I was on the phone recently with a practice owner. She mentioned that Practice Managers week was approaching and wondered what ways she could show appreciation to her manager.
As a former manager for 23 years, I can say that outward signs of appreciation are typically few and far between. When I started my management career, I vividly remember my practice owner’s wife saying, “If you are expecting a lot of pats on the back, you are going to be disappointed, that is not Steve.” My response was, “As long as he gives me a clear path and supports my decisions, I don’t need a lot of praise”. I one hundred meant it – and it was a good thing because she was right.
Still, we worked together for 19 years without conflict, and I knew I was doing good work because I was given autonomy to run the practice. It didn’t happen overnight, and I didn’t expect it would or SHOULD. Trust isn’t instantly given just because you have the title. I have seen good managers and poor managers, managers who go overboard to support their practice and the team, and those who manipulate and steal, poorly trained managers who cause more harm than good, and instinctively brilliant managers who know how to build a vision for their team and make work feel like fun. It is true that employees don’t leave jobs; they leave bad management -or perhaps they are supported by great managers to move onward and upward. As a manager, my proudest accomplishments were not the profit margins we hit but the fact that most of my staff enjoyed their work and stayed for over 10 years in all positions. Many who moved on became veterinarians. At least nine of those became practice owners. That is a great legacy.
Back to the question – what can teams do to support and celebrate their manager this week?
- Show up for work on time – this shows respect for the entire team, but is one less problem the manager needs to address
- Be nice to others – a great deal of manager time is spent sorting out team drama. A week drama-free is a gift!
- Acknowledge the difficulties of the job – Much manager’s work is done behind the scenes and is intellectual work that is hard to see. Thank your manager for setting a fair schedule, taking over for you with a challenging client, addressing once again that you forgot to clock in, and fixing your timecard. Yes, it is their job, but placing catheters may be your job, and we all still like a little celebration when we hit a kitten vein.
- Remember them when you go pick up lunch for each other. I worked at my desk many days just because I had a deadline to meet, and when someone offered me food, I was so grateful!
- Include them – Managing can be lonely, and asking your manager to join a few of you for lunch or coffee can be so appreciated. You may learn something you didn’t know about each other that makes working together even better.
- Think about how to make the practice shine and share it with your manager. As a manager, I loved it when my team was thinking about how we could get better and better for our clients and our patients. Having a team that is engaged in building something together is the BEST!
- Don’t text, email, or call after the close of the day unless the building is burning. A manager spends much of the day in constant problem-solving mode. Mental downtime is precious. Let them BE OFF! Everything is not urgent and just because you think of it at midnight doesn’t mean you need to text your manager. It can wait. Make a note – pens still are a useful tool!
- Tokens of appreciation – some of my most treasured items are small, inexpensive gifts my team members brought me back from trips or out shopping. I haven’t managed a practice in over 20 years, and these things still make me smile and bring back memories of staff members who I loved.
- Take responsibility– if you can solve a problem – do it! Managers don’t like to be micromanaged by owners, nor do they want to spend their time micromanaging the team. They need to have confidence that their team can handle things on their own, and showing them you have the chops to handle things that pop up is a gift they are thrilled to receive.
- Acknowledge they are human. Everyone makes mistakes, and most of the time they are never meant to be harmful. When managers make mistakes, it is easy to place blame. I confess I made some poor hires in my career, goofed on paychecks, missed training folks on topics they needed to learn, and much more. It was never intentional. Usually, it was because I was always pushed for time, had little option (hiring), or just missed stuff because there were so many distractions. Give GRACE. One day, you will need someone to give it to you.
So, teams and owners – take this week to appreciate your veterinary practice managers. They are the conductors of the orchestra that is your hospital. You can bring them food, gifts, and hang a banner, but I guarantee they would rather have you follow my list all week, and even better – all year around.
Happy Veterinary Practice Managers Week!
