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This week on the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast… Dr. Andy Roark and the one-and-only Stephanie Goss talk about the April 2020 Uncharted Conference and what it will be like to attend.

Learn more about the Uncharted April Conference and get registered at: unchartedvet.com/uvc-2020/

This week’s Uncharted Member Spotlight features the incomparable Alec Failor! He is a Client Care Representative and Clinic Wellness Coach in Pennsylvania, and also the co-host of the Vet Med After Hours Podcast! We are excited to say that he is going to be speaking at the Uncharted Conference in April! Here’s what he had to say in our recent interview for this week’s Uncharted Member Spotlight!

For anyone who doesn’t know you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

I stumbled upon veterinary medicine 8 years ago perusing a career as an anthropologist and have been hooked since that first day. I have held many if not all of the support staff hats at one time or another in those 8 years. I use that experience now with my roles as Lead Client Care Specialist, Clinic Wellness Coach, and Co-host of the Vet Med After Hours Podcast.

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

Growth. I want to be a sponge to soak up all the amazing experiences and information this community offers.

What are your 2 favorite groups in the Uncharted Workplace community and why?

The management group because of all the great information that is shared through all of the questions and answers. I love the book club as well so I know what I need to be reading to continue to grow.

Who is one of your favorite people you’ve met through Uncharted?

Mike Falconer has so much knowledge to give and has been an inspiration to me. The way he runs multiple hospitals, interacts with management at each, always looking to improve the hospitals, then travels around the country on recruiting trips while also speaking. How can you not be inspired by that? I made sure his class was the first one I attended at my first Uncharted conference.

What is your current work-related goal?

Growth as a manager to be the best I can be for my team. Growth for me as a manager is an everyday task. As I am in the long process of becoming a CVPM, I take every day as a chance to learn. Whether it’s from clients in the hospital, my team, Dr. Sands, or our bookkeeper. I never want to miss an opportunity to learn how to be the best possible manager for them to succeed. In order to do your team justice, I feel you should always be trying to improve yourself to be the best for them no matter how “good” you feel you may be. Rarely do you have two people that need “managed” the same way and I feel your management style should always cater to who you are managing not the other way around.

What is your favorite hobby and how did you discover it? Would you recommend it to others?

Disc Golf, I was introduced by a friend years ago and have loved it ever since. It takes complete focus for me to compete in tournaments, so I’m forced to be in a different mind state away from work. I recommend it to anyone or just a hobby that gives you a different headspace completely away from work. 

What is one thing you never thought you could do (or were afraid to try) that you’ve done since joining Uncharted? 

Utilizing my experience to help others. Uncharted gives us all a voice to share our experience and knowledge in the community. It has been a huge thing for me to see others empowered this way as well. 

What is one thing you believe all veterinary professionals can do right now to make Vet Med even better? 

Support, Support and Support More. I see far too many people being trained or treated with a sink or swim mentality that leads to burnout and us losing a lot of good people in the field. 

Tell us a story of how another Uncharted Member has helped you.

I can’t even tell you how many times a week Dr. Tracy Sands helps me. Giving me a job at Healing Paws Veterinary Care, being a mentor and leader to me whether she realizes it or not, and pushing me to be better has not only made me a better worker/leader. It has made me a better person outside of work. I have grown more in 2 plus years of knowing her than I have ever thought possible. So thank you, Dr. Sands! 

Have you ever worked outside of the veterinary field? What was it like?

I have been a Check Out Coach at Giant Foods, Sold shoes at Finish-Line, and served at Cheeseburger In Paradise. It was not like veterinary medicine at all. 

Where is one place in the world you would love to see?

Sydney, Australia.

Do you have a dream for your career? What is it? 

Become a CVPM and I would love to speak publicly.

Is there anything we haven’t asked you about that you would like to talk about?

Vanilla Ice Cream > All. Other. Ice Cream.

If you want to learn more about Alec, be sure to listen to the Vet Med After Hours Podcast on Itunes and Soundcloud!

You can join the Uncharted community and meet people like Alec by visiting www.UnchartedVet.com and registering to become a member!

Maggie Brown-Bury, DVM 

Working in the only emergency clinic in our area, I see all kinds of clients. The clients who can and will do whatever it takes, the clients who would but can’t, the clients who could but won’t, and all the clients in between. I often see clients struggle with guilt and indecision and try to help them come to terms with the reality of their options. I try to help them understand that “the best” option is a complex and unique thing, where many factors are involved. And I see members of my team struggle with this – they fail to appreciate that their opinion about what would be the best choice is just that, an opinion. Not a fact. Blurring that distinction can cause unnecessary stress and conflict, and make difficult situations more challenging for everyone involved. 

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.

This week on the Uncharted Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss take a question on what to do when you have a team member who used to be positive and wonderful at their job… and now they are not.

Get registered for Uncharted!! Head over to www.unchartedvet.com to learn all about it.

This week, Dr. Andy Roark and Practice Management Goddess Stephanie Goss discuss what to do when the thought of having a hard conversation gives you anxiety.

Also, don’t miss Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss teaching their 1-month strategic planning intensive course!! Join Uncharted today and you can be in the class when it starts next week. Don’t miss out! Unchartedvet.com

If this podcast helps you, please please please write us an honest review on iTunes so others can find us. It really means the world to our whole team when people do this, so this is your chance to make our day!