Today’s topic is something that we see pop up time and again. Our staff love animals but are not always sympathetic to the pet’s families. This judgment can turn into snarky comments that not only hurt the client, but also permeate through the practice and influence other team members. We can be proactive and work towards more client friendly teams.

Grace Ursery is today’s guest. After starting with a degree in Asian American Studies in History and then a few years in mutual funds, Grace found her way to the industry through volunteering at a local Humane Society. That was the first step on her veterinary career path. Grace has been a practice manager in small animal specialty, general practices, and remote finance manager. She is currently in a hybrid, remote role for a mixed animal practice in rural CA. Her role is stretching all things curious on numbers and data.

In our conversation today, Grace addresses some very common frustrations and how we can better communicate to each other and hold each other accountable when it comes to passing judgment. She even recommends a book called Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence That Caring Makes a Difference that will further our understanding of this important topic. Ultimately, we just don’t know everyone’s situation and empathy plays a huge part in building relationships with clients.

 

Show Notes:

[2:31] - Sometimes we have to talk about things that are uncomfortable.

[3:34] - All animal patients come with a human attached.

[5:02] - Once we walk into our work space, we sometimes forget how to empathize.

[6:40] - Even if we just think judgmentally, it can be reflected in your body language and tone.

[9:09] - When we make a comment to another team member, they take on the judgment and assumption as well.

[11:01] - Sometimes a client asks for less expensive options. That does not mean they don’t love their pet.

[13:34] - It can be difficult to be more aware of yourself in the moment.

[15:05] - Grace shares a recent example of snarky comments and judgment from staff.

[17:01] - We just don’t know everyone’s situation.

[18:30] - Teaching empathy is tough.

[20:43] - We love animals, but our job is also about building relationships with people.

[22:22] - Think about ways to handle clients in different levels of stress.

[23:53] - Loneliness is a major problem in the United States and pets fill a void.

[26:17] - There are even different relationships between an owner and their pet.

[27:53] - Hold yourself accountable.

[30:17] - Because there is a diversity in our clients and a diversity in the animals, we need to offer a diversity in the services we provide.

 

Thank you for listening. Remember you are not in this alone. Visit our website for more resources.

 

Links and Resources:

• VHMA Web Page

• VHMA Coronavirus Resources

• VHMA Facebook

• VHMA Twitter

• VHMA on Linkedin