Your practice manager walks in, closes the door, and drops the bomb: your “irreplaceable” associate DVM and your lead LVT just resigned . . . to open a brand-new clinic 5.1 miles away. Worse, you later discover your fee schedule, SOPs, and a chunk of your client list went with them.
Sound familiar? It happens far more often than most owners admit. We live in a time where personal integrity (knowing what is right and wrong) is waning and the “if she/he has it, then I can take it” attitude prevails, even amongst professionals (just in case you thought they were exempt). The good news? In almost every case, there were clear warning signs months in advance. The bad news? Most owners miss them until it’s too late.
Here are the five biggest red flags that a trusted team member is emotionally (and sometimes literally) checking out—and preparing to compete against you.
1. Disengagement and the ‘Mistake Spiral’
- Even top performers make mistakes, but when small errors start piling up and the team member no longer seems to care about fixing them, detachment has begun. Classic early signs:
- Skipping or arriving late to staff meetings
- Sitting in the back, arms folded, phone in hand
- No longer volunteering ideas or solutions
- Letting medical records slide
What to do: Schedule a private, non-punitive check-in immediately. Ask open questions (“I’ve noticed you seem quieter lately—is everything okay?”). The goal is re-engagement, not accusation.
2. Eye-Rolling, Carping Criticism, and Passive-Aggressive Antagonism
When someone repeatedly implies “Nothing here is done right,” sighs dramatically, or snaps “Just let me do my job,” they’ve already mentally separated from the team. Other tell-tale phrases:
- “We’re so far apart on philosophy.”
- “At my last clinic we did it this way . . .”
- Sudden intense interest in your payroll structure or exact fees
These are not “healthy debates”—they’re justification narratives for the exit that’s already being planned.
3. ‘Treasonous’ Micro-Behaviors
Long before anyone steals a database, they usually test boundaries with smaller acts of disloyalty:
- Chronic lateness or “time theft”
- Giving away free services or heavy discounts without approval
- Gossiping about the owner or other staff
- Becoming unusually close with one or two co-workers while freezing everyone else out
- Quietly copying protocols, price lists, or client data “just in case”
Individually these seem minor. Collectively, they reveal someone who no longer feels bound by the practice’s rules or success.
4. Lack of Closure on Mistakes
High-functioning teams debrief mistakes openly and move on. Detaching team members avoid these conversations or remain defensive.
They never reach true closure, so resentment festers. Fix it with structured, psychologically safe Medical Rounds (see Action Items).
5. Sudden Financial Curiosity + Exclusive Alliances
When an employee who never cared about payroll suddenly asks, “How much do the techs make?” or “Can I see the current fee guide?”—and simultaneously deepens a tight relationship with one or two key staff—competition is likely being planned.
Prevention: Build a Culture Where People Want to Stay (and Can’t Imagine Leaving)
The practices that almost never get blindsided do five things religiously:
- Weekly “Wins-First” Staff Meetings: Start every meeting with celebrations and gratitude. Wins build glue; constant problem-focus creates separation.
- Crystal-Clear Written “Hats”: Every role—Associate DVM, Relief DVM, LVT, CSR—has a detailed written job description that includes clinical protocols, behavioral expectations, and what success and “right” looks like. No gray areas = far fewer “philosophy differences.”
- Public Praise, Private Correction: Catch people doing things right and announce it. Handle corrections one-on-one with kindness and a focus on closure (what went right, what went wrong, new policy to prevent recurrence).
- Strict Intellectual-Property Policy: Include a clear clause in your employee handbook and employment agreements: client lists, fee schedules, SOPs, and databases are confidential trade secrets. Copying or removing them is grounds for immediate termination and legal action.
- Proactive Pulse Checks: Owners and managers who regularly walk the floor, ask “How are you really doing?” and act on feedback rarely lose key people without warning.
Action Items You Can Implement Next Week
- Schedule weekly 30-minute Medical Rounds for doctors and LVTs (mandatory, protected time). Use the “what went right / wrong / new policy” format to create closure and continuous improvement.
- Schedule weekly 20-minute CSR huddles for CSRs and a full monthly all-staff meeting that begins with “Wins of the Week.”
- Draft or update your Associate/Relief DVM “Hat” (clinical protocols + behavioral expectations). Have every current and future associate sign it.
- Add a confidentiality/non-compete/non-solicitation agreement to all employee files if you don’t already have one (consult your employment attorney).
- Starting this week, personally observe body language in meetings. Anyone consistently disengaged (E.g. on their phones during the staff meeting) or overly critical gets a private coffee chat within 24-48 hours—no exceptions.
Wrap-Up
Losing a great associate and the taste of betrayal can hurt. Losing them—and your lead tech, your protocols, and half your clients—because you missed the warning signs is preventable. Keep your eyes open, your communication constant, and your culture strong, and the only time your associates will leave is when they retire . . . on your terms.
P.S. And oh yeah–the Practice Manager that admits in the end that she knew all about the Head Tech leaving with the Associate DVM and failed to let you know? You’ll need to have a closed door, honest chat about where their loyalties lie and get your second-in-command back on the right side of the line with you.
Need a confidential chat about your current staffing scene? Click this link and book a private one-on-one, frank discussion. There are simple things you can start doing right now.