VHMA Manager to Manager

The last few years have made remote work a reality for many industries. But is it really possible in a veterinary practice? Today's guest says it is possible! In this episode, you'll learn how we can apply remote work to this industry and find ways to be flexible enough to keep employees while being good stewards for the practice as a whole.

Today's guest is April Allen who started her career as a zookeeper before transferring into the vet world in 2007, into her current practice in 2010, and as a practice manager 9 years ago. Then, she didn't know the challenges we would face amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Now she has found that her focus should be to facilitate further education and to provide a positive work environment for team members. For her practice, this includes work from home opportunities and that has been a game changing idea especially during our current hiring crisis.

[2:27] - If it hadn't been for the experience with Covid, April's practice would not be equipped for work-from-home opportunities.

[3:42] - April describes the game changer when it came to the phone ringing off the hook during the first year of the pandemic's changes.

[5:07] - April shares a story of a team member that originally started remote work as a receptionist using the new phone system.

[6:37] - Give it a shot! If we wait till we understand how something works completely, we will never take the opportunity to try something new.

[8:20] - Through trying this new remote position and experiencing its success, April and her team are more open to finding new innovative ideas for remote work.

[10:25] - One of the concerns for remote work is making sure that tasks get done and people don't get distracted at home. The key is developing a relationship with trust.

[12:03] - How do other team members feel like coworkers working from home?

[14:51] - Having a consistent person working on specific tasks and phone calls takes a lot of work off other team members and creates continuity with clients.

[16:25] - April explains how they stepped into the new phone system and what solutions they found, including things they already had that were being unused.

[19:04] - April's practice is now utilizing technology more and more and in a way that they never considered before.

[20:10] - Being open minded makes the biggest difference.

[21:05] - We need to consider this option to retain people. This can be a game changer during the current hiring crisis.

[22:56] - There is also still a stigma and misunderstanding around remote work options.

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

• VHMA Web Page
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At the start of every new year, many of us are setting up plans for the coming months. With this comes a lot of solutions, but do we really know what the problem is? We seem to jump to the plan real fast, but maybe we don't determine the problem in its entirety first.

Today's guest is former VHMA President, Jim Nash. Jim has 20 years experience in Veterinary medicine and has served on the VHMA board for 13 years. He says that critical issues projects are near and dear to his heart and in today's episode, he discusses present-day critical issues and how we can look at them through a diagnostic lens.

This topic is so important as the landscape of Veterinary medicine has changed rapidly in recent years. Everything should be revisited and reviewed to help us all create an effective organizational plan.

[2:40] - Organizational plans are a newer development in recent years as veterinary medicine changes rapidly.

[4:04] - Critical issues planning recently have included the workforce crisis.

[5:23] - How do we look at a problem and design a solution around that problem?

[7:06] - Looking at a critical issue with a diagnostic lens, it allows us to let go of preconceived notions.

[9:02] - The rapid growth in the organization has taken a toll.

[10:30] - Just because it has been done one way for a while, doesn't mean that it is the right thing to do. Everything should be reviewed.

[11:49] - The idea of efficiency needs to be redefined as well. What does it mean in the present?

[13:00] - One tool to look at as an efficiency marker is revenue per team member hour.

[15:32] - Part of the diagnosis solution could be to look at past strategies and try them again.

[16:08] - Engagement is a critical piece to the organizational plan.

[17:21] - Jim shares an experience with a client that was upset about delays. Delays in service is a critical issue.

[18:55] - What's a different way to provide veterinary medicine to serve everyone? There's not a current answer to that question. There's a finite number of clients we can see.

[20:49] - Presently, there is a unique opportunity in this industry for innovation.

[23:16] - Sincerely thank the people you are leading.

[24:04] - It is important to have someone you really like at work. How are we making it so that we have fun and enjoy the time we have together to build camaraderie?

[26:23] - There's a new level of flexibility and give-and-take that we've never had to consider pre-Covid.

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

• VHMA Web Page
• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
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'Tis the season to celebrate and there is no one better to celebrate than the clients and families who show us their appreciation. Take a moment to think about those clients. Odds are, you think of a handful of special clients that take care of you and your team just like you take care of them. So, who do we thank and how do we do it?

Today's guest is Karli Carter, a hospital administrator out of Utah. She began her career in 2005 as an assistant and has worked at the same practice ever since. Throughout her career, she's met special clients that develop into life-long relationships, but sometimes it's hard to focus on the positive. In today's conversation, Karli shares ways to get a team of diverse personalities and from all generations and walks of life to see the good things and celebrate the compliant clients. She has a lot of great ideas and during the holiday season, there's no better time to show these clients how much they are appreciated.

[2:27] - There are several little things that clients do to appreciate the team, like reviews, cards, and cookies.

[3:33] - Since the pandemic, the reasons clients complain have changed. We tend to dwell on the negative reviews, even if there are fewer of them.

[5:26] - We need to shift the focus from the negative and help staff to appreciate the clients who recognize what we're doing right.

[7:55] - Clients are all different as are team members. That's okay.

[9:29] - In training, communication needs to be a priority. 80% of the job we do is communication-based.

[11:31] - Things will change. They always do but we need reminders of that. It should never be us against the clients.

[13:10] - Role playing can be uncomfortable but the exercise is so impactful.

[14:48] - What kind of programs can we have to give these amazing clients something special?

[16:13] - Verbally thanking clients makes a difference.

[17:37] - If we say thank you, we are modeling thank you to other team members and clients. We don't say it enough and mean it.

[20:01] - Debbie uses seasonal email signatures that catch people's eyes.

[21:24] - Take feedback from clients and consider what is in your control and what isn't.

[23:08] - We can't predict what might upset another person.

[25:22] - Debbie and Carly discuss some ideas to celebrate compliant clients.

[27:04] - Kindness goes a long way.

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

• VHMA Web Page
• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
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As we begin wrapping up the year, it's time for strategic staff planning. The people who love numbers are probably very excited, but in an uncertain economy, this year's planning could look a lot different.

Cris Chilelli joins the conversation today to help us wrap our heads around the challenges we're facing. Cris is the Regional Operations Manager for VCA in Arizona and with 25 years of experience in the field, she knows a thing or two about strategic planning. In this episode, Cris dives into overstaffing, turnover rate, office culture, and the "doom and gloom" of an economic recession.

Regardless of the current numbers and metrics, it's important to know where you stand right now and be able to make a plan for what's coming. It does sound daunting, but this conversation with Cris ends on a high note with her words of wisdom and motivation.

[2:50] - Strategic planning is not a "cookie cutter" process.

[4:06] - Retention is a challenge right now as well, with a shortage of professionals.

[5:05] - The metrics used a year ago will not work this year.

[6:30] - Overstaffing is a good idea when possible during uncertain times.

[8:23] - Another concern is when current employees are unhappy or not pulling their weight.

[9:35] - The team is looking to management to hold everyone accountable and treat everyone fairly.

[11:29] - The turnover rate in this industry is twice that in other industries.

[13:05] - Culture is crucial and it takes some time to build that.

[14:16] - The younger generation of employees are usually very clear on the things they want and they have great ideas.

[15:48] - It is important to monitor staff turnover.

[17:47] - How can we train employees to give them the opportunity to grow and the desire to stay?

[19:10] - Cris shares her thoughts about overtime.

[20:18] - Managers need to be okay with monitoring and stepping in to have conversations with someone who isn't pulling their weight.

[22:06] - Some managers may feel very beaten down right now.

[23:09] - A recession is looming and we need to be as prepared as possible.

[25:10] - Someone has to do the hard things. It's important to find staff who are willing to do these tasks and to train them appropriately.

[26:33] - Start where you are now. Know and be clear on what things are like right this moment and then make a plan.

[27:57] - It's easy to get sucked into the "doom and gloom" of the economic recession.

[29:07] - The numbers we have used for years may not work moving forward, but 2023 doesn't need to be scary.

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

• VHMA Web Page
• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
• VHMA Facebook
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"I love my job!" When was the last time you said that? Or thought about it? Somehow it has become unpopular to love our job. Many people immediately jump to the negative and dread the challenges because we've been taught that work isn't gratifying. But today's guest proves that this way of thinking can have detrimental effects on your work-life balance and personal wellness.

