Send Photos of Your Pets for The Newsletter and Website
We would like to add your pet photos to our newsletter and website!! Please send along your favorite photos of your pets (yes, with or without you in them). We know you love to show off your "babies¨, so please share them with us all!! You may see them online or in the next newsletter!!
Advertise in the VHCT2 Newsletter VHCT2 is now offering advertising space in our newsletter. Please contact Denise @ 622-8985 or dechampagne@aol.com for more information.
Top 10 Ways To Create and Keep Your Dream Team
1. First You Must Create Your VISION of Your Dream Team What type of team members are you looking for? What qualities must they possess? What skills do they have? What values do they have? WRITE ALL THIS DOWN! Create a vision of your ideal candidate, then create an “absolute yes list”. ( the pieces of the vision that are non-negotiable)
2. Recruit and Interview Only the Best (Use the “absolute yes list”) Where are the people that you are looking for? How will you screen them? Create a SPECIFIC interview process. DON’T settle it just doesn’t work.
3. Create Job Descriptions and Practice Manuals These are important in helping your team know their responsibilities and boundaries.
4. Create Your Training Program Don’t do this “on the fly”. Proper training is the way you invest in the future of your practice and the future of your new team members. Also, TRAIN THE TRAINERS! What do you expect from them? Don’t forget your own personal and professional development.
5. Develop Practice Structure and Organizational Charts Have a flow chart for “lines of communication/ lines of authority” This shows the appropriate lines of communication…who talks to who. Stick with this. Don’t allow team members to circumvent. Back up your supervisors.
6. Establish Lines of Communication Be sure to have regular, organized team meetings (with an agenda and minutes for all to revisit) Really listen and acknowledge your teams input! Have a staff bulletin board, message board or mail boxes. Utilize team questionnaires. Take advantage of communication training and workshops for your team members and yourself.
7. Give Feedback Immediate and appropriate feedback is absolutely critical. Reinforce the greatness in each individual! Don’t forget- What you focus on, you get more of! Conduct regular, fair and honest performance review and development meetings. Set individual goals.
8. Have a Practice Vision and Practice Goals Share your vision for the practice with your team. Share your practice SMART goals with your team. Share information with your team ( example; income this year vs. last year, expenses that have increased, # of new clients this year vs. last year, etc) A common goal is critical to a team’s success. They need “buy-in”, they need to feel a part of the goal.
9. Create a Rewards System Have the team help create or vote on a fun system for staff rewards. When your team reaches individual and/or practice goals, acknowledge and reward them! When someone goes above and beyond, encourage team members to acknowledge each other.
10. Create a Culture of Empowerment Create an environment that encourages your team to use their skills, knowledge and experience. Focus on strengths but allow them to stretch in new areas. Encourage continuing education
Finally, Believe in your team- all of them – and they will rise to your belief!
Written by Denise Champagne CVT, CEG
Veterinary Practice Coach, Business and Leadership Coach
Time to Renew!
It is time to renew your VHCT2 membership!! See the Membership section of this website to apply. We would love it if you shared a copy with a colleague. JOIN TODAY and don't miss out on your member discounts and more!!
HOSPITAL CENSUS
Start the day or shift by going through the wards and take notes on each patient in the hospital. (This can be done on a.m. rounds) Note the patient’s name, sex, doctor in charge, why he/she was brought in, and any updates so far. Copy the page and put it up front for the receptionist’s and phone techs.
This census can be particularly helpful for the receptionists and phone techs when a client calls for an update. This will give them all the quick info they need to start off on the right foot with the owner. (You will know which doctor is in charge, and you won’t call Fido “he” when she is a “she”) As far as the updates go, be careful to check the current status of the patient when the owner calls for a more timely update.
