I wish all VHMA members could have attended the 2014 Management Exchange in Charleston, SC last month. For the 3rd year in a row, the event "sold out", even after we found a way to add more participants. The meeting was excellent for many reasons but in particularly I found the Polarity Management session especially beneficial. Margaret Seidler who spent the last 30 years as an operating manager in a utility company, a consultant, speaker and author, kicked off the Management Exchange by leading the audience in a lively discussion based on her book Power Surge: A Conduit for Enlightened Leadership. The premise of her book is that nearly everything in life comes in pairs and that a leader who can think multi-dimensionally about the same issue can transform their thinking and leadership abilities.
As Margaret skillfully led us through the concepts of Polarity Management, we began to see the power of both/and thinking. For example, when a person is in tune with their intellect AND their emotions, they become more complete. Often times, the models we cling to in the business realm focus on one value but neglect its counterpart (e.g., left brain or right brain thinking). However, these are not independent but rather are dependent upon one another. Margaret explained that Polarity Management guides leadership actions by identifying and simultaneously tapping the strengths of two interdependent values to achieve higher performance results.
Each person tends to be driven by different motivational forces or values. For example, I tend to strive for achievement. I don't want to just be someone who goes to work and logs my time, but rather I want to make a difference in the work and lives of those with whom I work and serve. Margaret describes this motivational value as an important quality or principle about oneself. It guides what one says and does and represents a principle or standard that directs one's actions as a leader. Closely related to this particular motivational value is the desire for celebration. In other words, when a leader who is driven by achievement accomplishes a certain objective, they want to be recognized, to celebrate a little. In terms of a veterinary practice, if a practice manager values achievement but receives no or little recognition when goals are met, they can become easily frustrated and their motivation to continue to achieve additional goals may dwindle. Margaret explained that there are often early indicators that the system is out of balance. In the example we're using, this could occur if a leader begins to place more emphasis on receiving an expected positive outcome (reward) for his or her efforts than on exerting the effort needed to accomplish the task. Reflect for a moment. Have you ever received a performance review but the only thing you could remember about the conversation a week later was how much or how little of a pay increase you received? The point is that when we focus too much on one of these interdependent values, our judgment can become clouded and our actions can be misdirected. In her book, which was provided to all participants, Margaret details 98 Motivational Values and 98 Interdependent Values. While it is not likely anyone will map out positive and negative consequences associated with each of these pairs, she did recommend that we know our top one or few values and map those out. For the overachievers present, she suggested that perhaps we invest the time to map out our practice's core values.
This month’s newsletter blog reveals the survey findings of our recent No Baloney survey. When given the opportunity to comment on their counterpart, a large percentage of practice owners and managers shared a level of respect for one another. However, the managers wanted more recognition for a job well done and the owners acknowledged they were often remiss in not telling their managers often enough that they appreciate them and value their contributions. The article concludes by encouraging people on both sides of the aisle to speak up more. Sure seems like a perfect example of the both/and thinking of Polarity Management.
Having worked in this field for more years than I lived with my parents while growing up, I have some theories why this dichotomy of appreciation exists. Practice owners themselves often don't receive any recognition for all of the financial investment, risk acceptance, hard work, long hours, blood, sweat and tears they pour into starting, building and maintaining their practices. To them, hard work just comes with the territory. After putting in a hard day's work, practice owners are often content to go home at night without any pats on the back. This can go on day after day. Meanwhile, a practice manager can also log many hours in a day as he or she deals with a myriad of issues or problems. Most nights that practice manager can also go home knowing they did good work. So, what is the difference? What differentiates a veterinary practice owner and manager's expectations? In my opinion, this duality often raises its head when one considers the balance of equity. In other words, the practice owner typically has control over his or her schedule, some control over annual income, and has an asset that is hopefully appreciating over time. Many times, the practice manager, who does not have these same type of job-related factors, has a threshold in which their intrinsic motivation to do a good job sustains them. But, even this leader needs occasional reinforcement from the practice owner in order to sustain the level of motivation and energy required to effectively lead veterinary practice teams.
For those members who did not attend the Exchange and receive a copy of Margaret’s book, I'd highly recommend it. Together with your practice counterpart, take the opportunity to analyze your personal AND practice core values. Identify what good performance looks AND feels like and how you will team up together to bring out the best in both of you AND in your team.
Jon Cunnington, MBA, CVPM
VHMA President