In a well-run Veterinary practice, most staff genuinely want to contribute and thrive. They perform willingly when the environment offers clear policies and procedures (SOPs), a structured gradient training approach (via the Gradient Training Check Sheet, or GTC), fair and kind correction processes, and genuine acknowledgment of their efforts.
This creates a mutual bargain: as the practice owner or manager, you provide the tools, training, and support; in return, staff take responsibility to learn, apply, and deliver in exchange for their compensation. Simple “atta girl” and “atta boy” shout-outs go a long way toward keeping the team feeling valued, motivated, and fired up.
But what happens when a staff member—despite solid SOPs, thorough training, mentoring, and consistent feedback—still falls short? They may verbally confirm understanding and commitment, yet mistakes persist, tasks go incomplete, or reliability falters. When do you stop hoping for improvement and decisively offboard them to protect the rest of the team?
Let’s break it down.
Don’t Fire Them (The Three Fingers of Responsibility)
It’s natural to feel frustration when pointing out issues (we all have triggers). But before directing that one finger outward, remember the classic wisdom: when you point one finger at someone else, three fingers point back at you. Take a hard look at your own responsibilities first.
The three fingers pointing back include:
- Clear access to well-documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that spell out exactly what needs to be done.
- A solid, gradient-based training system like the Gradient Training Checksheet (GTC) that builds skills progressively to “wins” and full competence.
- Kind, non-confrontational correction processes that focus on facts, learning, and improvement rather than blame.
If these three aren’t solidly in place, the issue may stem more from the system than the individual.
Fire Them Up!
Our longstanding rule for shaping a functional team: “Hat, don’t hit.” When you spot non-optimal performance or friction on the floor, resist complaining to others. Instead, ask: “How can I fire this team up to reduce mistakes, increase speed with less friction, and improve harmony?”
Revisit your SOPs—are they complete, clear, and easy to understand? Run the staff member through the GTC again, pinpointing exact areas of misunderstanding or gaps. Be rigorous during check-outs: lenient signoffs can release an undertrained person back into your smooth-running team, causing sparks to fly. Invest the effort to reignite their performance through better tools and support.
Fire Them Out . . .
Hiring, interviewing, onboarding, and training are exhausting—especially in a busy practice. It’s tempting to cling to hope that a struggling hire will “magically” improve, particularly during the typical 90-day probation period. We’ve all seen rare cases where someone snaps into form at the last minute. But far more often, lingering doubts persist right up to day 89.
The 30 Day Thumbs Up (or Down) Rule
After rolling up your sleeves for thorough training, coaching, and mentoring, evaluate decisively at the 30-day mark. If mistakes continue despite your best efforts, call it. Wish them well, let them go quietly (no fanfare), and restart the process.
Legally, you may have 90 days, but in my 40+ years working with thousands of practices, if you’ve fully upheld your side of the bargain—robust SOPs, proper GTCS training, and fair coaching—persistent issues are almost always on their side. Don’t hope for change; it rarely comes. Ensure you’ve given 100% (not just handing over a thick manual), then act to protect your team.
Three Strikes and You’re Out
This applies to both new hires and existing team members (including those inherited from a practice purchase or long-term employees) when doubt arises—defined as “a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction” (Oxford Dictionary).For probationary staff, it’s straightforward. For longer-term employees, documentation becomes critical.
The process:
- Observe a mistake or non-optimal situation.
- Document it promptly (time, place, details).
- Meet with the staff member (with a manager or witness present) to review the facts.
- Ask questions to uncover misunderstandings or disagreements.
- Issue retraining via a new GTCS focused on the problem area.
- If it recurs, repeat the write-up and retraining.
- On the third occurrence, document again and offboard.
Note: Needing to write something up is itself a strong signal the person is “circling the drain” (CTD). Write-ups alone rarely fix issues without deep retraining and honest dialogue.
One of Us Has to Go
Conduct the conversation privately: Thank them for their efforts and say simply, “I’m sorry, it’s not working out. Today is your last day.”
If the behavior is toxic (broken agreements, gossip, repeated major errors), you can be more direct: “One of us has to go. I’m the owner, so that’s not possible for me. Today is your last day.”
Keep the Fire Going (Acknowledgments)
A functional, happy team is rare and precious—protect it fiercely. Start with the basics: greet people warmly and acknowledge their presence and contributions. Many cultures have profound greetings that mean “I see you” and affirm a person’s worth and dignity. For example, the Zulu greeting “Sawubona” translates to “I see you,” carrying deep recognition of someone’s full humanity and value (with responses affirming mutual existence and presence).
Make it a habit to say hello with genuine warmth, celebrate wins publicly, and show appreciation daily. Small gestures amplify: surprise pizza lunches, food truck visits, or afternoon smoothies after a tough day.
What you focus attention on and grant importance to grows—so acknowledge successes consistently, and teach your managers and kids the same principle.
Wrap Up
Protect your team with strong onboarding: comprehensive SOPs, the Gradient Training Check Sheet (GTC), hands-on coaching, and decisive action when needed. If you’ve upheld your responsibilities and someone still isn’t fitting in, offboard confidently—it’s likely a wrong hire, not poor training.
A friction-free team can handle unexpected rushes and challenges; it struggles with persistent mistakes, confusion, or toxicity.
Great leaders observe, decide, and act. Be decisive, fire up your strong performers, and safeguard the magic of your practice.
Action Items:
- Reinforce the Three Fingers — Audit your current SOPs, GTC training materials, and correction processes to ensure all three responsibilities are fully met; update any gaps immediately.
- Strengthen GTC Usage — Schedule refresher sessions or spot-checks with struggling or new team members using the Gradient Training Checksheet; be rigorous on sign-offs to confirm true competence.
- Implement 30-Day Reviews — For every new hire (and any existing staff in doubt), schedule a formal 30-day evaluation; prepare to decide thumbs up (full investment) or down (offboard) based on clear evidence.
- Start Documentation Discipline — Create a simple template for noting performance issues (time, place, details); train managers to use it consistently for any non-optimal situations, triggering the three-strikes process.
- Build Acknowledgment Habits — Start daily greetings with warmth (“Sawubona” style—“I see you”) and commit to at least one public shout-out or small team appreciation gesture per week (e.g., huddle thank-yous, treats after busy shifts).
- Plan Team-Building Touches — Schedule one low-effort morale booster in the next 30 days (pizza lunch, smoothies, or food truck) to keep the fire going and reinforce that functional teams are celebrated.
- Set Offboarding Protocols — Draft a standard script and process for termination conversations (private, kind, direct); review legal basics with your advisor to ensure smooth, professional exits that protect the team.
Struggling with your practice organization and unwanted stress? At the point in your practice ownership where you’re ready to start a transformation? Click the link below to schedule a free 45-minute Practic Potential Discovery Consultation: