Common examples of email or texting bad behavior include belittling others, finger-pointing when things go wrong, stealing credit for ideas and contributions, and disrespectful language and behavior toward colleagues, writes Joseph Romsey. He offers advice to maintain professional, civil communications including keeping your email structure simple, avoid politics and being … [Read more...]
Search Results for: conflict
Conflict, stress for younger veterinarians is not limited to the US
Conflict and stress, identified as top causes for young veterinarian disgruntlement in the US, have now been identified in veterinarians in Poland. A recent study there analyzed conflict and conflict-causing factors in veterinary practices. Source: Irish Veterinary Journal, November 17, 2020. Link. Conflict in the course of work is most often experienced by young … [Read more...]
Opinion – Conflict debt and the rubber room
Adults in a workplace are bound to have differences of opinions. These differences can cause disruption unless there is a process to manage things. I have used a rubber room exercise and often took the role of referee. Simple rules were established up-front and visibly displayed: Establish the discussion topic(s) as narrowly as possible Set a beginning time Set an … [Read more...]
3 ways to deal with conflict more productively
“ . . . conflict is an inescapable part of life. You shouldn’t ask yourself, “Will I experience conflict,” but rather, “How will I manage conflict when it happens,” writes Roi Ben-Yehuda. “Few of us are naturally equipped with the tools to self-manage conflict,” he says. ‘So we end up telling ourselves problematic stories that make everything worse.” Source: Fast Company, … [Read more...]
Understanding schadenfreude helps teams, conflicts
Playoff season pits the best against the best. If you catch yourself thrilling to a failed pass or a superstar missing a field goal, there may be more at play than sheer competitive emotions. Shensheng Wang shares information on schadenfreude, a form of human dehumanization where we feel good to see someone fail. Source: The Conversation, January 4, 2019. Link. Linking … [Read more...]
Ethical conflict and moral distress widespread in veterinary practices
According to survey results, veterinarians report widespread ethical conflict and moral distress across many practice types and demographics. Most veterinarians have little to no training on how to decrease the impact of these problems. Source: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, August 6, 2018. Link. Ethical conflict and resulting moral distress may be an important … [Read more...]
The cost of avoiding conflict
Managing conflict is not something most people look forward to dealing with in the workplace. Yet, conflict is a sign that your hospital is pushing boundaries and growing. Given that business is constantly changing means that if you are not growing, your business is dying. There is no status quo in our industry, so managing conflict correctly become a key performance indicator … [Read more...]
New York issues guidelines for avoiding conflicts with coyotes
Coyotes are adaptable and have invaded urban and suburban spaces. Their normal behaviors often put pets at risk. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has issued coyote guidelines that could be used in any part of the U.S. It is good information for websites, blogs and newsletters. Source: AgriPulse, May 2, 2016, link to WBNG News. The state Department of … [Read more...]
Keep office conflicts in control
No work environment is perfect. Author Silvia Lafiar takes on loose lips, blame and annoyances to help manage the inevitable in our workplaces. Source: Inc., March 30, 2016 as featured in AVMA SmartBrief, 4, 2016. The mantra in most work places sounds like a robust cheer of "his fault, her fault, their fault." The article discusses 5 ways for you to help change the … [Read more...]
Breaking rules creates conflict
When asked to break the rules at work, most of us experience conflict. We can face the challenges of fine lines, gray areas, ethics, morals and legality with more confidence using principled rebellion, a strategy for being rationally and systematically unreasonable at work when absolutely necessary. Source: Harvard Business Review, January 7, 2016. When asked to break the … [Read more...]
6 possible reasons why dogs lift one paw
When a dog lifts its paw it is communicating. The author shares that a raised front paw shows the dog feels conflicted and putting them at ease could make a difference. Lifting one paw can have multiple meanings, but it’s rarely a behavior to ignore.” Source: Dogster, April 12, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this article for social media, newsletters or use it in puppy … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 11, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 4, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the April 4th AHD Bulletin – Let’s stop calling them soft skills. They’re interpersonal skills. Leadership skills. Link. Finding joy. Link. The role of vehicle movement in swine disease transmission. Link. ===================================== Smells … [Read more...]
Stallions need to socialize
Social contact for horses is not just nice to have, it’s a fundamental need, says Anja Zollinger. Isolating a stud is not healthy even though it minimizes conflict and the risk of injuries. She shares how a Social Box system reduces stress levels by enabling stallions to engage in natural behaviors resulting in actions indicating improved welfare. Source: EQUUS, October 10, … [Read more...]
Stop babysitting employees
Every conflict that escalates can be traced back to a conversation that should have happened but didn’t, writes Marlene Chism. She shares ways to stop feeling like you’re babysitting employees and asserts that terms like “babysitting” and “micromanager” are loaded words used by leaders to avoid responsibility. Source: SmartBrief, October 2, 2023. Link. If you’re a leader, … [Read more...]
Pheromone diffusers can help calm cats
Pheromone diffusers can be helpful for pet owners, veterinary teams and pet services personnel to help calm cats of all ages in various scenarios. While not an end-all-be-all, pheromones can be used to help ease aggression and social tension. Pheromones are not a substitute for providing a safe, secure, and enriched environment for cats. Especially in multicat households, … [Read more...]
