Graceful Goodbyes: The Art of Termination

Nobody really likes talking about termination. After all, as managers, we care about our teams, we build relationships with them, and sometimes we've known our employees for years, so how do we balance compassion and empathy with the accountability that comes with leading a healthy, successful practice? That's exactly what I unpack with Tori Monte, CVPM, of Orion Care Animal Center.

Tori has been in veterinary medicine since 2015 and has been a practice manager since the opening of Orion Animal Care Center in 2019. She has experienced just about every challenge you can imagine, including having to make some incredibly difficult decisions about team members, and she has learned that while termination may be one of the hardest parts of management, it can also be one of the most important things we do for our teams and our hospital culture. Listen in as we talk openly about why managers sometimes hold on to problem employees longer than they should, from staffing shortages to the relationships we develop with our teams, and we discuss how to have those difficult conversations early and often, why starting with curiosity can change the way we approach conflict, and why thorough documentation matters when performance issues become a pattern.

We also get into performance improvement plans - when they're actually useful, when they simply delay an inevitable termination, and how managers need to make sure they've done their own part by providing the training and support an employee needs to succeed. Then, of course, there's the part that nobody really prepares you for: the guilt, and Tori shares some practical advice for handling the emotions that come after letting someone go, supporting the rest of your team, and reminding yourself that caring about someone doesn't mean you can't hold them accountable.

We're talking all about the art of termination and how to approach one of management's hardest responsibilities with grace, consistency, and a little more confidence, so if you have ever walked away from a termination wondering, "Did I make the right decision?" then this conversation is definitely for you, and you won't want to miss it!

Show Notes:

[0:35] - This episode is sponsored by Instinct Science.

[2:12] - Tori points out that even though no one enjoys talking about termination, it is nonetheless incredibly important when it comes to the welfare of your practice.

[2:58] - Hear how Tori learned practice management largely via experience, mentorship,