How veterinary professionals can contribute to organizational leadership

Frontline veterinary team members often have the clearest view of what is and is not working within a practice. In this video, taken at the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention in Anaheim, California, earlier this month, Anita Patel, DVM, senior director of clinical excellence at IndeVets, discusses why transparency and constructive feedback are essential to organizational improvement, arguing that technicians, veterinarians, and practice managers are uniquely positioned to identify both strengths and areas for change. Rather than simply pointing out problems, Patel emphasizes the importance of proposing solutions and explaining why a process succeeds or fails, so leadership can make more informed decisions about the organization’s direction.

Below is the transcript, which has been lightly edited for clarity.

dvm360: How can veterinary professionals in different roles, including technicians, managers, and client service team members, contribute to organizational leadership?

Anita Patel, DVM: I think one of the biggest ways is transparency—being honest with what you're seeing, because it's the people on the ground floor that know. They know what our areas of opportunity as an organization are. They know what our areas of excellence are and where we really, really do well. So I encourage everyone within an organization—doesn't matter where you are—to really take a look at what you do and the others around you, and don't be hesitant to come back with feedback.

It's more than just saying, “This isn't working,” or, “This is working really well.” It's coming to the table and saying, “This is why this is working well.” Or, if something isn't, then what is your solution? How do we fix that? Because as the practice managers, technicians, and veterinarians on the floor, you have the most insight into what is needed within that organization, so that insight that you provide and those solutions that you provide are going to be much more helpful than anything else.