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...]
Undoing cynicism at work
The rise of cynicism is making many of us miserable at our jobs. Only 15 percent of workers say they are thriving, with the rest saying they are indifferent or downright miserable at work. Source: AXIOS, June 11, 2024. Link. Cynicism, if it were a pill, would really be a poison." - Jamil Zaki, PhD INSIGHT: Start by fixing your own cynicism. … [Read more...]
June heat wave enveloping the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast
A hot day or two is normal, but the National Weather Service says a near-record strong heat dome will bring record-breaking high temperatures and sultry, uncomfortable nights during the next two weeks. The inherent risks to people are no surprise especially when temperatures remain high during the night. For animal health pros, reminding animal owners to keep their animals … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 23, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 16, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the May 16th AHD Bulletin – Cheese by-product turned into plastic. Link. What do your customers value? Link. Biofilms affect animal health. Link. ===================================== Seven simple ways to improve your memory Source: Better Report, … [Read more...]
Solitude
Being lonely and being alone isn't the same. There are real health benefits to spending time by yourself. Source: AXIOS, March 26, 2024. Link. Solitude can relieve stress, boost confidence, and teach us something new about ourselves.” INSIGHTS: Sometimes you need expert advice. Listen to your inner voice. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 4, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 28, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the March 28th AHD Bulletin – Horse remains near Buckingham Palace reveal birthplace of jousting steeds. Link. Covetrus® adds next-generation, online Rx management solution to VetSuite. Link. The anti-meat discussion returns to rapid emissions reduction. … [Read more...]
Finding joy
Kids are uniquely good at living in the present, being curious and making the most of their surroundings. They look for reasons to do things while many adults often look for reasons not to act. Source: AXIOS, March 19, 2024. Link. Our kids’ unique skills can help us solve problems and find happiness even as adults.” INSIGHTS: Be curious. … [Read more...]
A failure to communicate
Your paycheck may say you are a CEO, a senator, a manager, a teacher or a DVM. But you are really a communicator. Communication is a team sport. Clarity is everything. Source: AXIOS, March 14, 2024. Link. “When you are sick of hearing yourself say your big mission, it is just starting to sink in.” INSIGHT: Be direct. Say what you mean and mean what you say. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 14, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 7, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the March 7th AHD Bulletin – Data from 36 years: 20 dog breeds that attack people most. Link. Home delivery, autoship important offerings for veterinary clients. Link. 9 pet companies listed as fastest-growing U.S. private companies. Link. AHD Archives for … [Read more...]
Doing for others
To lock in and truly listen is a hard skill to master. It starts with shifting our gaze from the phone — or mirror. Source: AXIOS, February 29, 2024. Link. I cannot remember a single wish that she espoused that was truly for herself, other than to be with her people — and her greatest joy was in their happiness." INSIGHTS: The most meaningful success is helping … [Read more...]
Longevity’s secret
Many people don't put thought and intent into optimizing the one thing most do more than anything else . . . work. Source: AXIOS, February 22, 2024. Link. Worldwide sixty-two percent of employees are indifferent to their work lives. Eighteen percent are downright miserable. INSIGHT: Note the quote from Hal Buell obituary, “I had the greatest job in the whole … [Read more...]
Do it NOW!
Speed has a force-multiplying effect. It eliminates festering problems faster and accelerates vital progress on important to-dos. Source: AXIOS, January 18, 2024. Link. Get it out of the way and you have freed up bandwidth . . . INSIGHTS: Per the old time management tip . . . handle it once. Also see: The Two-Minute Tool, GTD®, May 19, 2020. Link. David Allen explains … [Read more...]
Will we be ready? Introducing Gen Alpha.
Commentary Food for thought. As a baby boomer, the challenges of adapting communications to meet the coming generations and still communicate with remaining Silents, other Boomers, Millenials, Gen X and Gen Z often seem daunting. Our curators spend worthwhile time sorting out the animal health narrative for what is new, seasonally relevant or repetitively adjusted to fit an … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 21, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 14, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the December 14th AHD Bulletin – Underutilized and underappreciated. Link. What’s new in preventing and treating laminitis in horses? Link. Keeping it simple. Link. ============================================ Sorry, dogs: Cats can play fetch, too, … [Read more...]
I feel the need for speed
This is the era of speed, indeed. The winners will narrow their focus to the tasks that truly matter — and activate. Focus is a force multiplier on work." Source: AXIOS, November 30, 2023. Link. Too many people confuse motion with movement. INSIGHT: Knock it out and move on. … [Read more...]
Pay attention to others. They’re not thinking of you.
