How Do I Teach Accountability?
A manager with fantastic team leads—dedicated, hardworking, and aligned with the clinic’s mission—struggles to help these leads transition from being top team members to effective leaders who can manage and hold their peers accountable. In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Andy and Stephanie break down the challenges of shifting from being “one of the team” to being the person responsible for enforcing standards and accountability. They explore why this transition can be so difficult and offer practical advice…
Schedule Freaks The Team Out
How do you manage staff anxiety about the upcoming schedule without turning away clients and compromising care? In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and practice management super star, Stephanie Goss dive into a mailbag question that resonates deeply with many veterinary teams. A concerned manager writes in about their team’s growing habit of preemptively freaking out when they see a busy day ahead, leading to requests for limiting appointments and turning pets away, even though…
Outdated or Just Respectful? Navigating Job-Hopping and Text Resignations
Are traditional expectations around resignations and job stability becoming outdated? A practice owner shares their concerns about the increasing trend of employees resigning via email or text and the prevalence of job-hopping on resumes. How can we navigate these changing norms without feeling out of touch? In this episode, Maria and Andy explore how to approach these issues with empathy and strategic thinking. They discuss practical steps for interviewing candidates with job-hopping histories, setting clear expectations during onboarding, and cultivating…
Out of Compassion For Clients
This practice owner is seeking guidance on how to help their team become more empathetic and flexible with clients who may not immediately agree with recommendations. In this episode, Stephanie Goss and Dr. Andy Roark tackle a common challenge faced by veterinary practice teams: how to improve emotional intelligence and client compassion when dealing with resistant or questioning clients. Stephanie and Andy dive into the root causes of this issue, discussing how mental exhaustion and frustration can lead to negative…
We Want Them To Love Their Jobs, Is That Too Much To Ask?
A young practice manager is struggling to maintain the momentum and enthusiasm of a high-quality team that, after an initial burst of energy, has started to settle into complacency. Despite intentional efforts to create a strong culture, clear pay scales, and a supportive environment, the leadership team is finding it difficult to inspire the same level of excitement and growth-driven mindset among their staff. Dr. Roark and Stephanie dive into the complexities of team dynamics, the importance of patience in…
When Layoffs Hit Hard
This Practice Manager, like many, is not looking forward to letting someone at their practice go but what makes this particularly challenging is that this person has already expressed financial concerns. This week, Stephanie Goss is joined by Rebecca Rose, an RVT, CCC (Certified Career Coach), and CPEP (Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Professional), as they discuss how to navigate this conversation. With over 40 years of experience, Rebecca shares her insights on dealing with layoffs, the importance of employee handbooks, and…
Managing A Perfectionist
This manager faces challenges with constant corrections from a perfectionist team member, causing tension within the team. Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss dive deep into managing perfectionist tendencies in a veterinary setting, highlighting the importance of empathy, open communication, and objective management. They explore how the veterinary education system can contribute to perfectionist behaviors and discuss strategies for balancing high standards with team harmony. This episode is packed with action items for any practice owner, manager, leader or veterinary…
The Associate Didn't Do Anything Wrong
A practice owner is struggling how to communicate taking responsibility even when they didn't do anything wrong. In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss tackle a tough mailbag question from a practice owner dealing with a post-surgery complication. After a routine spay, a client reported swelling at the incision site, which quickly escalated to an emergency vet visit. The associate vet who performed the surgery believes they did nothing wrong, as confirmed by…
Transitioning From Peer to Leader
A veterinary professional who recently stepped into the role of tech team lead is facing the challenge of earning their team's trust while aligning with the practice owner's vision. In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, practice management super nerd, Stephanie Goss is joined by guests Tyler Grogan and Kelsey Beth Carpenter. Join them as they dive into a mailbag letter from a loyal listener who is struggling to transition from being a peer to a leader, especially when…
Help! I Have A Micromanaging Manager
This medical director is struggling with a micromanager who is now overstepping on the medicine side of the practice. Dr. Andy Roark and practice management super nerd, Stephanie Goss take on this mailbag to help a team member deal with a manager that makes jokes about being the boss and making the decisions. The rest of the team finds it more threatening than funny and now, some of those micromanaging tendencies are starting to slip into the medical protocols. Let's…
Old Skool Medicine Makes Me Cringe
A veterinary professional who thought they found their dream clinic is starting to see some old-fashioned medicine that needs to go. In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss address a mailbag letter from a new team member at a rural practice who is alarmed by outdated and unsafe medical practices. Concerned about the lack of physical exams, rushed appointments, and poor surgical sterility, this person wonders how to raise these issues without overstepping…
Our Boss Refuses to Hire
This clinic is struggling with big changes, leading to being short-staffed, and the kicker? The boss simply cannot hire right now. This week on the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss address a mailbag letter from a practice trying to maintain high-quality care after losing team members, leaving them as a single-doctor practice. They explore how to balance patient and client care while being severely short-handed and whether to make sacrifices or adjust their business model. Andy…