Are You Inspiring Your Veterinary Team?

The original post was published in 2011 & was  inspired by an article from HC Online which is no longer available but the content is still valid as evidenced by the fact that this was one of our most popular posts in February 2017.

Woah!

Recent report has found that 48% of Australian employees rate the ability to motivate and inspire as the single most important attribute of a successful leader!

How things have changed - only 12% of employees rated the ability to adapt as the most important attribute of a successful leader.  So although in the past the ability to adapt to change and guide your team through uncertainty was essential it now seems to be all about inspiration.

The study also showed that nearly a third of Australian workers are motivated by an organisation's vision and having a strong understanding of how their role contributes to achieving the organisations' goals. 

This is seen as the single biggest motivator affecting their performance.

So as a leader what do you need to do?

First up - you need to make sure you have a vision & it's written down!  Next you need to be able to articulate what that vision means to each and every one of your team members.  Your vision is going to mean different things to your Practice Manager and to your receptionist.  Your challenge is to communicate the vision in such a way that it becomes meaningful to all.

Finally you need to consistently and constantly remind your team what you are there to achieve.  Not so it becomes boring & repetitive, but so your vision continues to inspire and engage!

What about my Mission Statement I hear you ask? Is it the same as a Vision? The easiest way to explain it is that your mission is what you do best every day, and your vision is what the future looks like because you do that mission so exceedingly well.

MISSION (managing) - managing with greatness and untamed strength, improving everything daily.

VISION (leadership) - leading with inspiration and courage, obsessed with future possibility, in a love affair with change.

Your aim as a leader is to turn them both into mantras that people actually say with pride in their voice - "This is my company, and I’m glad it is". Both your mission and vision need to be alive - they both need to evolve, reinvent & grow as you grow. 

Visit the Vetanswers Resources Page - Operations for some great resources to help you articulate an inspiring vision and develop the best mission statement for your veterinary business:

• How to Write Your Mission Statement (Vetanswers Blog)
• Creating Your Practice Mission Statement - Worksheet (Word document, 1 page)
• Your Missions Should You Choose to Accept It (link to a dvm360 article)

The information for this blog came from a number of sources including 'What's the difference between Mission and Vision' from Stepcase Lifehack.