Some days my thoughts take a welcome tangent from intense and focus driven to sentimental and a bit schmaltzy. Today is one of those days.
If I was in an elevator and someone asked what I did for a
living and asked me to name the tasks it could sound a bit boring. I track
performance indicators, attendance, financials and vacation. I create policy
and procedure manuals and a multitude of memo’s and forms. I oversee inventory,
hiring, training, leveraging, terminating
and adding relief staff and many other things and it all sounds a little ordinary
– albeit important and can make or break a practice. I also work under the
intense pressure of my own standards, deadlines, expectations and goals. I take
to heart the responsibility of bringing my practice owners vision to life for
our team so we can bring it to fruition. So, you could say my job description
lists some mundane tasks, sprinkled with rock-solid expectations and my fair
share of pressure.
Then there are the intangibles….
I have to remind
myself that I coach, mentor, support and lead a group of handpicked individuals
who make an extraordinary team. I have the honor of their respect and trust and
I am there when they need a sounding board, some counsel or a swift piece of
accountability.
I get to share the reward of seeing a newly adopted shelter
dog who is shy, fearful, underweight and untrained come back over the following
weeks, months and years as a well adjusted, utterly joyful, glossy coated and
healthy beast.
I also see an owner’s eyes go liquid with relief and
gratitude when our team brings their beloved pet back to a quality life they
thought was over.
I also have the utmost privilege of being there in those
times when a client is making the most difficult decision we ever have to make
about our pets, and I empathize and listen and comfort and yes, at times hold a
hand or be present during a final farewell.
And on occasion, I steal away moments from my day to stroke
a purring cat who wants to make muffins on my chest – or roll my eyes at the
Yellow Lab who just mauled me with enthusiasm in my black slacks and sweater –
or wrestle a boisterous Boston Bulldog as he showers me with puppy breath.
Those moments fill my cup as a Practice Manager and most
days it feels like the best of both worlds.