Increase Your Value To The Practice

A typical day in our industry could include significant physical exertion, managing high maintenance clients, staying two steps ahead of the doctor, and coming into contact with more forms of bodily fluids than one cares to admit.

It comes as no surprise then that according to the Department of Labor statistics, there is a significant number of veterinary staff who exit the field after a few years. Even with its inherent gratification from serving animals and their people, many veterinary technicians and client services ultimately find themselves wanting ‘more.’

More may mean:

• more responsibility
• more recognition
• more in the paycheck
• more flexibility
• and so on.

For those who still have the passion and dedication that motivated them to work with animals in the first place, there are plenty of ways to achieve this within the field. No matter what your desired destination, moving up in the veterinary profession starts with making yourself more valuable to your practice and your profession.

You may have heard the expression “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have.”

Climbing the ladder in veterinary medicine, or in any field, starts with doing more. For those who are able to significantly increase their value to the practice, doors will open. In this sense, you must “Do the job you want, AND the one you have.”

Six Ways To Increase Your Value to the Practice

1. Become a Power Problem Solver
2. Learn To Be a Leader
3. Help Others Succeed
4. Move The Organization Forward
5. Commit To Continuous Learning
6. Be Accountable

Let’s review these 6 ways in greater detail.

1. Become A Power Problem Solver
Let’s face it—it’s easy to complain about what’s wrong around us. Misery loves company, right? Unfortunately, not only does complaining not fix the original problem, it contributes to a toxic work environment. Becoming a problem solver starts with a very simple change in mindset. Pretend that the problems you see are yours to solve. Take your solutions to management and discuss them. If you are the one thinking through solutions and fixing the issues instead of complaining, it will be noticed—and appreciated!

2. Learn To Be A Leader
The biggest misconception about leadership in the workplace is that you have to have a title to lead. We have all known managers or supervisors who had the title but were not effective leaders, and most likely you have known someone who leads from within the pack. Simply put, a leader influences other people. Regardless of position, title, age or level of education, the person who has the most influence over the rest of the staff has the greatest power in the practice. Begin your own quest for personal development as a leader through reading books, attending seminars, or working with a mentor. The lessons you learn will have a tremendous impact on many areas of your life.

Related articles:
Servant Leadership in Practice: 10 Tips
Servant Leadership in Veterinary Medicine
The 5 Qualities of an Authentic Leader

3. Help Others Succeed
You might be the most highly skilled veterinary technician who ever walked the planet. Even if you can set an IV catheter in a wiggly geriatric Yorkie with eyes closed and one hand tied behind your back, your value to the practice may be only what you can physically do yourself. No matter how advanced your skills, you are only one person, and you can work only so many hours. The practice performs optimally when each team member works effectively and efficiently to do their part in caring for the client and the patient. No one person can accomplish this completely by themselves. Your value increases exponentially when you begin to allow others, and ultimately the practice, to benefit from your skills and knowledge by sharing, teaching, and supporting those around you.

Ask, Don't Tell: A Coaching Approach to Staff Development

4. Move The Organization Forward
Continually think about how to make things better in your practice. Try to come up with ideas on how to help the company reach goals such as getting more patients in the door, improving client compliance, or streamlining the inventory process. If the goals are not clear, ask your owner or manager what they are. Write down and share ideas that could have a significant impact on client service, patient care, or employee morale. If it is clear that you are an integral part of the improvement of the practice, your owner will take note.

5. Commit To Continuous Learning
Take the initiative to add to or improve your technical skills as well as to your interpersonal skills. Become a lifelong learner in all areas that could contribute to your success at work. Although there are many easy and inexpensive ways to do this on your own, your owner is likely to be willing to invest in your learning if you are able demonstrate the value to the practice.

6. Be Accountable
Owners need to be able to trust their leaders. Admit when you make mistakes. Ask for help when you need it. Make the buck stop with you. If you conduct yourself every day with a high level of transparency and integrity, you will be the one who is tapped to take on more responsibility.

Changing the Notion of Accountability

Whether you want to move to a different position, take on more responsibility, or simply negotiate better salary or benefits, taking these steps will significantly increase your bargaining power!