never know who might overhear what you’re saying or how what you’re saying might hurt someone’s feelings, etc. You might think all you needed to do was “vent” and then move on, but the people who heard it may be deeply hurt.

I hope I’ve given you a little insight on balancing your role as leader in the team as well as participating as a member of the team. Part II of this blog will run next week. Look for tips on a few things like supporting your hospital’s mission, setting policies, pitching in to help no matter where it’s needed and taking an interest in your associates on a personal level while still getting their respect as team leader.

Seriously. It is.

Why do I always see shame on the faces of people who’ve not been able to stay on their diet? I used to be perplexed by this, and then one day, the light bulb went on.

We all think it’s our fault. Believing the diet plan is full-proof, most people blame weight-loss failure on either a lack of willpower or personal strength, never pointing a finger at the blueprint.

But food is neither the enemy nor your BFF. It’s fuel, plain and simple. Eating food is physiologically necessary (especially if you want to keep up with the pace at your practice) and here’s where I make the comparison between food and urine.

Food. The desire to eat is an internal indicator just like the urge to go. It has nothing to do with willpower, internal fortitude or character. A message starts in your stomach and tells your brain Hey, I’m hungry. Do something about it. You either respond to the request by eating, or you ignore it. If you’re trying to lose weight, like many others, you’ll likely try to suppress the desire to eat and disregard the message. But ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. And no good can come from not eating. Besides, how can you properly handle your patients without energy that comes from food?

Urine. The same thing happens when your bladder is full. A message goes up to the brain saying, Hey, I gotta go, which, of course, prompts you to begin looking around for a bathroom. At your earliest convenience (maybe after you finish with your next client), you address the situation without giving it another thought and move on with your day.

An interesting thought to ponder: What would happen if you didn’t have a built-in monitoring system that notifies you when it’s time to go? Now I’m no urologist, but I know that if we didn’t eliminate the toxins in our bodies on a regular basis, there’d be a lot of sick people walking around, not to mention the mental torment and physical discomfort that goes along with holding it. Not an enjoyable experience. And really how effective would you be at work, at home, in life, if you suppressed the urge for an extended period of time? Talk about unpleasant, distracting and absolutely pointless.

No, I’d wager you’ve never thought about waiting as long as you can to and I also bet you’ve never connected this sensation with a flaw in your personality and yet that’s what people do, everyday, when it comes to eating.

Are you guilty of going for long periods of time without eating, all in the name of I’m too busy? The practice needs me? Do you think ahead by planning, preparing and bringing food with you to the hospital, in case you get too busy to take an official lunch break? If you take the time to get rid of what you don’t need, you can stop long enough to take in what you do.

Basic principle of human existence: Hunger = empty tank. Food = the fuel needed to fill the empty tank. We need to make peace with our only source of energy, stop blaming ourselves for feeling hunger and take the time to give our bodies what they need.

New backpack, new lunchbox, new school supplies and the annual essay entitled “What I did on my summer vacation.” Every year, when August rolls around, these items are synonymous with “Back to School.” By the time we hit college, the lunchbox shopping and the essay writing typically disappeared, but along came the added stress of making sure that we made those 3 or so summer months really “mean something.” In other words, it was time to find some sort of an internship, volunteer opportunity, or summer job that would give us some insight into the career path of our choice and help to build that ever-important resume (with some quality pool or beach time thrown in of course). I remember the race for most popular opportunities starting as soon as winter break was complete. While months remained until those precious summer days rolled around, the need to obtain a position was urgent. While it could be considered a bit stressful at times, the search itself was often a rewarding educational accomplishment in and of itself. Somehow though, it always worked out… maybe I was lucky!

