Shawn G. McVey, MA, MSW

Shawn McVey challenges Veterinary Economics Managers' Retreat attendees to take a look at themselves.

I'm going through an ?unexpected romantic breakup, and it's affecting my veterinary work. Several of my co-workers have noticed my distraction and made comments. I'm trying to stay more focused, but I don't want to talk about my personal life-our practice manager tends to gossip. I don't want to lose my job over this. What should I do? -Broken Heart

Your clothes are talking for you at the veterinary clinic. Find out what they're saying.

Find out how a professional makeover could better your veterinary career.

One of the technicians at our practice has made friends with a lot of the practice's clients on Facebook. The problem is, sometimes she posts personal comments about her politics and her activities that make me uncomfortable. As the practice manager, should I say anything?

What do I do if I'm the toxic team member?

Our veterinarian constantly picks on everything we do at work. Help!

Don't ignore your emotions, but don't fight them.

Somebody else's mom or dad, husband or wife, or son or daughter. It?s easy to feel on the outside when you have a front-row seat to personal relationships in the veterinary workplace. Use this advice from Firstline board member Shawn McVey to navigate tricky waters with style.

I'm a male technician in a mostly female practice. I've been here just as long as another female technician who's less experienced than me. She was promoted-I wasn't. How do I get my fair shake?

Are you just painfully grinding through your days? It's time to put your clinical knowledge aside and start retooling your brain for a new kind of intelligence that can help-the emotional kind.

Cool heads and cognitive solutions prevail.

Our assigned office call technician takes frequent, long restroom breaks. How should I approach this topic with the employee?

Watch for schism in the clinic.

Work toward practice harmony right now.

Learn what to do when a veterinary client finds a lost pet and doesn't want to return him to his owners.

You can show offensive veterinary clients the door.

Here's what to do when the veterinarian at your clinic doesn't believe in pain management.

Innovative ideas for showing gratitude.

Do these describe your clinic? Let's hope not.

Q. Our doctor is a heavy smoker, and his smoke breaks are getting in the way of patient care. What should I do?

Whatever the problem, Shawn McVey can help. See what he has to say about these five veterinary team dilemmas.

Q: How should we deal with a teacher's pet?

Anything perceived as real is real in its consequences Anonymous

Most common complaint of managers in veterinary medicine.

A common mistake made by managers is to ignore problem situations and employees.

An OB Model for Studying Individual Differences

Q: I ordered sympathy cards for clients who recently euthanized pets, and I'm not sure what to write. Any suggestions on what I should say to ease their pain? -Tongue Tied

You are being paid to make your place of employment the best it can be. Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?

Self-efficacy: "A person's belief about his or her chances of successfully accomplishing a specific task."