Susie Crockett is the Director of Practice Management in the greater Indianapolis area and has been a CVPM since 2009. She began her career in the veterinary hospital world 23 years ago and over the years has discovered a manager's tendency to focus on the negatives and experience fear in setting boundaries.

In today's episode, Susie discusses why boundaries are important and how you can set better boundaries. How does this tie into loving your job? By helping you regain passion for what you do.

[2:38] - We hear so much negativity sometimes and we start to resent it.

[3:40] - Loving ourselves and setting boundaries are the keys to regaining passion for what we do.

[5:09] - Sometimes we put ourselves in a rough position when we help others too much.

[6:16] - Teach people how to treat you.

[7:19] - Part of what we do as managers is help team members advocate for themselves.

[9:02] - Susie shares a way to set boundaries through role playing.

[11:51] - When you say yes so often, everyone will get used to it and continue to ask for more.

[13:05] - Why do we struggle as managers to set boundaries?

[16:01] - Boundaries are personal wellness and are different for everyone.

[18:08] - What makes you happy and love your job?

[19:33] - There may be things you do that others won't as their boundary. The things you choose to do are not required of others.

[22:01] - You don't have to dread the challenge.

[23:34] - We tend to go to the negative, but your life will change if you can change that pattern.

[24:30] - You cannot make someone else feel happy.

[25:44] - Reflect on the things that you really love about your job and find them everyday.

[27:41] - This is not a one-size-fits-all process.

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

• VHMA Web Page
• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
• VHMA Facebook
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• VHMA on Linkedin

In the spirit of self-care, we need to take a close look at how we manage not only our teams, but how we manage ourselves. Managers may seem invincible, but mistakes are inevitable. How do you manage the mistakes you make?

The goal of today's episode with Chris Cesena is that you learn from your mistakes. But more importantly for you to also see how to correct a mistake and proceed forward without letting it paralyze you. In this episode Chris not only shares her tips and advice on the subject, but she and I share real mistakes made by real managers, both big and small.

Although sometimes it feels like we need to be perfect, no one expects that of you except yourself. So listen to this episode for the pick-me-up you need and give yourself some grace.

[2:37] - Welcome to the show, Chris!

[3:46] - The variety of responsibilities can be a distraction and can create really high expectations.

[5:34] - Managers seem invincible because they have checks and balances but they aren't always seen.

[6:27] - Managers check in on everyone else, but they also have to check in on themselves.

[7:32] - A lot of times, we have a hard time showing that we aren't invincible.

[10:21] - Chris thinks the training portfolio needs to expand to include self care and personal wellness.

[11:46] - If you do not take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others.

[12:41] - Wellness is very personal and everyone's self care is different.

[13:40] - What does your mask look like?

[15:13] - Communication styles need to be taught and understood.

[16:46] - Use "and" instead of "but".

[17:50] - Transparency is critical especially if you've made a mistake.

[19:52] - When you accept the role of manager, the reality is that you will be the one in charge of a lot and not all of it is glamorous.

[21:46] - Only communicate to the people who need to know what you're saying.

[23:34] - Debbie and Chris share big and real mistakes that have been made in this role.

[26:10] - Chris admits her biggest mistake.

[27:12] - Try to go into difficult conversations and admit mistakes with a solution.

[29:12] - Big mistakes happen, even to the best managers.

[30:20] - Don't dwell on the fact that you've made a mistake and give yourself grace.

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

• VHMA Web Page
• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
• VHMA Facebook
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Growth and Career Mapping for Your Team with Molly Lautzenheiser

With hiring and retaining quality team members becoming ever more challenging, we have to consider career satisfaction more than ever. One of the ways we can ensure employee career satisfaction is by cultivating a culture of growth through career mapping. This process gives employees learning opportunities that not only fit a need within the practice, but spark their interest and bring them joy. How do you know it brings them joy? By bringing them into the conversation and letting them be a part of the decision making. You may be surprised by what you'll learn.

