Quiet Quitting - A New Word for An Old Behavior
Okay, the younger generation has invented a new phrase, Quiet Quitting. But what does that mean? Is it really something new? For those of us who have been around for a while, we have all had jobs that did not really excite us. Jobs where we did not put in our best effort and where we did not feel that we were doing anything but trading our time for a paycheck.
Even jobs that, in theory, should create a willingness to “go the extra mile” in a person, do not always do so. Why? There can be several reasons.
In a veterinary practice, staff members may be unclear about the practice's compelling purpose and how they can contribute to it. They may feel that it is only the veterinarians who really save lives and improve the health of patients. They may say things like "I'm just a receptionist" or "I'm just an assistant." It's quite possible that no one has ever shared a conversation with them about the importance of their role and how they are truly making a difference every day.
In fact, team members often report that they don't feel that they are that important. When they act like good children, they are told they are doing a good job. But when they step up and really try to give suggestions or improve a process, they are told, in effect, "children should be seen and not heard.” No wonder the average life expectancy of support members in our profession is six years.
We have got to change that! The Enlightened Rebels have Six Principles that work to bring veterinary practices into the 21st century in the way business owners engage with their team members. These principles include:
Being purpose and values-driven
Sharing leadership and distributed decision-making
Practicing radical transparency
Functioning as a network of teams vs. silos
Learning to experiment and adapt in the fast-paced environment that we exist in today
Fostering the intrinsic motivation that moves people today
If you would like to learn more about how to become an Enlightened Rebel and create an engaged and excited team that wants to help your practice achieve the purpose for which it exists, please reach out.
