Thursday, February 27, 2020
7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. - Registration and Breakfast
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.:
Welcome and Introductions
Turning the Noise of Change into a Symphony
Guest Speaker: Kenneth B. Moore, ICP-ACC, ICP-ATF, CSM
Change is noisy, change is hard. Learn techniques to help the team successfully navigate the noise of both organizational and individual change. Identify characteristics that stand in the way of healthy organizational change and learn practical techniques for coaching individuals to orchestrate positive change within your practice.
Networking Break
Application Stations
Application stations give attendees the opportunity to create tool kits they can take back to their practice and immediately implement.
Station 1: Re-engaging as a manager (don’t get burned out). Managing personal stress (incorporate meditation, yoga, exercise options)
Station 2: Wellness for your staff
Station 3: Locating local resources
Sponsored Lunch Program
Triumphs and Blunders
Join us for the opportunity to dissect a mini case study in real-time. Guest presenters will share their change management anecdotes — from the reasons why they decided to make a change in their practice, to the outcome of their story. Participate in the discussion, reflect on their triumphs and learn from their mistakes. You will take away an impactful message from each of these courageous practice management peers.
Triumph: Getting Everyone on the Same Page
Hear how this manager grew the kennel management team from one manager and one assistant to three managers. Getting everyone to work together could be a challenge but Susan has tackled the opportunity. She will share insights that helped make it work.
Blunder: Rehiring Nightmares
Not keeping enough documentation to remind us of why we were so happy to see them go and then we turn around and rehire again... and then sit in regret... hiring out of desperation.
Blunder: Hindsight is Always 2020
Learn from one manager’s experience with bullying behavior in the workplace and what she would NOT do if she had to do it all over again.
Blunder/Triumph: Can’t Touch This: Employee Paycheck Deductions and the Department of Labor
This practice manager will share what happened when a former employee filed a State DOL complaint over a policy that had been in the employee manual for years. The complaint, which was found to be valid, carried the potential for thousands of dollars in penalties. She will share how she responded, the outcome, and how this case has her asking how a small business can protect itself from losing hundreds of dollars when employees quit on less than ideal terms and owe the business for things like uniforms or products/services.
Blunder/Triumph: A Bumpy Ride for New Vets
The words no recently hired veterinarian wants to hear are, "Strap in. It's going to be a bumpy ride!" Engaging and retaining new hires requires an onboarding process that integrates them into the practice and its culture. This presentation focuses on what transpired when a new associate veterinarian was not formally trained and how this experience inspired the creation of a program for new hires.
Triumph: Thinking Outside the Practice…Creative Space
The main problem was the lack of space. We had five receptionists crowded into a small area up front with constantly ringing phones and no room in the rest of the hospital for a call center. We also have very limited parking, no housing for student externs, and not enough exam rooms with no way to expand our facility. We had to get creative to solve the problem and had to navigate some bumps along the way.
Networking Break
Roundtables Discussions
This is your opportunity to discuss “hot topics” affecting the veterinary industry today. Roundtable sessions are an excellent venue for exchanging targeted feedback and engaging in detailed conversations with a small cohort of professionals. Attendees will be divided into groups of 6-10 individuals and presented with predetermined topics for time-limited discussions.
Table 1: How do you empower team members to take on new responsibilities for growth?
Table 2: How do you engage your team members in the development of the strategic plan, mission, vision, and values?
Table 3: How do you encourage a culture of innovation and creativity among your team members?
Table 4: As a manager, what do you delegate and to whom?
Table 5: What are you doing to encourage positive interdepartmental communication?
Table 6: How are you addressing recruiter burnout/fatigue? How are you staying energized or updating the process when you are constantly in recruiting mode?
Table 7: How do you navigate a discussion on rising pay expectations?
Table 8: What is your most effective way to handle no-shows or late appointments?
4:30 p.m. - Welcome Reception
5:45 p.m. - Optional Hospital Tour - Veterinary Specialty Care (Mt. Pleasant, SC)