Dr. Mike Pownall presented on improving communication between veterinary team members for the annual convention of the American Association of Equine Veterinary Technicians.

1. How to Improve Communication
Between Team Members
Mike Pownall, DVM, MBA

3. 2016 McKee-Pownall Results
• 77% Engagement
• Vet dissatisfaction
•73% vs 80%
• Communication
• Workload
• Job Satisfaction

5. “Measuring the health of the relationship between the
organization and its employees.”
•Give employees a voice
•What do we do well?
•Where can we improve?
•Help us plan for the future
•Measure your efforts
Diagnostic Tool – Employee Engagement Survey

6. •34 Questions on a scale of 1-5
•5 Sections
•Anonymous other than job role
•Area for comments after each
question

7. Scoring Employee Engagement
20 - 39% = Poor
40 - 59% = Good but needs attention
60 - 79% = Overall good but not “High”
80 - 100% = High Employee Engagement

8. Career Development
• Opportunities for growth
• Company commitment to internal and external
training
“I am satisfied with the amount of time and money the
company invests in my Continuing Education”

9. Work Engagement
• How inspired, supported and excited employees are
• Sense of ownership in the company
• Teamwork, peer support, willingness to take on new
challenges, workload
“I feel that the number and complexity of tasks and the
general workload at the company are manageable.”

10. Compensation and Benefits
• Sense of fairness around compensation – within the
company and compared to local competitors
• Fairness of compensation administration
• Benefits and work-life balance
“I am confident that the method used to determine my
wage or salary increases on a yearly basis is fair.”

11. Relationship Management
• Communication, Relationships and Recognition
• “Communication between management and
employees is excellent here.”
• “Management recognizes strong job performance.”
• “Senior management and employees trust and respect
each other.”

12. Work Environment
• Culture and core values awareness
“I feel like the management and staff of the practice
adhere to the Core Values.”
“I understand how my work impacts the business goals
of the practice.”

13. 2017 Global Employee Engagement Results
Country Percentage % Change 2016-2017
Japan 38% + 2%
France 38% + 6%
Germany 54% - 2%
Netherlands 57% + 7%
UK 56% - 3%
USA 64% --
Global Average 65% + 2%
China 68% + 2%
Canada 69% - 1%
http://images.transcontinentalmedia.com/LAF/lacom/Aon_2018_Trends_In_Global_Employee_Engage
ment.pdf

14. Oculus Survey Averages to Date
Overall Veterinarians Administrative/
Office Staff
Vet
Technician/Vet
Assistants
Global 74.7% 75.4% 73.7% 74.9%
EU 71.6% 72.0% 73.2% 69.7%
North America 76.0% 76.3% 75.4% 74.9%

15. Oculus Survey Feedback Trends
 Management - employee communication
 Salary Amounts/Transparency of Increases/Reviews
 Vets tend to score a bit higher overall, non-DVM lower
 High sense of ownership overall
 High amount of collegiality between staff
What conclusions can we make from this data?
Are the results positive, or negative overall?

16. What is “Employee Engagement?”
• “Engaged employees are in the game for the sake of the
game; they believe in the cause of the organization.” –Paul
Marciano, PhD
• “Employee engagement is the emotional commitment the
employee has to the organization and its goals.” –Kevin
Kruse

17. What is “Employee Engagement?”
• “There are only three measurements that tell you
nearly everything you need to know about your
organization’s overall performance: employee
engagement, customer satisfaction, and cash flow.” –
Jack Welch

18. Culture
Hiring
Training
Communication
Performance
Management
Measuring
Compensation

19. Company Culture

20. What is Culture?
Beliefs, values and actions of the collective
work force
It is often not defined, rather it is implied
“It’s how we do things here”

21. Oculus Survey Results - Culture
“I am happy with the overall Culture of the company”
73%
• “there are lots of double standards”
• “Culture??”
• “Greatly appreciate we are not cut throat towards each
other and can trust and rely on each other”
• “There is definitely room for improvement but the overall
culture is improving”

23. Foundations for Culture
• Mission
• Vision
• Values

24. Why are We Here?
Mission – our purpose for being in business
“To give our clients peace of mind in the health care choices
they make for their horse by helping them make informed
decisions.” (McKee-Pownall)

25. Where are We Going?
Vision – What are we aiming for? – our North Star
"Our vision is to be earth's most customer centric
company; to build a place where people can come to
find and discover anything they might want to buy
online.” (Amazon)

26. Core Values
• Support your mission and help fulfill your vision
• Reflect and describe the culture of the company
• Provide guidelines and expectations for behaviour of
staff
• A consistent lens through which decisions can be
tested and made
“What’s it like to work here?”