On the flipside, years later, it’s now part of my job as a Veterinary Career Specialist to coordinate summer jobs and externships for students, and I can tell you that little has changed since I was in the shoes of the student. Students still want an experience that is challenging, rewarding, and of course, a little fun! So, I work carefully to find the best job match for each of my students. Some students come in unsure of what their 6-10 weeks of experience in a Banfield hospital will be like, and I love to see them come out of their programs with smiling, satisfied faces. Even more so, I enjoy knowing that they have gained some insight into what the career path they have chosen is really all about. The majority of my placements head back to the classroom in the fall having not only been challenged and rewarded, but also having gained valuable experience and mentorship from an experienced veterinary team. What better way to test-drive an industry, organization, or career than to experience it first hand?

In essence, summer jobs are where the rubber meets the road. It is a chance to take that textbook knowledge and really put it to work outside the walls of the classroom or lab . So take the time to check out all of the opportunities that are out there and find one that really aligns with your goals. After all, those 3 months can really fly by and before you know, you are back on campus! Here’s hoping, that the summer job or externship that you decide on delivers on it’s promise to challenge you, reward you, and provide a little fun along the way!

This week I’ve encountered an interesting cross-section of our profession. I employ a second year veterinary student doing a summer job program, was shadowed by a 39 year old registered nurse who is looking for a second career, interviewed a recent veterinary school graduate who is looking for a job, and had dinner with a group of associates/colleagues whose graduation dates range from the mid-80’s to 2008. We’re all at different stages in our lives and careers, but as corny as it sounds, we’re all tied together by our love of animals and the desire to help others.

The veterinary student is excited about everything, learns quickly, and wants to see and do everything — including the things that others may think are mundane (fecals, CBC’s, urinalysis).

The registered nurse is looking for a second career. She’s considering giving up her career as a nursing director at the local hospital, going back to school for 4 or more years — nose to the grindstone, piling up debt, etc in order to do something that she thinks she would truly enjoy.

The recent graduate looking for a job had a somewhat unpleasant experience at a previous practice but was still enthused and optimistic that she would find the right fit somewhere. Somewhere that would allow her to practice great medicine in a positive, supportive, environment with lots of open communication.

The dinner I attended with my associates/co-workers, we had a wide range of graduation dates and previous experiences — doctors who currently own practices, doctors who used to own a practice and then sold it to become a partner at another location, new grads, etc.

We all have different personal and professional goals and objectives and we’re all hoping to reach them with what is essentially the same job, same profession, same degree. We have so much flexibility in our careers. We can manage and run hospitals, work in hospitals, write articles for journals, get involved in organized medicine/associations, teach, give lectures, etc. We can be excited about learning to read a urine sediment, diagnosing glaucoma, doing an exploratory surgery, or interviewing and hiring a new veterinarian.

Given enough time, each of us may pass through each of these cross sections — student, new grad, someone looking to hire a new grad, practice owner, and maybe someone looking for a second career. If we’re lucky as we age and change professionally and personally our career will grow and change with us — allow us to be happy in our chosen profession. I think it would be interesting to hear from the readers about what stage they are in, what things do they find exciting, what things frustrate them, what things would they like to change, and what things they hope will never change. Personally, I find cat spays relaxing, love my new boxer puppies, and enjoy teaching and training.

Today, many people have been blindsided by an unexpected financial emergency and don’t know what to do. A job loss, medical expenses, or an emergency home or car repair can be incredibly stressful. The bills still need to be paid, the utilities need to stay on, and you need to put food on the table, so how should you cope with a financial crisis?

First, sit down and carefully evaluate your situation. Panic won’t solve anything and will lead to additional stress. Carefully evaluating your situation will help ensure you make good choices. What caused this financial emergency? Before you can look at ways to resolve the situation, you need to understand the root cause. Is it a sudden loss of income? Mounting expenses that you can’t keep up with? Are you living beyond your means? Are you inadequately insured? Your plan of attack will need to address the root of the problem.

Next, prioritize expenses. Some bills need to be paid before others. At the top of your list are food and shelter. It’s not worth risking foreclosure to keep your cable or cell phone bill current. Don’t pay something that will put you in jeopardy of being unable to pay for a real necessity. Once you’ve prioritized which bills are the most important, you can look for expenses to cut. While cost-cutting might not be much fun, it might keep you from slipping into an even deeper financial hole. Do you require those premium movie channels or satellite package? Can you survive without that expensive cell phone plan, or eliminate your landline telephone completely? If you regularly go out to eat, consider cutting back or eating at home entirely. If you were to only find five different ways to save $20 each month, you’ve instantly freed up $100 that can go towards your most important expenses.

