Leaders Who Put Others First Build Stronger Organizations for Everyone
Let me tell you a quick story from early in my career when I was a camp counselor, just starting to develop some leadership skills. During our weekly campouts, we planned meals and then cooked them over a fire or grill. It soon became apparent that mealtime went more smoothly, and everyone had a better time when the campers ate first, before the counselors.
Delaying our gratification until we had well-fed, literally “happy campers” benefited us counselors, too. I later developed this life lesson as a base behavior, putting others first until everyone is taken care of, or at least has something to eat. So, when Simon Sinek wrote a book titled “Leaders Eat Last,” I was in!
“Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together, and Others Don't” was inspired by the U.S. Marines' similar custom of allowing the most junior members to eat first while the most senior eat last – a practice he said creates a culture of trust, cooperation, and loyalty. In his book, Sinek shares many stories about the role of leaders in various industries and organizations, showing their shared sense of responsibility to their team, community, family, and society. Here are some of Sinek's conclusions that can help us succeed as veterinary managers.
Building Trust & A Circle of Safety
Sinek writes about the internal and external influences on teams and how, by putting others first, good leaders foster positive internal influences and build a Circle of Safety. In this work environment, a team feels supported and safe. This increases loyalty, reduces stress, encourages collaboration, and increases a team's ability to handle negative external influences. I think this concept is fundamental for us to think about, as we are all dealing with clients – external influences - that seem to be a bit more hostile and shorter-tempered.
Trust is a Must
To build a Circle of Safety, leaders must build trust.
As practice leaders, our job is to ensure that our team members know we have their backs and trust their judgment. This confidence helps team members deal with outside issues and makes them more willing to share ideas.
Simon put it simply, “Trust is like Lubrication. It reduces friction and creates conditions much more conductive to performance.”
My Customer Service Representatives know I have their backs if a situation arises that requires my help. They also know I stand behind them and trust they are doing the best for the client and the hospital.
To build trust and foster a circle of safety, demonstrate consistency, transparency, and reliability. Through words and actions, make sure your team knows you trust their judgment and ability but are also there to help when they need you.
Putting Others’ Needs First
As we examine our work as managers, it is important to understand each of our roles as leaders and counselors. “Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first,” is one of my favorite quotes from the book. We have to remember to put our teams first and make sure that they have what they need to feel that they belong to a great team at a great place to work.
Many of the stories in Sinek’s book show how leaders have recognized and addressed the needs of every person on their team, worked to limit their stress, proven that they—the team leader—are a member of the team, and guided their teams to overcome challenges and reach success together.
Spend time with each member of your team individually. Ask about their career goals and how you can help them achieve them.
Recognize Individual & Team Contributions
Sinek reminds us to recognize the important role that each team member plays in the business's overall success. As managers, we need to take the time to look at the work done by every individual in our hospital and recognize their contributions to its success.
Here’s an exercise I use to help me recognize team member excellence: Periodically, think about your best day at the hospital. As leaders, we often find this wasn't a smooth-flowing day but a day that we were a bit crazy, and the team worked together to accomplish a task or complete a project that we all had been working on. What did each team member do to make things better for everyone?
We need to celebrate individual contributions and the excellence of a cohesive team.
More Than Lunch
As we celebrate our Veterinary Technicians this month, remember that we're giving more than just a lunch or a gift card; it is the feeling that they are supported by your hospital's leadership. It is not “What is in it for us?” It is building the team so they know that we are there for them.
And if your celebration includes a meal, don't rush to fill your plate first!
Scott Zimmerman, BFA, CVPM
VHMA President
#PracticePulse