{"id":77984,"date":"2025-08-01T00:00:27","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T04:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/?p=77984"},"modified":"2025-09-10T19:24:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T23:24:59","slug":"veterinary-team-feedback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/veterinary-team-feedback\/","title":{"rendered":"Veterinarians Need Feedback, Too"},"content":{"rendered":"

I <\/span>often wonder, \u201cWhy is our industry so hesitant to give feedback to our veterinarians?\u201d Are we afraid they might quit if we say something wrong? Do <\/span>we think we\u2019ll upset them, disrupt the delicate balance or jeopardize employee retention in an already-tight job market? I\u2019ve been there as a hospital administrator. I had that hesitation. But here\u2019s what I learned: Silence doesn\u2019t keep people. It makes them feel invisible.<\/span><\/p>\n

When You Prioritize Production<\/span><\/h3>\n

For years, one of the hospitals I worked with evaluated its veterinarians solely on what they produced. There was no discussion about team collaboration, leadership, emotional intelligence or the quality of medicine practiced. Just raw numbers. And guess what? The hospital lost some fabulous doctors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those veterinarians weren\u2019t underperformers. They were talented, compassionate and dedicated. But they left because they didn\u2019t feel valued or seen. And they didn\u2019t quit after receiving <\/span>feedback. They left because the hospital didn\u2019t provide any.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s flip the script.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feedback Is a Gift<\/span><\/h3>\n

What if feedback wasn\u2019t something to fear but instead something to offer? A tool for growth. A sign of respect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s stop treating feedback as a disciplinary action and start thinking of it as an opportunity to help someone level up. We owe it to our doctors (even seasoned ones) to support their growth <\/span>as professionals, leaders and team players.<\/span><\/p>\n

What if we helped them see how their presence, tone, delegation and decisions shape the hospital\u2019s culture? What if we used feedback to strengthen the entire team?<\/span><\/p>\n

Who should deliver the feedback is critical. It must come from someone with trust, credibility and a working relationship with the doctor. That might be the hospital manager, medical director or practice owner. Ideally, this person understands both medicine and people and can offer insight into clinical excellence and team culture. <\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, don\u2019t hand off the responsibility to someone with zero relationship with the doctor. That\u2019s a recipe for defensiveness and disconnection.<\/p>\n

What Should It Entail?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s get one thing straight: If production is the only thing you measure, you miss the big picture, and you will burn out your most valuable players.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what should be part of every evaluation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Leadership<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n