Every person in a veterinary practice should be part of the sales team. These 10 tips will help them and you improve the overall practice performance. Source: Veterinary Advantage, February 2025. Link. Make it clear, concise, and – dare I say it – compelling.” - Brian Sullivan, CSP INSIGHTS: Planning and preparation helps the animal, client and practice succeed. … [Read more...]
Thriving cultures
Fostering a thriving culture is dependent on a few essential leadership behaviors rooted in the principles of Servant Leadership . . . a people-centric approach where leaders prioritize serving others, creating environments of trust, engagement and productivity. Source: Inc., October 4, 2024, Link. Authenticity is showing up with your best self especially at the worst of … [Read more...]
Negative and positive consequences
What’s the risk if I don’t follow the parasite control regimen? What’s the benefit if I do? Stress those two answers for your customer and your compliance will improve. Source: Veterinary Advantage, April 2017. Link. Negative or positive consequences are great motivators in helping people embrace change. Conversely, the lack of consequences, either negative or positive, … [Read more...]
Building talent through delegation
Using a clinic’s professional staff to deploy their full educational training remains an everyday topic in veterinary medicine. Effective delegation is one of the most effective ways to develop the existing talent in your practice and free up your time to (fill in your top priority). The article shares 10 steps for successful delegation. Source: Giant Leap Consulting, … [Read more...]
Your comfort zone
The ability to become comfortable in an uncomfortable situation will help when taking a giant leap into the unknown. Source: Giant Leap Consulting, January 6, 2025. Link. When employees face challenges confidently and courageously, a positive outcome is more likely than if they don’t.” INSIGHTS: Coaching to improve confidence and courage is focused on “do this” not “don’t … [Read more...]
Leadership advice
Note: Mr. Malone’s post here provides good follow-up to his post from last week <Link> on managing stress. We also created a PDF of Jeff Zientz’s leadership tips from the article Malone shares here <Link>. It can be used as a bulletin board reminder for all staff. You may not be the Practice Leader, but the practice and its clients benefit when everyone is … [Read more...]
Managing your stress
Animal healthcare is attractive, seductive and fulfilling, but it comes with responsibilities that produce stress. It is against the backdrop of normalcy that these stress pressures can stay well hidden, ready to strike when you least expect it. Source: Giant Leap Consulting, January 2025. Link. Every team member in a practice is a leader responsible for producing … [Read more...]
Questions – rude or helpful?
We succeed when we help others succeed, and that is the role of every animal healthcare professional. Source: Repertoire, October 2024. Link. How can we help others succeed if we don’t know where they want to go?” or “Where are they now?” or “What is standing in the way? INSIGHTS: Move from “intrusive” to “interested” by acknowledging every response. Every interaction, … [Read more...]
Managing your own expectations
New products in a clinic cause excitement. However, your clients may not express the same enthusiasm. So, managing expectations is important for every team member. Source: LinkedIn, December 9, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
When the climb slows
For those who’ve been at the top of their game for a while, the inevitable truth is this: cresting happens. Source: Giant Leap Consulting, December 2024. Link. The true test of a seasoned leader isn’t how high you climb or how hard you fight to stay at the top, but how you respond when the climb slows down, when the world no longer expects you to be the one with all the … [Read more...]
“Be Curious.”
Ted Lasso fans will recognize the title as a quote from the popular series of the same name on Apple TV. Curiosity is the key to understanding your customers better and increasing your opportunities to help them. Acknowledging is the genesis of curiosity. Source: Repertoire, August 2024. Link. …the point of talking with another person is to find out what they think as much … [Read more...]
A strategic foresight parable
Leaders today face a world defined by rapid technological innovation, market volatility, global interconnectedness and workforce transformation. Source: LinkedIn Pulse, November 26, 2024. Link. Tactical plans without strategic foresight solve nothing.” INSIGHTS: Inspire others with a clear vision; empower others with purpose; lead others with humility and courage. … [Read more...]
Mastering and winning at customer experience
You don’t buy your clothes at a shop offering only one size or one style. Has anyone ever read a mail piece that is addressed to “Postal Customer?” “That’s the way we’ve always done it,” will put you out of business. Thrive, grow and succeed by winning the customer experience. Source: Forbes, February 9, 2024. Link. The winning formula for customer service: … [Read more...]
Facts + Feelings = Attitude
To help you improve your ability to get decisions, let us focus on helping you better understand your decision-maker’s range of attitudes. Source: Repertoire, June 2024. Link. More complex decisions, such as continued treatment options, can be dominated by the emotional component of decision-making, while costs of treatment options can be more factual. INSIGHTS: Pay … [Read more...]
Servant leadership guidance to help get you where you need to go
Are you struggling to find practical guidance for servant leadership examples? Look no further. This article has got you covered. Source: walkme blog, July 1, 2024. Link. Servant leadership offers a viable solution, whether for organizational development, performance management, or something else entirely.” INSIGHT: Commitment requires committed leadership and a good … [Read more...]
The value of “and what else?”