27. Hiring
Careful, deliberate hire vs. “Desperation Hire”
Process:
• Resumes and cover letters
• Phone Screening Interview
• In-Person Interview
• Working Interview

28. Hire the Smile
Train the Skill

29. Employee Training

30. Oculus Survey Results - Training
“I am satisfied with the internal (inhouse) job-related
training the company offers.”
71%
• “No internal training for management/leadership.”
• “our practice thrives on the ‘figure it out’ method and
we attract great independent people because of that
but we could create better teamwork and maybe keep
some people who are great employees too but just
have a different skill set if we had time to train.”

31. • “The message of experience of the 4 partners is
especially valuable.”
• “Guidance and assistance are often absent after your
first day.”
• “It's usually sink or swim because we are too busy to
slow down and train or we need the bodies else
where because we are short handed. We hold many
CE events here, but none for our own personnel.”

32. Why Have Structured Training?
• Better adjustment to the workplace
• Structure increases chances for success
• Consistency
• Clear Expectations
• Increased Self-Confidence
• Increased engagement.
• Alan M. Saks, Jamie A. Gruman, (2011) "Getting newcomers engaged: the role of socialization tactics", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 26 Iss: 5, pp.383 - 402

33. Communication

34. Oculus Survey Results - Communication
“Communication between management and employees
is excellent here” – 62%
• “I can not agree because often decisions concerning
my job are not communicated openly and directly.”
• “Communication is something we all strive to do
effectively. We are still working on finding the balance
- sometimes we over communicate and sometimes we
under communicate.”

35. • “Communication is sparse and often piecemeal.
Things are discussed among some, but not all. Then
assumptions get made and everyone is not on the
same page.”
• “Sorry, but it's horrible. We contact mgmt, and
frequently don't hear back. Not everyone in the group
is included in group emails, a couple people may know
about a change being made, but not anyone else it
affects, etc.”
• “Generally good. Where it breaks down are the
personalities that would rather whisper than talk.”

36. Communication Barriers
• No time
• “Just do your job” – Mushroom Effect
• Inconsistent methods
• Hierarchical culture
• Gender differences
• Generational differences
• Giving negative feedback is uncomfortable

37. The Impact of Poor Communication
• Medical errors
• Tension in the work force
• Poor staff morale

38. Ideal Communication
• Effective communication removes the barriers that
may impede progress
• Timely and deliberate
• Staff at all levels feel comfortable communicating
directly with anyone in the organization – even about
difficult/uncomfortable subjects

39. How to Achieve Excellent Communication
• Know communication styles of co-workers
• Provide right communication tools
• Culture of transparency
• Provide training

40. Communication Styles
• Analytical: Prefer to have data and facts; use specific and
precise language
• Intuitive: Prefer to get the big picture and not get bogged down
in too much detail
• Functional: Prefer to focus on the process and think through
plans step by step
• Personal: Prefer to place emphasis on relationships and
establishing personal connections to understand what others
are thinking

41. Means of Internal Communication
• What’s the purpose of a staff meeting?
• Huddle Meetings
• Slack Messaging
• Email Blasts
• Conference Calls
• Private Facebook Group
• One-on-One Conversation about ideas, issues, and
concerns**

42. Emotional Intelligence = Self Awareness
• Recognizing our emotions as well as others’
• Empathizing
• Understanding WHY you react the way you do to
certain situations/types of communication
• Trigger avoidance
• Managing personal emotions depending on the
situation and stimuli

43. Difficult Conversations
What is a Difficult Conversation? Why do we have them?
• Purpose: To tell someone something they may not want to hear,
in a way they can take it, so that a change can happen.
• Stakes are high
• Emotions run strong
• Opinions and perceptions on the topic vary and can be hard to
pinpoint

