Lessons learned from the CVMA.

Amid all the details of the CVMA’s many activities, several themes consistently reappear. These ideas help differentiate the “forest from the trees” at Canada’s national veterinary organization. Here are 9 “big picture” lessons I’ve learned, one for each of the years I have served on the CVMA Council. 9. Acronyms R Us! One doesn’t have to be around the CVMA for very long before it’s clear that acronyms are everywhere! For example, the CCAC (Canadian Council on Animal Care) is the organization responsible for the standards for care and use of animals in science. Change one letter, and you have the NCAC (National Companion Animal Coalition) that promotes responsible pet ownership, and companion animal health. The NCAC is composed of the CVMA, the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club), the CFHA (Canadian Federation of Humane Societies) and the PIJAC (Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council). Just knowing who’s who is a challenge. Thankfully, there’s always Google to fall back on! 8. CVMA issues are complicated and long term. The CVMA is involved with complex issues that include many other participants, making things even more complicated. For instance, discussions on veterinary pharmaceutical legislation involve veterinary associations and provincial regulatory bodies, the Veterinary Drug Directorate of Health Canada, manufacturers, and livestock producer associations. Issues are not quickly resolved, but the CVMA has to be patient and persistent, and show up with a loud, clear, united voice. As one speaker noted at the 2007 British Veterinary Association’s Congress, “If you’re not at the table, you’re probably on the menu!” 7. Partnerships and teamwork get things done. Building partnerships is critical for the CVMA. Former executive vice president of the AVMA, Bruce Little, describes the process in 3 steps: “First you develop trust, then a relationship, and finally a successful partnership.” As for teamwork, there is no better example of a T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Achieving More) than the CVMA Council. This team of 15 “players” possesses a tremendous wealth and variety of talent and expertise that is used for the collective good of Canadian veterinarians. Not once in my years on the CVMA Council have I seen any CVMA councillor driving a hidden agenda or grinding the proverbial axe. Council shares the credit when things go well, and shares accountability when things need to be improved. We often debate issues, but we always come to an agreement on how to move forward. If the same degree of decorum existed on the floor of the House of Commons, our nation would be better served! 6. It all starts with service. Veterinarians must never forget that we are first and foremost service providers to animals, their owners, and society. Similarly, the CVMA exists to serve its members. The CVMA continues to focus on providing what CVMA members want and need, and delivering more of it to them. Today’s veterinarians increasingly see themselves as “clients” of a professional association rather than “owners,” and expect to receive useful, relevant services. They are much less concerned about process, and much more interested in results. 5. What matters can’t always be measured. Veterinarians want and need financial success. Revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities can be measured, but veterinarians, just as importantly, also want to have a meaningful career in a supportive environment, be valued for what they do, and enjoy a suitable work‐life balance. At the same time, the CVMA recognizes that many veterinarians also want to contribute to society in a broader way. As the saying goes “…you make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.” The CVMA is committed to helping provide these less quantifiable benefits to all its members, especially new graduates and associates. 4. Change is not an option. Change is mandatory, a fact of life, and a requirement for progress. Avoiding change is counter productive: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got!” Change, however, is not easy. Embracing change is not the default mode for many people or organizations. Furthermore, because so many things are interconnected, making a single change often requires several other simultaneous changes. The CVMA is responsive to the evolving needs of its members; council, executive, committee members and staff continually assess what the Association needs to do to ensure it provides value and benefits to Canada’s veterinarians. The last cry from a dying organization is “We’ve never done it that way before!” Those are words you won’t hear from the CVMA. 3. Communication is everything! My mother often told me when I was a‐sometimes sullen teenager that “communication is important!” How right she was! But communicating is a challenge. In our own family of 4, we often can’t keep track of each other’s schedules. In larger groups, communication gets even more difficult. Confusion can occur when discussions and recommendations are mistaken for decisions. Organizations want to inform and remind their members what they are doing on their behalf while not becoming repetitive and bothersome. Ideal communication should be timely, targeted, and relevant, delivered in the way the recipient wants to receive it….a tall order, for sure! 2. Connecting with members — the CVMA’s top goal. Effective communication is the first step in connecting with members; it adds value to CVMA activities. The Association wants to “do good things and talk about them” in a positive way. The next step in connecting is engagement by participation. Members become truly involved when they actively take part in an organization. So,….join in the CVMA on‐line discussion boards, write a letter to the editor or offer to review a book for The CVJ, volunteer to join the Canadian Veterinary Reserve, come to Vancouver this July 27–31 for the World Veterinary Congress, or offer to serve on CVMA committees or Council. The CVMA wants you to truly feel it is your association. 1. There is no better profession than veterinary medicine. No other profession offers the variety of opportunities that veterinary medicine provides. As small business entrepreneurs, veterinarians can work with a huge array of animal life, from bovine embryos to beloved family pets. We can become educators, corporate citizens, protectors of public health and food safety, or guardians against animal disease. We need to remember to always be ambassadors for veterinary medicine, and to speak of our careers with pride so we can continue to attract the best and brightest to the profession. Veterinary medicine is perfectly positioned at the unique intersection of animal, human, and ecosystem health. No matter which road we choose, one thing is certain, the future is bright indeed!

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