Today's guest is Molly Lautzenheiser from Avon Lake Animal Hospital. Her background is fascinating as she began working in the industry as a boutique owner. Fast forward to present day, she is the Hospital Administrator at Avon Lake and knows the importance of outlining potential growth areas for employees. In our conversation today, Molly shares the changes they've implemented in the review process to incorporate career mapping and the effect it has had on engagement and retention among all roles.

We have a responsibility to help people succeed. In these changing times, we need to flip the question from "What can the employee do for you?" to "What can you do for the employee?"

[3:17] - Career mapping helps with employee engagement and retention.

[3:57] - Bring employee interests in the field into their current role.

[5:15] - At Avon Lake, they are adjusting how they complete reviews and focus on employees working in their job in a purposeful and meaningful way.

[6:58] - Traditionally, this industry does not spend enough money on training and education.

[8:39] - Debbie shares the experience of an employee wanting training and the thoughts going into the decision to pay for it.

[11:12] - Thinking outside an employee's typical role can lead to tremendous growth for them as individuals and can bring a new dynamic to the team.

[12:43] - Ask your team what brings them joy throughout their workday. You may be surprised by their individual answers.

[14:47] - Annual reviews have been changed to a more manageable process for Avon Lake.

[15:49] - Molly describes what the first career mapping meeting looks like for an employee.

[17:03] - Breaking things down into smaller manageable chunks makes goals feel attainable.

[19:14] - Who is involved in the career mapping process?

[22:05] - Don't underestimate your intuition regarding an employee's strengths.

[24:57] - Come at it from their perspective.

[26:33] - Career mapping is a natural way to create a culture of growth in the practice.

[28:23] - The conversations you have with your employees will be eye opening to the ways the practice can improve.

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

• VHMA Web Page

• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
• VHMA Facebook
• VHMA Twitter
• VHMA on Linkedin
• Avon Lake Animal Clinic

It seems like this year's caseload has been very overwhelming! And no matter how many people are on the team, it makes things feel like we're understaffed. We are always looking for great ideas to keep the team feeling empowered but also ensuring that clients are taken care of quickly and efficiently. That's why Karen Hart joins the podcast today with a program her practice developed called the Technician Triage Program.

Karen Hart is the practice manager at Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services in beautiful Hyde Park, Vermont. She has been there since 2017 and comes to this field with a degree in engineering.

In this episode, Karen shares how her practice developed this program and what problems it solved. They were faced with several challenges and modeled their triage process after the traditional triage system in human hospitals. What's working and what can you take away to use in your practice?

[2:43] - Because of the desperate need for staff, Karen developed the Technician Triage Program.

[3:50] - Similar to a human hospital, technicians triage the client prior to seeing the vet.

[4:58] - Karen describes how she and the practice owner arrived at this idea.

[6:18] - It took a while to work out all the kinks and Karen shares some of the concerns they had before rolling this out for all patients.

[7:38] - Who are the team members that are a part of the triage team?

[9:19] - At their hospital, they require technicians to be credentialed.

[10:11] - Phased training helped roll this program out and built empowerment for technicians.

[11:27] - Some people are very content in their position and don't want to advance.

[12:51] - Sometimes there are things that won't work out. Karen shares what took off and what didn't in implementing this plan.

[14:21] - As a manager, it is important to keep an open mind.

[15:49] - By using the human hospital as a model, it makes it a lot easier to communicate the process to clients in a way that is relatable.

[18:29] - There are some things that doctors just don't have to do. This method makes visits quicker and easier for clients.

[20:01] - Initially, Karen thought they would be admitting more overnight patients, but that didn't work.

[22:10] - Sometimes clients just don't see what else is going on. Their issue is their emergency but may just need a brief assessment through triage.

[25:27] - There are valid concerns to think about.

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

• VHMA Web Page

• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
• VHMA Facebook
• VHMA Twitter
• VHMA on Linkedin
• Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services

In a post-Covid world, it seems that there has been an uptick in aggressive client demands. We know that things aren't always easy, but what can we do to ease the stress of not only our clients, but our staff members too? Remember that it is a symbiotic relationship with clients and it's absolutely necessary to maintain to continue serving the community.

