The Pathway to Accountability
Back to the clipper situation (Accountability Is Your New Best Friend), which has been going on for weeks. The spay was the last straw.
Before the famous spay clipping incident, I had whined about it publicly and hoped someone would suddenly stand up and say, “I’ll take care of the clippers.”
But nobody did that because nobody ever does.
I knew what needed to be done but was lazily avoiding it and putting myself into a victim’s mindset. That never helps and just wore down my energy even more.
So, I decided to step up and be part of the solution.
You know – practice what I preach.
And it wasn’t that much work.
What did I do?
I followed the Pathway to Accountability.
I had a constructive feedback conversation with my boss about the medical and quality risks (increased anesthesia time, clipper burns, incisional complications) this problem could cause to garner her support. I also set a boundary, not doing surgeries until this was resolved, which led to the cancellation of a spay.
A pair of new blades were purchased and hidden in the surgery room and labeled “surgeries only” as insurance. Note – clipper hoarding doesn’t solve the problem but helped prevent disruption in the moment.
We’re creating a “how to take care of clippers” SOP, to tape to the wall above clipper storage, and will hold a team training session.
We added clipper maintenance on the daily checklist and made sure everyone knew what that meant.
We assigned a VA for clipper oversight.
I ensure clippers used under my care are properly lubed and cleaned.
After this, I’ll inspect what I expect and provide recognition and feedback on jobs well-done.
Will all this work and change the clipper culture?
I sure hope so.
I’ve done what I can, provided training, support tools, clear expectations, and responsibility.
It might help, but the bottom line is that I’m not the boss in this situation.
While I’m a doctor, leader, and have influence, I can’t create consequences for the team if it doesn’t improve.
The Pathway to Accountability is a seven-step tried-and-true process that ensures you’re taking all the right steps to set your employees up for success.
While not every expectation requires all seven steps, many of the more challenging and complicated ones do.
So, let's dive in!
The Pathway to Accountability (in order):
Communicate the purpose behind your expectations. Help your team understand how their individual contributions fit into the bigger picture of your practice's mission and success. When they see the "why," they'll be more invested in the outcome.
Make sure your expectations are crystal clear. Use tools like policies, SOPs, job descriptions, and checklists to define tasks, timelines, and desired outcomes. Have collaborative conversations to ensure everyone's on the same page.
Provide the necessary resources. Your team needs the right training, skills, tools, and support to crush their goals. Regularly assess their needs and provide what they require to succeed.
Lead by example! Model the behavior and work ethic you expect from your team. Demonstrate accountability, follow through on commitments, and keep communication lines open.
Inspect what you expect. Assess performance. Regularly check in with your team, both informally and formally. Measure progress, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate successes.
Plan follow-up discussions to review performance, provide feedback, and collaborate on solutions. These conversations should be regular, constructive, and growth focused.
Give balanced feedback. Aim for five positive interactions for every one corrective conversation. Focus on specific behaviors and outcomes and work together to identify improvement areas and action plans. Don't forget to celebrate wins and offer rewards when appropriate.
If you follow these steps every time, you’ll end up with a culture of accountability, but it won’t always be smooth sailing, especially as you grow your self-awareness and learn the skill.
There are some common missteps to watch out for, such as:
unclear expectations,
unrealistic goals,
inadequate skills, training, or resources,
micromanaging,
not following up, and
inadequate feedback.
By staying mindful of these pitfalls and following the seven steps, you'll be well on your way to accountability mastery.
Remember, accountability isn't a dirty word.
It's a powerful tool for creating a positive, productive, and purpose-driven veterinary practice. Embrace it as an opportunity to build trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to providing exceptional patient care and client service.
With a strong culture of accountability in place, your practice will be unstoppable!
If your practice has an accountability challenge or you want to take your accountability culture to the next level, but don’t know where to start, I can help.
Assess your accountability skills and culture. Download the free digital workbook on the Resource Hub