44. Success is saying…
•The right thing
•To the right person
•At the right time
•In the right way
•For the right reason

45. Reflection Prior to the Conversation
• Partners, not opponents
• What is my purpose for having this conversation? What do I want
to accomplish? What does the ideal outcome look like?
• What is my part in this situation? Own it.
• Be careful with assumptions about the other person - impact
doesn’t indicate intent!
• What buttons of mine are being pushed?
• Be prepared to control your reactions – focus on the purpose and
desired outcome
• Relinquish Ego. Be vulnerable.

46. During the Meeting
Inquiry - Fact Finding Mission:
• Outline what your concerns are up front – use careful
language – “I feel like..” “It seems like...”
• Not “you always...” “you never...”
• Once you’ve outlined your concerns, ask questions,
listen to the answers
• Avoid interrupting, challenging, disagreeing

47. Acknowledgement – I hear you:
• Show you’ve heard and understood that “this sounds
really important to you”
• Explain their reaction/position back to them to be
sure you’re on the same page
• Acknowledgement doesn’t equal agreement – just
that you’ve heard and respect their position.

48. Problem Solving – Let’s build a solution together:
• Ask the other person what they think might work.
Whatever they say, find something you like and build
on it.
• If the conversation becomes adversarial, go back to
inquiry. Asking for the other’s point of view usually
creates safety and encourages him/her to engage.
• If you’ve been successful in staying focused on your
purpose, adjusting your attitude, and engaging with
inquiry and useful purpose then problem solving
should be a relatively easy logical next step.

49. How Do I Begin?
• I have something I’d like to discuss with you that I think will help us
work together more effectively.
• I’d like to talk about ____________ with you, but first I’d like to get
your point of view.
• I need your help with what just happened. Do you have a few minutes
to talk?
• I need your help with something. Can we talk about it (soon)? If the
person says, “Sure, let me get back to you,” follow up with him.
• I think we have different perceptions about
_____________________. I’d like to hear your thinking on this to see
if we might reach a better understanding about it.
• I’d like to talk about ___________________. I think we may have
different ideas about how to _____________________.

50. The Generation Gap

51. Traditionalists
• 1925-1945
Boomers
• 1946-1964
Gen X
• 1965- 1984
Millennials
• 1982-2004

52. Quiz Time
•Which group is the most competitive?
•Which group values career opportunities
the most?
•Which group thinks it is appropriate to do
what they are told to do?
•Which group values feedback the most?
• Economist.com

53. “The children now love luxury. They have bad
manners, contempt for authority; they show
disrespect for elders and love chatter in place
of exercise.”
Socrates

55. Engaging Millennials
• Development and growth opportunities
• Personal and Professional
• Clear Expectations and Guidelines
• Ongoing Multidirectional Feedback
• Ask for their opinion, and listen

56. ”Young people need models, not critics”
John Wooden

57. Oculus Survey Results - Appreciation
“Management recognizes strong job performance.”
65%
• “More often would be great!”
• “I'm not sure since no feedback unless negative :(“
• “Strong job performance is recognized by
management, but not always shared with the
employee(s) or made common knowledge”

58. “A Person Who
Feels Appreciated
Will Always do
More than is
Expected”
unknown

59. Why dwell on the positive?
•Leaves a lasting positive impression on the
recipient – confidence boost
•Fosters collaboration and appreciation between
peers/managers
•It’s motivating to know what we are doing is
meaningful and appreciated
•Thinking positively about others and appreciating
their contributions makes the “thanker” feel good!

60. Why don’t we say thank you enough?
• “They’re just doing their job…”
• We have to put our neck out – it can be uncomfortable
• Unsure about how the recipient will take it, is it
appropriate?
• “Once I did bad and that I heard ever/Twice I did good,
but that I heard never.”
• One mistake vs pattern of “good”
• We don’t have a lot of practice

61. Making it Sincere and Meaningful
WHAT are you thanking the recipient for?
• Be specific!
• “Thank you for always being at work 10 minutes
early”

62. Making it Sincere and Meaningful -
WHY is what you are thanking them for
meaningful?
• Think about how what they did highlights a positive
quality/strength they have, and connect it to the
actions to the character and values the action
demonstrates
• “I appreciate how being here early shows that you are
diligent in making sure the trucks are ready to go for
appointments in the morning, this makes things run
much more smoothly for us as we’re getting organized
for the day.”

