Blog

This podcast episode is a reading of the article by Dr. Andy Roark titled “You Should Be Proud,” which can be found on www.drandyroark.com

If you work in veterinary medicine, take a few moments to listen… and remember that what you do matters. You are making the world a better place. You should be proud.

Learn more about Uncharted at www.unchartedvet.com

By Jay Thrush, DVM

Discovering the Uncharted group has literally been life-changing for me. Getting to know the members of Uncharted, learning from them, and being fortunate enough to be allowed to contribute to the group has reinvigorated me.

Uncharted has opened my world to new experiences, and has presented me with new opportunities that I could never have found elsewhere.

I truly feel that the members of Uncharted are more than just a community of like-minded individuals – more than a tribe – they are family.

And, of course, I have found love. Love in the sense of family, friendship, and support; and (most incredibly) romantic love – true love that I know will last for the rest of my life.

Those words seem inadequate in expressing the depth of what I feel about Uncharted.

My hope is that my story inspires and encourages others to allow themselves to be vulnerable – to find connection – and to discover the family that I have come to know and love. Perhaps their lives will also be transformed.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Unchartedvet.com editorial team.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jay Thrush currently resides on a small farm just outside of Brandon, Manitoba where he owns the small animal practice in which he has worked since becoming a veterinarian 25 years ago. After being in practice for so long, he feels as though he may finally be getting the hang of it; however he still considers himself to be a work in progress. He enjoys problem solving and
working with his hands – attributes he puts to use in his favorite activities – performing surgery, building and repairing things, and tinkering with anything mechanical. Most recently, Dr. Thrush has entered a period of personal and professional transition which will involve a move to southern Ontario to be with the love of his life – Lisa Milan, and where he looks forward to making his mark on the local veterinary community. He also hopes to have a positive impact on the veterinary world in a broader sense through his involvement with and contributions to what he affectionately refers to as his Uncharted family. His personal goals for every day are to learn something new, work to become a better person, and do something to leave the world a little better than he found it.

Episode 2: Is your vet practice special? Is it really? Why would anyone come to your clinic instead of the 4 other ones that are within 5 miles of you? That’s what we’re getting into on this episode. We’re going to talk about WHY your practice is special, what differentiates you, what your brand is, what makes you stand out, AND how to get your staff to buy into that uniqueness so it shines for the world to see.

Find the episodes here:

Download on iTunes

Download on Google Play

Or listen here:

 

Like this podcast? You might just love the Uncharted Veterinary Community. Learn more at www.unchartedvet.com.

 

 

By Jade Velasquez, LVT

Micromanagement is a common method of “teaching” in many clinics. Whether we understand it or not, micromanagement often comes from those who mean well and want to show the “right” way of doing things. As a recovering micromanager, I have learned that despite any good intentions, it is all about control. If we think we can control people’s actions, then we can control outcomes. As many of us know, veterinary medicine doesn’t care about our plans. It doesn’t follow the rule book and although rules have value, they cannot be the be all/end all.

There was a time when I would hover over people and point out why what they were doing wasn’t ideal. I operated in a very black and white manner and couldn’t see the shades of gray in between. I looked at every situation as a copy of the next. In my mind it all had to be the same. If they weren’t, it was wrong. And I told people as such. My coworkers would scurry when I walked into the room and become anxious when I was hovering over their shoulder watching their technique on blood draws, catheter placement or other tasks.

I had worked under micromanagers in the past and they had rubbed off on me. I started to think of how horrible it felt to feel like I could never do anything right. I began to remember that feeling of fear I had of being criticized. And I decided enough was enough. It didn’t happen overnight, but I began to slowly let go of trying to control others by dictating the “correct” manner. Don’t get me wrong, there are protocols in place for a reason, but if I wanted people to enjoy working with me I had to stop nagging them and show that I was coming from a place of wanting to help.

I began to look back at the things I had done and how I had been micromanaged. I realized I personally had to shift my views on what I considered mistakes and what I defined as failure. When I realized that we are all looking to work towards the same goal, I understood that doing things differently is not wrong if we achieve the same outcome. I began to delegate and ask for help if I was struggling instead of attempting to horde all the things. I noticed that if I came from a place of caring and tried to mentor instead of control that people responded better. If they understood I wanted them to be successful they were more receptive and more open to feedback.

When people feel stifled and restricted, they don’t enjoy what they do. When they are afraid of being constantly criticized, efficiency and attention to detail is lost. I want people to trust in my capabilities, so I need to trust and believe in theirs. I offer guidance, but don’t shame as a different way of achieving a goal. Different isn’t wrong – it is just different. Our clinics benefit from new ideas and ways of doing things. That’s how medicine has evolved. If we stayed stuck in the mindset that “this is how it was always done,” we don’t allow others or ourselves to flourish. We can’t control things and expect to be happy. If every case was a copy of the last, if every day repeated itself life would be boring. We wouldn’t learn.

As a practice manager, I truly try to remember this. I trust my team to do their jobs and do them well. I offer guidance or trouble shooting if needed. I don’t hover. I don’t expect them to be perfect. I’m far from perfect myself, but I encourage them in their journey to keep learning and growing where they can. Success doesn’t come from being robotic, success comes from allowing others the ability to be human. Success comes from allowing ourselves to be human. Veterinary medicine is unpredictable and when we can think critically without judgement, we are able to embrace the chaos and problem solve.  When we can allow others the trust to become better by just being them, our team becomes better. Fear doesn’t promote learning, kindness does.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Unchartedvet.com editorial team.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jade is a licensed technician of 9 years who lives in Port Orchard, Wash. She enjoys emergency and critical cases, dentistry and creating a bond with her clients and team. During her off time she is busy keeping up with her two crazy Basenjis!