As our business environment gets more complex, it’s essential we adapt to this complexity. Questions help clarify the problem from our customer’s perspective. Source: Veterinary Advantage, December 2022. Link. Demonstrating genuine concern for our customers will provide us with more information about their situation.” INSIGHTS: Be interested and others will find you … [Read more...]
Bringing value
It doesn’t matter if it is a distributor rep talking to a practice decision-maker or the vet tech talking to a customer; the question is the same – Are you bringing value? Source: Veterinary Advantage, May 2023. Link. Ask yourself, “How do I differentiate ourselves and our practice from every other practice?” INSIGHTS: “Be curious, not judgmental.” - Ted Lasso … [Read more...]
Successful leaders are great followers first
In the most effective and successful practices, leadership occurs at all levels—from the DVM to the vet tech to the receptionist—and at every level in between. Source: Repertoire, April 2024. Link. Influential leaders, no matter what title they have or role they play, are those with willing followers.” INSIGHT: Exceptional leaders intuitively recognize momentary changes in … [Read more...]
Getting to YES
Every practice employee is an ambassador for that practice and, as a result, has a responsibility to aid in the sales process. Source: Veterinary Advantage, October 2024. Link. “(Inaction bias) is a little devil driving the tendency to do nothing because the risk of making a wrong decision feels too high,” says Brian Sullivan. INSIGHT: Think of it as leadership – helping … [Read more...]
Managing risk
Risk comes in all forms and with variety, volume and velocity of different degrees. Known or unknown, the next disruptors are already in play. Ingraining risk management into every function within an organization can not only enhance resilience, but also lead to better strategies and outcomes.” Source: weforum.org, January 8, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Involve the practice’s … [Read more...]
Plain speak matters
It does not matter if it is a salesperson to the DVM, or the DVM, vet tech, front desk service rep or kennel manager to the client, clear and concise communication works well throughout the practice or pet services business. Source: Veterinary Advantage, August 2024. Link. It’s about clarity, efficiency, and making your message stick. People crave straightforward, … [Read more...]
Missing clients?
Lapsed patients are a concern for most veterinary practices. It might be time to consider a reactivation campaign. Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, August 1, 2024. Link. “Bringing back cats and dogs you haven’t seen in 14 to 18 months can mean big wins for your revenue and, even better, healthier pets.” INSIGHT: Personalize, personalize, personalize. … [Read more...]
Subtle leadership
Every member of the veterinary or pet services team has the opportunity and responsibility to lead when the situation presents itself. This article on charisma will help you be ready and able when that situation arises. Source: The Gentle Force, August 24, 2024. Link. It is refreshing when someone truly listens and asks thoughtful questions.” INSIGHT: It’s all about … [Read more...]
Likeability – How to find it in others and develop it in you
We find people who are interested in us to be interesting to us. Source: Inc., September 2, 2024. Link. Be curious. …asking a question, and then two follow-up questions, dramatically increases how likable others perceive you to be.” INSIGHTS: Being nice is one of the most underrated business skills, according to Mark Cuban. It's better to be respected and liked. … [Read more...]
A priest, a drunk and a business leader meet and . . .
Regardless of your age or station in it, self-reflection is an important tool at any point in this journey we call life. Source: LinkedIn, August 28, 2024. Link. I’m good friends with the guy who looks back at me from the mirror. INSIGHTS: “One day at a time,” asserts Bill Treasurer, relating his own story of the good Bill, the bad Bill and the better Bill. … [Read more...]
Character and integrity
All smart leadership and business decisions are founded on the bedrock of character and integrity. Operating with character and integrity means having unwavering certainty, especially when faced with difficult choices. Source: Inc., August 19, 2024. Link. It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” – Warren Buffett INSIGHTS: Integrity is the … [Read more...]
Logic, emotion affect decisions
A better understanding of decision-makers will lead to more productive client conversations. Simple decisions are mostly dominated by logic, while more complex decisions are derived by the emotional components of decision-making. Source: Veterinary Advantage, October 2023. Link. Attitudes are dynamic, changing based on each situation and the moment in … [Read more...]
Personal transformation through leadership
The best leaders elevate our standards, ethics and performance by creating opportunities for personal transformation. Source: Giant Leap Consulting, July 2024. Link. There is no more powerful influence on the culture of a workplace than the behavior of its leaders. <The best> leaders model then elevate our standards, ethics, and performance by creating opportunities … [Read more...]
Adjusting to your customer
The ability to connect with customers in a meaningful way and offer solutions that meet their needs and solve their problems means you’ll be relevant to them. Source: Veterinary Advantage, December 2023. Link. Explore the challenges that each customer is facing and find ways to help.” INSIGHT: Every team member is a representative of your practice. … [Read more...]
Interested? Then ask.
While no one wants to be seen as rude, nosey, overbearing or insensitive, I believe the fear of asking some questions is often overblown. Source: Veterinary Advantage, August 2023. Link. How can we help others succeed if we don’t know where they want to go?” INSIGHTS: Ask “And what else?” until the answer is “nothing.” Also see: The power of questions, AHD Archives, … [Read more...]