She's a superstar

Q. I have a superstar on my team but the other team members hate her. What should I do?

There are two types of superstars, says Sheila Grosdidier, RVT, a consultant with VMC Inc. in Evergreen, Colo.: "There's the person you want leading your team and then there's the diva who takes so much energy to manage that you have to decide if she's worth the effort."

Sheila Grosdidier

Do you know which one you're dealing with? Interviewing team members and discussing the situation with them discreetly will help you understand their issues with your practice's star. The next step is to consider whether these issues are valid, make sense, and are more than just the result of personality quirks. If so, start counseling your staff about working as a true team. Coach for the behaviors you want: professionalism, respect, giving positive feedback to each another, and offering and asking for support. Your team members also need someone to let them know that they can all be superstars, Grosdidier says. And they need a leader who can share a clear vision of what the hospital can achieve for pets, clients, and the team.