How would you respond if someone in your organization said: “I would like to start a new initiative. It is way outside of my job responsibilities. I believe in this so much that I will do it on my own time and will not expect any resources from you”? I experienced exactly that in 2009, within a month of becoming the dean of Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
I remember the conversation like it happened yesterday. Dr. Wesley Bissett, a faculty member in the department of large animal clinical sciences, asked if he could create a Veterinary Emergency Team outside of his regular duties and without college resources.
How would you answer? First, did his request align with the college’s mission statement? Yes, it hit on many of the elements of “enhance animal and human health through transformational education, discovery and innovation, patient care, and public service that impacts our diverse and evolving world.” Next, I spoke with Dr. Bissett’s department head, Dr. Bill Moyer, to validate his support. We discussed the potential impact of additional work on a high-performing faculty member and considered the reality of “no resources” from the college or department.
Would you need more information? The “why” was vital.
Close to Home
Dr. Bissett’s request had an interesting backstory. Hurricane Rita, a Category 5 storm, came ashore at the Texas-Louisiana border in 2005, killed more than 120 people and forced a mass evacuation in the Houston-Galveston area.
The Texas A&M Large Animal Hospital was converted into a surge hospital for people. The veterinary faculty, staff and students helped care for human patients, the college’s animal patients, and many displaced or injured animals. The entire veterinary college stepped up in a historical way, especially the department of large animal clinical sciences.
The “why” for Dr. Bissett was his goal of ensuring we were prepared for the next storm.
With Dr. Moyer’s backing, I gave Dr. Bissett a resounding yes, but with these caveats:
- The Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) would be an official college program.
- He would not do it on his own time.
- I (the college) would provide resources when we could.
He then set out to create VET.
Multiple Payoffs
Was it a good decision? Absolutely. VET has grown to be the largest and most sophisticated program of its kind in the nation, if not the world. While VET was originally conceived for hurricane response, team members have deployed after tropical storms, fires, explosions and search-and-rescue missions in Texas and beyond. VET continues to evolve.
While Dr. Bissett was the originator and director, the responsibility grew into a full-time position. Dr. Deb Zoran later became the associate director and now leads VET. Many faculty, staff and students volunteer for deployments. Resources come from the college, philanthropy, grants and wherever else they can be found.
Another result was a required course for Texas A&M veterinary students. They learn to manage emergency and disaster responses, which are complicated at best, and they deploy when on rotation. Other students are welcome to join rescue efforts based on their interests and availability. Upon graduation, everyone disperses throughout Texas and beyond, armed with knowledge often lacking in local communities.
Veterinarians want to help during public emergencies, but a well-coordinated response is essential. Because a disaster does not occur during each rotation, Texas A&M came up with innovative solutions. For example, virtual reality technology creates scenarios in which students become avatars. Students also train with Texas Task Force 1 at Disaster City, a Texas A&M training ground for emergency response officials nationwide.
Teamwork Matters
Texas Task Force 1, which operates under the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Texas Division of Emergency Management, deploys with VET for good reasons. Typically, task force search-and-rescue dogs can work for short periods only, but they go longer with VET’s support of their health and well-being.
Additionally, rescuers are often told to bypass animals needing assistance and instead focus on people. That order causes immeasurable anxiety in rescuers already working under high-stress conditions. With VET, however, the responders can hand off animals to VET or request a rescue.
VET volunteers serve Texas citizens in other ways. They work with county officials to create emergency response guidelines and maintain a particular focus on the Texas Panhandle’s cattle and dairy operations.
Lessons for Leaders
While all this sounds like a VET story, and it is, the story is full of leadership lessons. Immediately evident is the value of finding good people and getting out of their way. Furthermore, I don’t know many individuals or organizations in veterinary medicine who think they’re under capacity and have excessive resources. Every day, leaders decide how to distribute resources effectively and how to assign responsibilities to accomplish what the organization needs.
The take-home message for every organization is that fostering a culture of innovation is crucial to staying competitive, driving progress and making a difference. One of the most effective ways to encourage innovation is to be receptive to initiatives proposed by individual team members.
The positive spinoffs of such an approach are plentiful. For example:
- You cultivate creativity, entrepreneurship and vitality so that new ideas flourish.
- You empower your team to take ownership of ideas through increased motivation and dedication.
- You signal that risk-taking is encouraged, not discouraged.
- You boost your team’s engagement and fulfillment, especially among members who seek purpose in work.
- People are motivated to explore innovative approaches.
- Higher levels of satisfaction and team morale emerge from the confidence that ideas are valued and supported.
Ultimately, individuals and organizations benefit by staying ahead of the curve. After all, innovation is the lifeblood of progress in any industry today, including veterinary medicine.
How should leaders inspire new initiatives? Try this:
- Encourage open communication and idea-sharing within the team.
- Emphasize that you and the organization’s other leaders welcome proposals.
- Turn ideas into reality by supporting your team members, as you are able, through resources, guidance, mentorship and training.
- Recognize and celebrate the successes of initiatives, no matter how small.
- Ensure the team understands that not every initiative will succeed, that risk-taking is acceptable and that failure is an opportunity to learn.
The VET tale doesn’t end here, as the program continues its storied success. It earns numerous awards, recognitions and expressions of gratitude. The achievements and accolades arose from an outstanding idea by a motivated faculty member empowered in an environment that encouraged innovation and new ideas.
An 18-wheeler crammed with supplies prepares to leave Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Emergency Team parking lot.
The Veterinary Emergency Team prepares for deployment in response to Hurricane Harvey.
Dogs left homeless during Hurricane Harvey receive temporary shelter.