If you work in a veterinary practice or in the pet industry or in a business that supplies goods or services to the industry and you have something to say - why not become a 'Guest Blogger'?
For more information click here to read our: Guidelines for Guest Bloggers
Over these three posts, we’ll teach you the intricacies of influencing change. Armed with practical strategies, you’ll learn how to lead your veterinary team through periods of change to achieve successful outcomes for your practice.
But first, let’s talk about why change can feel like trying to herd cats! It starts by understanding our natural resistance to change and how the world around us, led by technology, reinforces our existing beliefs.
So, why is it so darn challenging to convince others to embrace change? Well, there are two significant hurdles:
While the former might require tweaking habits and routines, the latter is more complicated.
In our modern world, with the advent of social media and other technologies, information is abundant but often filtered to fit snugly within our existing beliefs, reinforcing our worldviews and perpetuating our resistance to change.
As veterinary leaders, we must confront the challenge of breaking through the noise and embracing diverse viewpoints head-on.
To help you and your team become familiar with the discomfort that stems from sudden change, let’s try a fun role play exercise!
Break off into pairs, taking a moment to observe one another’s appearance.
Round 1: Standing back-to-back, change three things about your appearance and identify each other’s changes. Easy, right?
Round 2: Another three changes. Is it still manageable? Or are you starting to feel uncomfortable keeping up?
Round 3: Now, switch it up with ten different changes. Overwhelming, isn’t it?
The discomfort you might feel as the changes escalate mirrors the natural resistance we all experience when confronted with change.
As we gradually up the ante, you’ll notice how too much change, too quickly, becomes overwhelming. Remember, change is a marathon, not a sprint!
Navigating this resistance and paving the way to smoother transitions within your veterinary team relies on three golden rules.
Small steps lead to big transformations. Think bite-sized changes that gradually build momentum. In his acclaimed book Atomic Habits, James Clear emphasises the power of incremental progress.
Take your team on the change journey with you. Use empathy and effective communication to help them understand the ‘why’ behind the change and support them through the transition.
Persuasion is a group journey, not a solo expedition. Take time to listen and empathise. By inviting others on this voyage, you not only alleviate resistance but also foster a culture of collaboration and growth.
Change is inevitable, and mastering the art of persuasion requires grace and finesse.
Paul is the founding principal of the Lincoln Institute and is a highly sought-after executive coach, facilitator and keynote presenter with a focus on stimulating organisational team and individual leadership potential. Paul is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy, University of New South Wales, the Royal Military College Duntroon and was awarded the prestigious Sasakawa Leadership Scholarship by the Australian Graduate School of Management’s Executive MBA program.
Connect with Paul:
As veterinary professionals, it's important that we equip pet owners with effective strategies to alleviate their dogs' anxiety caused by fireworks during the festive season. As the festive season approaches, the anticipation of fireworks displays becomes a source of...
