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Veterinary Practice News Editorial Blog:
Friday, December 11, 2009
Homegrown or Imported?
By Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR
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As I participate in discussions of veterinary practice management with various people, I always find it interesting when the topic turns to “homegrown or imported” managers. That is, the difference between someone who has “grown up” in veterinary medicine and moved into a management position, versus someone who has learned management out in the “human” world and then ventured into our profession.
Perhaps my bias shows in that last sentence, when I call it “our” profession. I am a bit territorial. Yes, it might be my upbringing, because I am one of those “homegrown” management types, but my opinion is also formed by my observations throughout my career.
I do personally believe that it’s important for a manager to understand the work, the profession, the temperament of our professionals, the medical background behind all we do to help pets, and the tendency to truly understand and relate to the human-animal bond.
I’m not saying that an “import” cannot learn all of this, or perhaps comes with some of it already, but I’m always a bit more skeptical of the “imports” … perhaps they just have to prove themselves in more ways than a homegrown manager.
I also wonder why they want to enter the world of veterinary medicine. It’s no secret that they will make more money out in the human world. Even if they dabble in our world, they may decide that the lack of pay doesn’t make up for the need to prove themselves on so many levels, and they leave on their own accord.
Yet those of us in veterinary medicine have decided long ago, if we stuck around, that we aren’t in this for the money but for the love of pets and their people. But we have to look beyond my personal opinion, and ask the team.
As for the team’s opinion, I think it can be difficult for them to choose. They will be apt to support and respect someone who has done the same work they have, someone who has been an assistant, veterinary technician, front office personnel, or similar and moved up to management through the career ladder within veterinary medicine (OK, stepladder).
They can relate better to this person, and feel that this manager can relate better to them and the work they do. However, the team is the first to admit that some homegrown types do not know enough about management, or how to BE a manager, to get the job done right.
So the question becomes not which is better necessarily, but how do we make our veterinary professionals into better managers? It’s about course work, yes, but it’s also about personality and leadership, and the presence of a good mentor (or at least bad ones to show us the wrong way to manage).
Ah, but the other question is, are there enough people in veterinary medicine who truly WANT to be management? That may be the more difficult question to answer.
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