How to confront someone at work
Hot days certainly take a toll on our bodies, but they can also test our tempers <Link>. . . . hot and especially humid weather is known to be associated with increases in aggression and violence, as well as a lower general mood.” Weather aside, conflicts in the office are inevitable, and the only option is to deal with them, BUT do so in a positive, professional way. … [Read more...]
How your body language may be causing your team to disconnect
Body language speaks for you unconsciously and unfortunately, it’s hard to control. Just like you can’t fake a genuine smile, you can’t fake emotion. You can try to suppress your feelings, but your body language will leak it. “There’s the saying, ‘Fake it ‘til you make it.’ But the fake will fade,” says Linda Clemons. Source: Fast Company, June 6, 2023. Link. If your words … [Read more...]
Six burnout triggers to eliminate from veterinary hospitals
Galyna Danylenko shares results from Galaxy Vet research that lead to a burnout prevention strategy. In a new paper, experts describe six burnout triggers, how it can emerge in veterinary professionals and provide some actionable tips to reassess management practices and eliminate those risk factors. . . . work overload is not the principal factor causing stress at … [Read more...]
Stop workplace gossip before it spreads
Workplace gossip can easily start conflict, as well as disrupt and distract team members. Karin Hurt shares ways to squash workplace gossip she and others use. The truth is, we get more of what we tolerate and less of what we ignore. If you’re working to build a high-performing, human-centered team culture, it’s worth the effort to stop the rumors and workplace gossip.” - … [Read more...]
Industry’s commitment to CE increases value of animal care
Commentary The animal health industry is generous with support resources. Thank you! I’ve lost count of the continuing education credit opportunities offered in the veterinary market. My last look showed 25 new programs were offered in September. This doesn’t include innumerable podcasts and YouTube videos being promoted, nor does it account for myriad free CE programs … [Read more...]
Upcoming leadership program for STEM professionals
K-State Olathe is offering a leadership series designed to help attendees improve their management skills. Source: K-State Olathe. Link. Participants will discover their own strengths and communications style, learn conflict resolution skills, understand how to connect with team members across differences, and develop future-focused strategies to achieve lasting results. … [Read more...]
Dealing with despair
Despair comes quietly in our heads, hearts and bodies, but if we don’t handle it well, it can have negative impacts on our entire organization. Source: Forbes, July 12, 2022. Link. It is the leader's job to acknowledge differences and enable others to hold them, if those views do not conflict with the organization's vision, mission, and values. INSIGHTS: The pandemic, … [Read more...]
The best mentorships help BOTH people grow
Opinion We’re living in a time where change comes at breakneck speeds. Rapid changes require us to learn new skills and ways to work, meet the desires of four generations working together and likely radically remodel infrastructures. One might say our future successes will be dependent on how well we engage, share, collaborate and learn from one another. We’ll need … [Read more...]
The latest on age and gonadectomy
A lot of confusion remains about spaying or neutering dogs. There is even conflicting evidence about whether it should be done at all. Timing of gonadectomy surgery is not one size fits all. Counseling with pet owners is an important component of decision making. There is no single or definitive source of information on effects of gonadectomy for each breed, and most current … [Read more...]
Good consumer marketing is like dating
The goal of dating is to get someone to like you, to take a chance on you and to, hopefully, give you a second date. That’s exactly what we want when we’re trying to bring somebody into our brand, store (clinic) or service.” - Michael Johnson Source: Petfood Industry, September 29, 2021. Link. The things that most pet consumers have in common is that they are value-minded, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 2, 2021
Last week’s most read post Communicating without words, Link. Last week’s Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 26, 2021. Link. On my worst mental health days, my 3 dogs get me out of bed Source: The Lily, June 27, 2021. Link. Gemma Correll shares a pictorial story of how her dogs help to improve her mental and physical health every … [Read more...]
Modeling fierce self-compassion
Some people worry that self-compassion will make them soft, but it gives us incredible power, writes Kristin Neff in an excerpt from her book, Fierce Self-Compassion. The book shares how women can harness kindness to speak up, claim their power and thrive. Neff shares three elements of self-compassion, self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness, that each have an … [Read more...]
Anger, masked with a smile: How to handle passive-aggressive workers
Passive aggression can manifest in multiple ways, but it typically involves avoiding direct conflict. The passive-aggressive person is motivated by their fear of expressing their anger directly. It is a defensive and ingrained behavior. Fortunately, managers can learn to recognize the patterns of passive-aggressive workers, then deftly guide them to change that behavior, … [Read more...]
Do you want to be right or happy?
Michael Easter offers a psychology-based approach to conflict. He says psychologists theorize that our capacity to reason didn’t develop so we could find better beliefs and make better decisions. Reason likely evolved so we could win arguments. By inserting the question, “do you want to be right or happy?” Easter says we insert perspective into the equation. Source: Forge, … [Read more...]
Backyard wildlife; Beware the January thaw
Commentary In some parts of the U.S., we usually have three or more days where winter temperatures moderate and we thaw out. At the same time, daylight hours are increasing. This period begins the breeding season for some wildlife species. Skunks, raccoon, foxes, bobcats and coyotes start looking for mates and food, and they’re driven by hormones and hunger. Breeding … [Read more...]