We all spend way too much time stewing about what other people are thinking about us — when they're not thinking about us at all. Source: AXIOS, November 16, 2023. Link. …paying attention to others is very different from worrying about what others think about you.” INSIGHT: You are not as bad as some say nor are you as good as others say. … [Read more...]
Be curious
One of the simplest and more effective ways to brighten someone’s day is by asking them a question. Being asked about ourselves and our lives makes us feel listened to, understood, cared for and validated. Source: Axios, November 7, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Be interested and others will find you interesting. … [Read more...]
Want to move up?
Power should rarely flow from title or tenure and five other tips to help you earn more influence in your organization. Source: AXIOS, October 20, 2023. Link. The cold, hard truth of power is that it's easier to lose than to win. You can avoid criticism by saying nothing, doing nothing and being nothing.” Aristotle … [Read more...]
Body language
At parties, speaking with friends and at work meetings, some people are oblivious to real communication going on around them without words. Source: AXIOS, October 12, 2023. Link. Become a student of people in small group settings, be it card games, parties or work. I mean actively trying to spot human ticks, tells and patterns.” INSIGHTS: Almost 90 percent of in-person … [Read more...]
Get to the point
The most popular and fastest-growing type of meeting is the brief and efficient 15-minute block. Source: AXIOS, October 2023. Link. 90 percent of people admit to daydreaming during long meetings, and 75 percent say they are doing other work.” – Harvard Business Review INSIGHTS: Be ruthless with starting and finishing on time. … [Read more...]
Euthanasia rates across U.S. animal shelters reach 3-year high
More dogs than cats are coming into shelters in many major cities, driven largely by an increase in strays, according to Shelter Animals Count. Animal intakes at public and private shelters across the country are expected to reach a 3-year high this year . . . adoptions or owner returns are not keeping pace.” SAC Source: AXIOS, September 1, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 16, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 10, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from August 3rd AHD Bulletin – Hauser: Client relationships with veterinary team critical to positive practice experiences. Link. Less is more – Patrick Malone. Link. Work-life balance is the wrong goal. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences … [Read more...]
Less is more
One of the bigger problems in the modern workplace is wasting time on things better handled by someone else . . . or not done at all. Source: AXIOS, July 27, 2023. Link. It's striking how often I find people doing things we once cared about but no longer do. INSIGHTS: Be ruthless when allocating your time and energy … [Read more...]
Weight stigma infiltrates work
There's an economic cost to not being thin and it is present at every stage of the employment cycle, writes Erica Pandey. She says studies show weight discrimination affects women more than men. Discrimination based on body size is largely left out of diversity and inclusion training, and overlooked in employment law, although she says some policy changes have begun. For an … [Read more...]
Filtering is a critical skill
One of the hardest things to do in leadership, and life, is to filter out BS. Source: AXIOS, June 29, 2023. Link. You need one or two people (intimate truth-tellers) who know your warts and worst instincts. INSIGHT: Balance – you are not as bad as your critics claim, nor as good as your supporters believe. … [Read more...]
The hard truth
The biggest lie we tell ourselves is: We crave truth. But the truth is hard and often uncomfortable. Being honest with someone is actually more respectful than holding back. Source: AXIOS, June 22, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Be blunt, respectful, factual and actionable Also see: How to deal with people who pretend to know more than they do, Fast Company, June 28, 2023. … [Read more...]
Make it clear!
One of the most overlooked, yet lethal forms of organizational rot is toxic ambiguity. Basically, killing people with fog. Source: AXIOS, May 4, 2023. Link. Many people feel foggy, even if leaders feel they are clear.” INSIGHT: The top priority is to make it clear to the recipient(s). … [Read more...]
Armadillo invasion: Why the creatures are rapidly moving north
Nine-banded armadillos Dasypus novemcinctus are the only species of the animal found in the U.S. They have mostly lived in the southeastern part of the country but over the last century have steadily migrated northward. They are omnivores whose diets are mostly insects, invertebrates, small reptiles, eggs and small mammals. Some southern armadillos are naturally infected with … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 9, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 2, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 2nd AHD Bulletin – Vet Watch Insight Report. 8.5 percent YTD practice revenue growth, other improvements. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. 10 most popular articles of 2022 from HBR’s Working Knowledge … [Read more...]
Take a break
A well-timed and well-planned break can get us back on track — and boost productivity. Source: AXIOS, December 13, 2022. Link. Use breaks to boost your mental and physical health no matter what you're doing. INSIGHTS: Managers: encourage your people to take micro-breaks. … [Read more...]