There's no "I" in team

Yes, the headline for this letter is a cliché. But clichés come about because they're just so appropriate. And the team-related cliché fits, especially when it comes to meetings.

We've been hitting the topic of team meetings pretty hard lately. The focus results from the fact that quality team meetings are vital to the success of a practice. Without them, all sorts of disasters lurk.

No one knows this better than Brian Conrad, CVPM, practice manager at Meadow Hills Veterinary Center in Kennewick, Wash. He presented Firstline Live (held in conjunction with CVC Kansas City) last month. The topic? You guessed it: team meetings.

In his presentation, Conrad revealed that he used to hold lousy meetings. And he confessed he sometimes still struggles. Case in point: He says his practice's client service is suffering because he got too comfortable and his team stopped talking about service during their meetings.

Luckily for Conrad's practice, he's always re-evaluating. As such, he and his team have rededicated 10 to 15 minutes of each meeting to client service. Luckily for you, Conrad's sharing his meeting strategies again at Firstline Live in San Diego, held Oct. 27 in conjunction with CVC San Diego. I encourage you to go register at http://thecvc.com.

The photos at left give you a taste of what you'll get. I love these photos because they show how Conrad and the Firstline Live attendees became their own team of sorts. They worked together to figure out how to hold team meetings that engage employees and improve client and patient care.

Team is so important and there's no "I" in it. That's very true for me now, as this is my last issue of Firstline. I've taken a marketing job at an industry company. The Firstline team truly is wonderful, and they'll continue to bring you valuable, entertaining info. Thanks to you and them for letting me be a part of it. My best to you all.

Kerry Hillard Johnson, Editor

firstline@advanstar.com