Then negotiate with lenders. If you’re having trouble with credit cards, medical bills, or even your mortgage, the first thing you should do is call your lender. Believe it or not, it’s in their best interest to help you make your payments, even if it means a lower interest rate or extending the terms. People mistakenly wait until they get severely delinquent before contacting their lenders, and by then, they’re less eager to work with you. If you know that money is getting tight and you might need help, call them right away. Don’t wait for the threatening letters to start coming in the mail before taking action.

Find extra money. Ideally, you want to have some money set aside in an emergency fund to help pay for any unexpected expenses, but this isn’t always possible. Where do you turn when you’ve exhausted your savings account? You can always try to get a loan or use credit cards, but these may only make the problem worse. While borrowing money can provide quick access to cash, it can also come with high interest rates and a new monthly payment. If you’re experiencing a financial hardship for an extended period of time, you may find yourself in a downward spiral that is nearly impossible to recover from.

Another option could be to check with friends and family. Nobody likes to ask for money, but a little bit of help from a loved one might be all that you need to get through the rough patch. Of course this can also put a strain on some relationships, so proceed with caution.

And finally, you may have some money available via investments or in retirement accounts. Generally speaking, withdrawing money from your retirement accounts is a bad idea as it can put your retirement security in jeopardy, but it could also be enough to keep you from going into even further financial trouble.

Last week, I attended a seminar entitled, Get Motivated! (don’t laugh.) A colleague of mine was given a few extra admission tickets to the local event and offered one to me. I had heard about the seminar on the radio and thought it sounded like a really interesting way to spend a Friday afternoon.

The seminar went from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm but no way could I take an entire day away from “productive time” (productive time = working on the computer, or working with clients. No deviation) No, a seminar is not really necessary and something I don’t really need to do, so taking a whole day away from my business, my routine, would really be out of the question. Half a day will do just fine.

Now, the seminar was free and had a list of speakers that included big names like: Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani and Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the US Airways pilot who made the emergency landing in the Hudson River last winter. Not too shabby, right? Even if you don’t much agree with the politics of the first two, how cool would it be to listen to “Cap’n Sully” talk about the experience of successfully landing a jetliner down onto an aquatic runway? I’m in!

I get there and I see that I’m not the only genius in Greensboro who thought this sounded like a good idea. The Coliseum was 90% full. As I glanced around the crowded place I thought, “Wow, everyone here shares one commonality; they’re obviously open to a new idea.” Maybe they’re looking for a way to improve their financial situation, enhance their career or seek encouragement to help them deal with a personal struggle. Whatever it is, they’re here, I thought, putting aside their life duties, in the name of self-improvement. Because if they weren’t receptive to some form of change, they’d be home, doing their own interpretation of “productive time.”

I’m feeling a twinge of remorse. The speakers I heard were inspiring and interesting! Why didn’t I recognize this opportunity as one that would be valuable enough to devote my entire day to? And while I’m coming clean about not exactly seeing this experience as important enough to swap it out for “productive time,” let me also add (with my head hung low) that I didn’t see anyone else sauntering in after the lunch break. Oh, the shame!

I had a great time listening to the speakers. Loved hearing them share their stories of lessons learned, wisdom gained and applicable advice. How easy it is to keep banging at the widgets of our lives, rarely stopping to take the opportunity to refresh, renew and regroup. And how fulfilling and yes, fun it is to challenge yourself; mix it up from time to time.

It’s easy to get stuck in routine, telling ourselves that new opportunities – whether they are personal, like getting together with new friends or professional, like attending continuing education opportunities – are just something we’d rather not do. Too much work to make it happen! But thinking short-term and getting waylaid by logistics isn’t what got you where you are today. Keep momentum going; seek out opportunities to see things from a different perspective by getting out from your world. The fruit of new information is growth. Hey, the seminar must have worked! There’s no way I was capable of coming up with Ghandi-like advice like this before I… Got Motivated!

