Having worked in the veterinary management profession for 20 years, I thought it might be worthwhile to share what I know now but wished I knew then...
STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE, NOT PERFECTION
Growing up, I constantly strove for perfection in my work. I didn't want to have errors in equations or syntax errors in my writings. When I began working for a large retailer during high school, I tried mightily to continue to be a good student, a reliable employee and a leader in the school’s band all at once. This pursuit of perfection continued with me into my college years. Soon after completing college, I accepted a position as a professional sales representative for a Fortune 500 company that manufactured custom business forms. When printing large quantities of hospital emergency room records, for example, as was common in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, one’s work had to be error-free. I remember agonizing over whether a design or sales order was “perfect” and ready to submit to the customer for approval or the plant for manufacturing. Upon joining a veterinary hospital in 1994, I still possessed this mindset. I recall having spent nearly 40 hours putting together a strategic and operating plan for our hospital only to realize that many of the recommendations in my plan would never see the light of day. It was then that I realized that the need to be perfect came at a cost. I learned that excellence or "quality" in work is a much more realistic, attainable and sustainable goal.
THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO DO THINGS
When I first started working for the hospital I am currently employed at there were a fair number of established department managers. One of those individuals, who I would directly work with, had a certain way of doing things. Being the newly appointed, diligent hospital administrator, I would tell this person precisely how I wanted things done. This employee would then do the tasks their way. When I would question the final product because it was not done exactly as I had prescribed, they become frustrated. As we worked together, we learned each other’s preferred learning styles (this employee was more auditory and I was more visual) and I began to simply focus on the desired outcome and not the process by which it was accomplished. This newly learned trait came in handy many times when we were sorting through compliance audits, sales tax audits and similar projects. By understanding each other’s learning styles and strengths, we were able to work together harmoniously for many years until this person retired just a couple of years ago.
LEADERSHIP IS MORE HEART THAN BRAIN
One of the dumbest moves of my career came in the mid-1990s when a staff member came to work and announced that his apartment had been burglarized and that he had lost his bike, some clothes, etc. Logically, I asked whether his bike had been locked on the patio of his first-level apartment, and he said that it had not. Knowing that other break-ins had occurred in his complex recently, I mentioned something to the effect that I was sorry about his loss and that basically he needed to start working now. The details that followed are not pretty, but that very hour I lost a pretty good employee who essentially left the job without notice, citing that his manager should be much more understanding and compassionate.
A few years later at that same hospital, a female client services manager resigned when I privately questioned her actions. She exclaimed, “You might be a pretty good administrator but you have a lot to learn about managing women.” In hind sight, while my actions were right and her leaving was a good thing, I realized I need to be hard on issues but soft on people.
While these are certainly not all of the lessons I have learned over the last 20 years, these are the ones that stand out the most to me. Looking forward I know that there will be plenty of more learning opportunities to glean from my experiences in my continued pursuit of excellence.