63. Bonus points!
•As the recipient – say Thank You… Don’t deflect or
diminish!
•Acts of service instead of a verbal thank you –
show support and appreciation
•Thanking clients? = culture of appreciation
•Start the day and every interaction in a positive
manner – SMILE . Say good morning, even if
you’re already focused on the day ahead.

65. Performance Management Components
• Yearly Review
• Self Review and Self Reflection
• Peer Feedback
• Clear Expectations and Scoring
• Clear and concise goals
• Regular Check-in Meetings
• Performance notes throughout the year

67. Why Do Yearly Reviews?
• Formal comprehensive discussion regarding
performance
• Basis for goal setting for entire year
• Provide expectations and guidelines for desired
behaviours
• Tie personal behaviour to Culture, Strategy, Vision
• Provide guidance for wage increases and bonus
calculations

68. Peer Feedback
• Increase depth of perspective – positive and negative
• Uncover hidden/unknown talent
• Improve accuracy of scoring
• Increase accountability
• Encourage culture of recognition

69. Bringing this Home

70. Unhappy Staff = Expensive Staff

71. Employee Turnover
# employees left during year
Average # employees

72. Calculating Employee Turnover
3 (employees left)/9 (average) x 100
33%

73. Cost of Employee Turnover
50-75% of salary for junior/support staff
Up to 150% for senior/professional staff

74. Cost of Employee Turnover
$30,000 Salary ($15/hr)
= $15 - $22,000 per person per year
3 Employees Leave = $45,000 - $67,500
http://www.zanebenefits.com/blog/bid/312123/Employee-Retention-The-Real-Cost-of-Losing-an-Emplo

75. Profit Growth Benefits
Disengaged Employees = 0-1%
Highly Engaged = 10-15%
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/measuring-the-benefits-of-employee-engagement/

76. Still Not Convinced?
• Engaged employees are 87% less likely to quit their
jobs
https://www.themuse.com/advice/10-shocking-stats-about-employee-engagement
• Engagement has a marked effect on both absenteeism
and retention
https://www.marketforce.com/blog/engaged-employees-key-thriving-brand

77. • Organizations in the top quartile for engagement saw
a 4% increase in sales growth compared to an average
company.
http://www.aon.com/attachments/human-capital-consulting/2014-trends-in-global-employee-
engagement-report.pdf
• Organizations in the top quartile in employee
engagement outperformed bottom-quartile units by
10% on customer ratings.
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-drives-growth.aspx

78. • Communication failure linked to cause of 30% of
malpractice cases in human medicine
https://www.statnews.com/2016/02/01/communication-failures-malpractice-study/

79. 2016 McKee-Pownall Results
• 77% Engagement
• Vet dissatisfaction
•73% vs 80%
• Communication
• Workload
• Job Satisfaction

81. Results
• Vets laugh in June!!
• 13% increase in revenue
20% less capacity yet 13% increase in revenue

82. 2017 McKee-Pownall Results
• 79.6% +3%
• Vets 76% vs 81.5%
• Support staff consistency
• Support staff compensation
• Communication between management and others

83. McKee-Pownall Results History
2016 2017 2018 Change
All Staff 77.4% 79.5% 82.7% 5.3%
Vets 72.9% 76.2% 81.1% 8.2%
Support Staff 81.6% 82.7% 83.4% 1.8%
• Vet work-life balance
• Support staff consistency
• Support staff compensation adjustment
• Communication between management and staff

84. Highly Engaged Employees are the key to
practice growth, improved profitability and
professional satisfaction

85. Visit
Oculus Insights
to enter our
contest to win a
personalized EE
Survey
Booth 2414

86. Next Steps for Employee Engagement
• Reduce vet attrition rate
• Improved patient and client outcomes
• Better practice culture
• Increased productivity
• Increased profitability.

87. Thank You
mike@mpequine.com