Are you guilty of not taking time to experience new opportunities that might challenge your status quo?

I was talking with a friend a few weeks ago. As we were sharing about our lives, jobs, etc, she commented that her boss had recently asked her, “so, what are you doing to develop yourself professionally?” We both groaned and quickly moved onto easier topics. But that statement stuck with me. What would I do if my boss asked me that?

As a mom who works outside the home full-time, I can barely get to the mandatory activities of my life. So where does professional development fit in? Do I add it to my “to do” list; grocery shopping, sign up 4 year old for soccer classes, pick up cat litter, and professional development? Realistically it would get relegated to my “get to someday” list along with; figuring out how to reduce my carbon footprint, losing weight and planning for retirement. It’s exhausting just thinking about it.

Over Memorial Day weekend, I was sitting at Starbucks, catching up with a friend from college. Jon is in a related profession and we love to “talk shop”. We were sitting there sharing work challenges and solutions. During the course of our friendly debate, I realized that I was learning from him. He isn’t a nationally recognized thought leader or expert, but he does bring a new set of experiences and perspectives that I can glean wisdom from.

Last week, someone on my team sent me a link to an article on www.DVM360.com. Something in that article piqued my interest. After I put my son to bed, I spent the better part of the evening viewing related articles online. Hmm. another opportunity for learning.

Yesterday I saw something about the AVMA conference in Seattle next month. While I go to a veterinary conference every few years, I hadn’t really considered attending this one. But why not? It’s close to where I live and it would definitely be an opportunity for me to further my learning (maybe even in ways I didn’t expect).

As I sit back and think about it, what can feel like the daunting task of professional development doesn’t seem so unattainable. I realized that looking for the possibilities to learn and grow in your everyday life makes this less of a burden. Heck, it seems a lot easier than shedding that extra 15 lbs! So, maybe tomorrow when I walk on the treadmill, I’ll read a professional journal, rather than watch TV. Just maybe that’ll help with my carbon footprint too!

When we think of professional development, we often want to put this responsibility onto others. In actuality, professional development is a personal responsibility.
As we progress in our careers, we must take the time to learn better communication, better negotiating skills and better personal presentation. A career demands we improve in each of these areas. A job may not. Do you want a job or career?

Personally, I had no idea what I wanted when I graduated from veterinary school. I suspect a job was most important then. Later on, I realized that a career would better suit me. A career asks that you are willing to progress in many ways. Seeking input from your peers and your clients is one way to receive input to further develop your professional skill set. As a doctor in the hospital, your peers are the other doctors, your clients are your staff and Pet parents. A doctor should not be afraid to ask their team, “How am I doing? What can I do better? What would you like to see me do more of or less of?” Your peers, staff and clients are your first line of self awareness.

There are many courses available for professional development. Dale Carnegie, Covey, local community colleges etc. “Projecting a Professional Image” is a Dale Carnegie course that would suit anyone who wants to improve self awareness and present a better view of themselves to their peers, direct reports and team leaders.

I can’t say enough about reading! I have a library of books on leadership, personal presentation and communication. I tell those who work with me that they must be their own advocates and put in the time to further develop themselves. I have given them several books over the years. A favorite is, “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,” by John Maxwell. All people entering into leadership should read this book.

Professional development and growth are the individual’s responsibility — if you take your careers seriously. Each day people are watching you. I have said many a time, “You never know who is watching you, learning from you, or being affected by you.” I have had people call me years after working with me and tell me what they learned from me or thank me for the development provided. Even when there were hard lessons to learn, we grow from adversity. We are judged on how well we handle adverse times.

As your responsibilities expand, push yourself to do more tasks and duties that are uncomfortable. It’s easy to be successful doing what you do best. Learn to do something difficult or different that can help your career. Develop yourself, you are the only one who can.