Why Veterinary Toxicity rears its Ugly Head

Ever walked into a really messy space and thought, “How do people function within such mess?” Of course, the answer is simple: it isn’t “messy” in their eyes, it’s normal. The same can be said of the state of most organizations. What outsiders may label as unhealthy patterns would be dismissed as the standard by employees. They have grown so accustomed to their ways that it’s the status quo.  

And that’s almost inevitable, right? Employees don’t always have the resources or influence to change their entire workplace. But the real danger arises when the practice manager gets lulled into that same sense of complacency. The kind that desensitizes them to the putrid milieu of social illness pervasive in the clinic. It is, therefore, important that ­­­you as a veterinary manager know the symptoms of this danger in order to better combat it.  

In our last article, we addressed the ugly truth of toxicity in veterinary culture. Here we will endeavor to help you identify the trademarks of this condition. And in our webinar, we will give you the necessary tools to lop that ugly head straight off!

Veterinary Silence Speaks the Loudest

Veterinary hospitals are rarely ever quiet spaces. The irate animals’ yelps and hisses, the mechanical whirring of the equipment, the tingle and jangle of supplies, medical items, and medication being shifted around – all keep the peace at bay for sure. There is chaos, there is commotion, and there are cantankerous clients.

But there is a different kind of silence that thrives within this disorderly system. It lives off of passive aggression, bitterness, cold-shouldering, issue-avoidance, and neglect. We cannot express how much offence is the direct offspring of miscommunications. Each member must feel comfortable voicing their concerns, opinions, and ideas. But that’s easier said than done. The practice of holding team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and sticking slogans to the wall won’t do the trick in-and-of itself. Intention is what breathes life into these practices. When you implement these as steps to a goal of creating a Cohesive vet team culture – that’s when these become meaningful. That’s when you see an improvement in morale.

In the meantime, do the following if you want to run your team into the ground

• Shrug off your people’s voices, suggestions, and concerns.
• Ignore genuine attempts to find solutions.
• Don’t appreciate or reciprocate good intentions from your new veterinary teammates.
• Don’t clearly communicate changes or reasons for changes.
• Make decisions about the team without warning or consulting the team members.
• Make decisions that clearly only benefit one person (you).
• Acquire minions that report each other’s failures, weaknesses, and dysfunctions to their overlord (you).
• Why be honest with your veterinary team when you can just put up facades and make excuses?
• Give shout-outs to outperformers who clearly function by overworking and bully others to alleviate their stress.
• Feed off of people’s fear.
• Be a psychopath.
• Eat children.

As a result, you will: 

• Isolate new recruits, making them feel unwelcome.
• Stifle the flow of ideas and positive conversations.
• Help doubts to grow by silencing their expression.
• Rub dirt into wounds to help them fester into resentment.
• Ensure that all relationships are built on the foundations of cynicism and distrust.

If that’s not your style, then it is crucial to establish clear lines of communication to promote a supportive and inclusive work environment in your veterinary clinic.

And the Award Goes To…

Wait a minute. Before you start dishing out credit and bonuses, consider your motives. Consider the purpose. Do you do this because it’s a convention? Is it because that other clinic five miles north of you does it? Is it even having any effect in the long term?

Acknowledgements come in many forms and with many reasons. There is recognition for high-performance or contribution to the team or for finding creative solutions or client retention rates. But remember that true appreciation is both a courtesy and a message. What do we mean by the latter? Well, if you’re rewarding individuals, then that promotes a competitive spirit. If you instead make a rule that if the team accomplishes a quota of tasks then they get a surprise, that promotes team collaboration. This can be in the form of an outing, a fun activity like an escape room, or a shared prize. It should be some boon they may have been asking for since a while; something that they all can use and cherish, or a symbol of teamwork. Such as a mascot.

Dodging Responsibilities

Speaking of acknowledgements, let’s acknowledge that burnout is a serious issue and mustn’t be taken lightly. We encourage veterinary managers to draw the line for their clinical workers before they reach the point of no return. But there’s a difference between drawing boundaries to preserve one’s own wellbeing and shirking duties under the guise of exhaustion. The latter can signal indifference to the plight of desperate animals and fellow veterinarians. If there’s one thing that veterinarians understand, it’s empathy. And a seemingly insensitive teammate will attract coldness and bitterness from their coworkers and clients alike.

Often disputes and hostilities are borne from the refusal to help in a time of crisis. Rejecting small, non-stressful tasks such as answering calls, cleaning kennels, holding animals, or filling prescriptions can really be unwise. The way to manage such attitudes is to assess the capability of an individual in that role prior to hiring. Make it clear by outlining responsibilities and setting expectations right from the start. Also make your good intentions obvious from the start. There is no formula for how much work a veterinarian can or cannot do. Some people have a lower endurance. They may have disabilities, chronic illnesses, debilitating fatigue, or any other myriad of issues to combat with. Keep an eye out for veterinarians who seem at their wits ends. If you spot someone showing clear signs of exhaustion, even if they’re not acknowledging it, tell them to get some rest. This may be difficult and seem counterintuitive, but it will highlight to your team, especially new recruits, that their wellbeing surpasses the bottom line in terms of priorities.

Being a Group, not a Team

Group members feel like they are pulled together for administrative purposes. Members focus on themselves because they’re not sufficiently involved in the execution of organizational goals. Members are instructed and not asked their opinion on the best approach. Members often distrust the motives of superiors and co-workers. It’s each man for himself. Disagreement is considered non-supportive. Conflicts arise and remain unresolved by supervisors or superiors until the wound has festered. Personal motivation is seen as irrelevant and non-vital to the running of the business and therefore unaddressed.

If that sounded dreary to read, imagine how oppressive an environment it must be to work in.

Now teams on the other hand understand interdependence and mutual support. In a team, your goal is everyone’s goal. You work to meet the goal of the organization and the organization aids in your career goals. Whether that be research, further education, or social initiates, everyone takes interest and gets involved.

Teammates feel a sense of ownership. Commitment is borne of having established the groundrules, set the boundaries, and chosen goals themselves. Team leaders encourage participation and collaboration to find solutions. They stimulate honest and open communication, and absorb questions, ideas, and feelings. Conflict is natural and should be seen as an opportunity for growth, ideation, and creativity.

As a manager, a great first step is to figure out the personal goals and career objectives each member has. Sit down with them and draft resolutions, commitments, find out their aims and desires. Find out what they care about, what initiative they’re part of. Offer them support in the completion of those. Have the team be involved in supporting that plan.