Bringing Values to Life in Your Veterinary Team
We’re about to delve into something that could really transform the way your team operates and thrives together: values.
But not just the kind you find framed on a wall or listed on a website. We’re talking about the values that truly shape behaviour, guide decisions, and bring your team closer to its true potential.
So, What Are Team Values?
We’ve all seen them. The shiny, polished values that hang in reception, sit tucked into mission statements, or show up on company websites. Words like integrity, communication, respect, and excellence.
But let’s get real – how often do those words actually shape how we interact with each other on a daily basis?
If you’re like many veterinary teams out there, values might be a distant memory or something that’s mentioned rarely during meetings, only to fade away once the meeting ends.
Here’s the deal: values are meant to be more than just words.
They are action statements, guiding principles that define how we behave, what we celebrate, and what we reward within our teams. They reflect how we see ourselves and what drives us through challenges.
The Enron Example: Not the Best Model
To understand this better, let’s start with a story about a large American company you’ve likely heard of: Enron. On the wall in their main office lobby were four values:
- Integrity
- Communication
- Respect
- Excellence
Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, those values didn’t align with their actions, and we all know how that story ended… Executives facing jail time for fraud.
The Enron example is a pertinent reminder that values are only as powerful as the actions behind them.
Creating Your Team’s Values
So, how do you create values that go beyond a poster on the wall?
It all starts with reflecting on what you personally value in others. For example, if you admire people who stay calm under pressure, then a team value for you might be “cool under pressure” or “resilience in tough times.”
To really get to the heart of your team’s values, it’s important to look at your own experiences and reflect on the traits that inspire you. Think back to a time when you worked with someone who had a positive effect on you. What was it about their behaviour that stood out? Was it their patience, their empathy, or maybe their ability to think clearly in stressful moments?
A Quick Exercise to Get You Started
Take a walk with someone you trust – this could be a colleague or even a mentor – and share a story from your past that deeply impacted you. It could be a challenge you faced or a moment when you felt truly supported.
As you talk, ask them to help you distil that experience into a single value or action statement. For instance, your story might reveal that you value “patience” or “understanding.” Or it might lead to “bouncing back quickly” or “supporting others during stressful situations.”
The point is, the value is about how you want to see others behave – it’s about action, not just words.
Once you have your list of values, you can start grouping them into categories. You’ll likely notice some overlap. “Patience” and “calm under pressure” are related, for example. This is the first step in creating a list that’s focused, clear, and actionable for your team.
Bringing it All Together
In summary, team values are about behaviour.
They reflect what you expect from your teammates, but also what you want to bring to the table yourself. These values should act as action statements – how do we want people to behave when it really counts?
