Delegating time off for you tells your team that they matter, that their lives matter, and that you care about their health and well-being.
Can you imagine blocking off time for yourself during the workweek? Of course, it’s possible when you focus on the many benefits. Scheduling regular personal time has enormous advantages for you, your friends and family, and your team, clients and veterinary practice. One way to achieve it and simultaneously lighten your workload is by delegating well. It’s a crucial skill, whether to foster effectiveness and productivity or carve out protected “me time.”
Why It’s Vital
When you grant yourself protected time through delegation, you do it:
- For your health and well-being: Growing demands in a veterinary practice can burn your candle at both ends. Burnout is the last thing you, your team and your clinic need. You have a lot of energy, but don’t be taken down by it.
- For your family and friends: Relationships must be nurtured to be exceptional, let alone sustainable. Even if your relationships seem fine now, chronic worry and overcommitment can take a toll gradually, if not imperceptibly. Think about how people will react when you say, “This time is ours.” Delegate for them.
- For your practice team: Your employees are capable, and they’re anxious to contribute and collaborate. While you should never be invisible to your clients, as they become more comfortable with individual team members, you accomplish even more for pet owners, your team and your clinic. Delegating makes you and your team members more effective and more fulfilled. The more you delegate, the more everyone grows professionally and the more likely they will find continued contentment within your practice.
- To be a good self-care model: If you work 24/7/365, you might signal to your team that the same is expected of them, regardless of your words. Instead, blocking time off for you tells them that they matter, that their lives matter, and that you care about their health and well-being. If you work 24/7/365, your family and friends could conclude that they are a low priority in your life.
Getting Started
To delegate properly:
- Communicate your objectives and reasons to the team.
- Describe the tasks you will delegate and who is now responsible. You might know how you want the process to work, but ask for feedback. Team members should have suggestions to ensure success for all. Allow people to volunteer for tasks in their areas of expertise or on their desired growth path.
- Track success, modify accordingly and communicate how the delegation process is working. Include data in your assessments and communications.
- Continue refining the process. Identify areas that are working well and those that need fine-tuning. Support team members as needed.
- Celebrate the successes.
Cautionary Signs
You cannot give up all or too much direct contact with your clients. They have to understand that you are orchestrating a capable team. Therefore:
- Make sure pet owners become familiar with members of your team. Assure clients that a particular employee, or more than one, will have specific responsibilities from now on and will keep you informed and engaged.
- Choose the time you want protected. Hold to it with the realization that emergencies and other events can arise. Change the “me time” as necessary, but try to schedule the exceptions well in advance.
- Someone who schedules appointments for you should avoid saying things like, “The doctor doesn’t work on Fridays or Friday afternoons.” The better statement is, “The doctor is booked this Friday.” It’s true. You are booked intentionally for your benefit and that of your team.
- If team members aren’t willing or able to accept delegation at the level you expect, you must make critical decisions about their future and your practice. Give them every opportunity to be successful, such as individual guidance and additional training. Ultimately, if they cannot achieve what you demand, maybe you have a more suitable place for them within the practice, or perhaps they will have to work somewhere else.
LEAD THE WAY
Author and pastor Craig Groeschel said: “When you delegate tasks, you create followers. When you delegate authority, you create leaders.”