Simple Acts of Empowerment: The Power of Names
At my last doctor’s visit, I was greeted by a nurse-like person in scrubs that gathered my vitals and the reason for my visit before getting the doctor. I’ll be honest that I had no idea who that person or their job title was, and I’m never quite sure how much to share with them when the doctor is who I really want to talk to. They were somewhat of a nameless face in the process.
Because I’m such a fan of veterinary medicine especially compared to human medicine (aren’t you?), I believe members of the veterinary team deserve better. All members of a veterinary team, from the kennel attendant to the veterinary technician and doctor, are needed to deliver care. They can either be a nameless face passing through the client’s experience or a valued individual, empowered to own their role.
As a leader, you set the bar and show the way.
Since you’re the owner or preparing to be one, you create the culture where everyone you work with is empowered, which can easily start today. A simple way to do this is by making it a habit to use names and titles when speaking to clients. As an owner, make it policy. By doing so, we show clients that every role and employee matters, and nobody is just a technician, assistant, or a receptionist. We are a team.
When clients request help from team members and know them by name, it’s because they trust and respect them. Clients that expect the owner, manager, or doctor to handle their needs don’t see value in your team. As a leader, how you treat and refer to team members, especially in front of clients, sets the tone and impacts their ownership of their role.
Getting to know your clients builds trust.
How to Use Names to Empower
Everyone wears readable nametags.
Client-facing roles have business cards and use them to direct clients to ask for them if they have questions.
Receptionists identify themselves when answering the phone.
For the medical team, anyone working with the client does the following:
Introduces themself and their role.
Makes eye contact when speaking with the client.
Shakes hands when appropriate.
Say: “Welcome. I’m Sara, the veterinary assistant, and I’ll be taking care of Nugget and assisting Dr. Cooper today.”
Doctors refer to other roles by name when speaking to clients, which transfers authority to that role. Here are some examples:
“Sara shared you’re concerned about Duke’s ears with me.”
“Danna, our technician, will be back to go over discharge instructions with you.”
“I’m going to transfer you to Kate, our receptionist. She’s best suited to help you
This One is Easy. Start Today.
In summary, it takes little effort to use someone’s name, but it has a lasting impact. Taking the time to acknowledge and show respect to the support team you work with makes for a more cohesive and empowered team that clients trust, so you won’t have a group of nameless faces but respected professionals.
To learn more about empowering your team or to ask questions about being a successful owner or preparing for ownership, please use the contact form below. I’d love to hear from you.