Today's guest is Erin Kilbane from Avon Lake Animal Clinic in Ohio. She comes to the podcast with 8 years of experience in the veterinary management field and a background in finance. She believes wholeheartedly that she is meant to help people and in this episode, she does just that. She shares current stressors she sees from the client perspective as well as the staff member side of things. She gives some great insight to what we can do as managers to help staff feel comfortable in their role so they feel comfortable helping clients, even when clients are challenging to work with.

[2:22] - Erin describes what changes she has seen in client demands since the pandemic.

[4:02] - In many ways, our empathy has slipped.

[5:27] - Talking through situations and reminding ourselves and staff can ease the pressure of demanding clients.

[6:36] - This is a service industry at the end of the day.

[7:56] - Post-pandemic, Erin has seen staff members see the importance of client-facing roles.

[9:21] - Erin sees staff more empathy towards each other, but need to increase empathy with clients.

[10:42] - It's important to remember that veterinary services are in the service industry.

[11:50] - Sometimes, clients will push and communication breaks down. Staff members need to be prepared with practice conversations.

[13:29] - Training must be lapsing somewhere in client relationships and hard conversations.

[15:04] - It is important to have a plan for staff members with tough client situations.

[16:27] - It's also important for staff members to know that not all clients are going to be angry about something you say.

[18:00] - In some cases, we can't help a client, but that shouldn't be the first option given.

[19:19] - Putting a client on hold to ask doesn't always end well with a client.

[20:40] - Because of recent client situations, we go in thinking that most of them will be challenging.

[21:11] - Seek to understand, listen, and be empathetic.

[22:34] - Training in communication basics is needed.

[23:22] - No matter your role, maintaining relationships is necessary.

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

• VHMA Web Page

• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
• VHMA Facebook
• VHMA Twitter
• VHMA on Linkedin

When you find yourself in the management role, no one tells you that a large part of it is helping our teams manage their stress. Yes, this means the stress they feel while at work, but stress is not easily compartmentalized and our teams are bringing stress from home into the workplace. What can we do as managers to help the team deal with stress, ensure their wellbeing, and cultivate a positive practice culture?

Today's guest is Leah Parris, one of 2022's VHMA Emerging Leaders Program Scholarship recipients and Practice Manager at Loving Hands Animal Clinic in Georgia. Leah began her career 15 years ago as a technician and has worked her way into management. In addition, Leah is a certified compassion fatigue professional and makes it clear that she is concerned about the wellbeing and happiness of her staff. In this episode, Leah shares ways that she does just that and tips on providing the safe space your team needs to deal with various stressors in this field.

[2:23] - Team stress impacts the whole practice. It has a domino effect.

[4:01] - When home life is stressful, it can be hard to separate how we feel when we're at work.

[5:02] - Stress is inevitably taken home from work as well.

[6:13] - Validating someone's stress is the first important step.

[7:15] - Managers are not mental health professionals but can and should direct concerns to someone who can help.

[8:36] - Sometimes a moment to vent is all someone needs. Leah has check-ins with her team to offer a listening ear.

[10:51] - There may be simple fixes to some stressful situations.

[12:12] - Teams can support each other as well and sometimes that is as simple as acknowledgement and validation.

[14:20] - Verbalizing why we love the job and our appreciation for team members can help take the edge off the stress.

[16:01] - There's a balance in talking about the stress and acknowledging it.

[17:01] - Incorporating fun and light activities can remind us why we love the job.

[18:32] - The reality is that pay can sometimes not be changed. We can find other ways to show appreciation.

[19:51] - There's no approach to stress relief if we don't address the problem.

[21:04] - The pandemic has increased stress for clinic staff and clients.

[22:31] - When it comes to personal stress, find things that help relieve the stress you have.

[23:56] - You should not ever vent to your staff.

[25:14] - Be mindful and acknowledge the reasons for the stress.

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

• VHMA Web Page

• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
• VHMA Facebook
• VHMA Twitter
• VHMA on Linkedin
• Leah Parris on LinkedIn
• Loving Hands Animal Clinic Website