• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Those little betrayals

March 1, 2008
Portia Stewart, Editor, Team Channel Director

Mary's a customer service guru and a gossip. Lisa's a whiz with lab work, but she tends to grouch when she's pressed and running behind. These are the perfect set-ups for little betrayals.

Mary's a customer service guru and a gossip. Lisa's a whiz with lab work, but she tends to grouch when she's pressed and running behind. These are the perfect setups for little betrayals. While these well-meaning team members may be critical to your practice's success, you feel stabbed in the back every time the bases are loaded and you really need them to hit a home run.

Instead, you hear the hurtful little rumor circulating about your filing skills or end up on the wrong end of Lisa's barbed tongue on a busy Monday. That's no way to work.

The truth is, you may have little control over someone else's behavior. But you can impress others with your own. You've heard the term, "Grace under fire." I always like to imagine Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis at these times. My mantra: "Just be like Jackie O."

Advertisement

Now, I'm not saying you have to put up with this bad behavior—if you've evaluated the situation and action is warranted, head straight for your manager. Or have that fierce conversation with the team member who's giving you grief (see "Confront the Elephant" ). But it's always a good idea to be the calm, reasoned one in every situation. You'll be admired and others will want to be with you—or be like you.

This isn't easy. If you're a manager or team leader, it might mean restraining your temper when an employee circumvents you to ask another manager for advice—after you already offered up your recommendations. If you're a team member, it might mean you give grouchy Lisa a free pass every so often when everyone's stressed. And if it's only a little betrayal—something that doesn't hurt anyone and you'll shrug off when your temper cools—it's probably a good idea to take a few deep breaths. Then you can respond like the true professional you are—even when that means you must confront a co-worker about his or her behavior.

Believe me, I know it's no fun to have that sick feeling of betrayal. And you need to take action to restore good feelings and rebuild trust, if possible. Just remember to stay poised and you'll earn more respect from everyone you work with.

Portia Stewart, Editor

firstline@advanstar.com

Related Content:

Practice ManagerRoles
3 tips for selling your practice
3 tips for selling your practice
A day in the life of an Australian veterinary student
A day in the life of an Australian veterinary student
Texas Tech professor inspires students with large animal surgery
Texas Tech professor inspires students with large animal surgery

Advertisement

Latest News

Xylazine moves from the stables to the streets

DEA reports widespread threat of fentanyl mixed with xylazine

3 Must-reads for National Poison Prevention Week

UC Davis study on eye diseases in kittens

View More Latest News
Advertisement