Flip the Switch

Anger and frustration can consume managers at times. Maybe you’re annoyed by clients who won’t approve the proper veterinary care for their pets, or you’re outraged that one of your doctors, technicians, receptionists or kennel attendants called off work again. Such emotions can be challenging to control, and the reasons you feel that way are endless. For example:

• Poor performance: Team members consistently fail to meet your expectations, miss deadlines or make significant mistakes, harming productivity, team morale and performance metrics.
• Bad communication: Misunderstandings, confusion and a lack of clarity can leave you exasperated.
• Employee conflict: Interpersonal clashes between team members can cause significant frustration for them and you. Resolving those disputes can be time-consuming and emotionally draining.
• Resistance to change: Managers can get aggravated when employees oppose new processes, procedures or technology, hindering progress and innovation.
• Resource constraints: Limited resources, whether they involve budgets, staff or equipment, can generate stress in managers trying to meet practicewide objectives.
• Micromanagement: Meddling bosses who interfere with decision making can demoralize middle managers.
• Lack of autonomy: Not having enough decision-making authority can make managers feel their hands are tied during critical situations.
• Unclear expectations: Middle managers become frustrated when senior executives issue vague or constantly changing directives, complicating the setting of clear team goals.
• Hefty workloads: Senior executives’ excessive demands and unrealistic expectations can cause stress and anger in managers struggling to balance their responsibilities.
• People conflict: Personality differences between managers and team members can create ongoing frustration, especially if the discord harms teamwork and collaboration.
• Lack of recognition: Managers can become irritated and demotivated when they think their efforts and contributions aren’t recognized or appreciated.
• Home life: Managers aren’t immune to personal problems, which can spill over into their attitude and body language at work.
• Inadequate training: Managers who feel ill-equipped for their role due to a lack of preparation or development can become frustrated when encountering new challenges.
• Unrealistic expectations: Impractical goals or deadlines that upper management sets can stress out managers.
• External factors: Economic downturns and unwelcome changes in the veterinary industry can cause apprehension in managers trying to adapt to and navigate uncertain circumstances.

Managers should strive to address the root causes of their frustration and control their emotions when faced with adverse situations. The best defense is a strong offense.

Possess the Proper Tools

Too often, people promoted to management in a veterinary hospital are left to sink or swim in a sea of daily challenges. Even someone who was a high performer on the team and was deemed suitable for a promotion needs a variety of tools to succeed in a leadership role. That means practice owners and upper management must ensure that a middle manager learns or possesses conflict-resolution and time-management skills, knows when and how to delegate, can deliver appropriate feedback, and communicates clear expectations to team members.

Nothing causes anger and frustration to boil faster in a manager than being brushed aside by a superior who once advised: “Come talk to me anytime you have a question.”

Managers must know their strengths and weaknesses and ask for help dealing with their shortcomings. Understanding a personal fault and taking steps to fix it is one way to flip the switch and deliver better responses in challenging situations.

For example, a manager who is angry because direct reports aren’t properly doing their jobs might need help learning to provide better feedback and communicate precise expectations to subordinates. It doesn’t help anyone if the manager storms in and barks, “What’s wrong with you people? Why can’t you do your job?” when the team members don’t understand what they did wrong or what their boss expects of them. A manager angry with the daily drama in a veterinary practice might need to learn conflict-resolution skills.

Training new managers is crucial for their success in leadership roles. Certainly, focused training can help them develop the necessary skills, knowledge and mindset for leading a team effectively.

Remember that manager training is an ongoing process. Superiors need to provide managers with opportunities for growth and development. Additionally, newly appointed managers need a supportive environment so that they feel comfortable asking questions, seeking guidance and making mistakes. It’s all part of the learning process.

A crucial element in a supportive environment is trust. Managers must trust that the practice owner or upper management has their back. A culture of trust also needs to seep into the team.

Cultivate a Culture of Trust

A teamwide environment of trust promotes collaboration, productivity and employee satisfaction. A work culture that lacks trust can significantly hinder a manager’s ability to lead the team effectively. Trust is the foundation of a healthy, productive work environment, and its absence can lead to reduced productivity, poor communication and resistance to change, any of which can trigger an angry response from a manager.

To build and rebuild trust within a team, managers must take deliberate steps toward becoming transparent, consistent, empathetic and reliable. The task might involve addressing past conflicts and demonstrating a commitment to creating a more trusting work environment. Building trust should be an ongoing effort and a top priority for any manager seeking to lead a team effectively and flip the switch on how they respond to challenging situations.

Take the High Road

When veterinary team members become angry or frustrated, their manager’s response is critical in defusing the situation, addressing concerns and maintaining a positive work environment. Responding in kind with anger or frustration isn’t the proper reaction.

For managers, the best response might seem like an exercise in “don’t do this.”

• Don’t tell team members to calm down. Instead, provide people with a safe place to vent and aim to de-escalate emotions while staying calm yourself.
• Don’t ignore the anger. Seek more information by asking open-ended questions, speaking empathetically and listening actively.
• Don’t deflect the anger to another (more manageable) topic. Problem-solve together and offer support in finding a solution.
• Don’t become defensive when someone dumps everything at your feet and expects you to fix the problem. Set boundaries and be clear about the team member’s role in solving the issue. In addition, stay neutral, offer support in finding a solution and follow up to ensure the matter is resolved.

Dealing with an angry team member also has a list of “do this” items.

• Empower the person to participate in problem-solving.
• Document the conversations.
• Offer outside resources, such as access to counseling or employee assistance programs.
• Set clear expectations and define the desired actions or changes.
• Provide ongoing constructive feedback and support.

Being a manager doesn’t mean you’re destined for years of on-the-job anger and frustration. Being a manager can be a gratifying career. You have the chance to shape your team members’ careers, and you play a pivotal role in achieving the business’s goals and objectives.

Don’t spend your time as a manager feeling angry and frustrated. Instead, understand what causes those emotions, develop your people skills, create a culture of trust and know how to deal with unsettling situations.

Flip the switch and enjoy the rewards and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

PROBLEM AREAS

According to a McKinsey & Co. survey, the most common complications in a middle manager’s work life are organizational bureaucracy and underperforming employees. Details are at bit.ly/3NrgQ9A.

LEARN MORE

• “The Manager Squeeze: How the New Workplace Is Testing Team Leaders,” Gallup, bit.ly/41rIg4T
• “The Real Value of Middle Managers,” Harvard Business Review, bit.ly/3v3JEig
• “The Antidote to Manager Burnout,” Gallup, bit.ly/48cU6lA