Communication is something that we, as veterinary professionals, do every day and it can be tempting to assume that we do it well, because we do it often. But we would be willing to bet that there have been some consultations that just didn’t go quite as well as you might have liked. Maybe you struggled to keep to schedule? Or perhaps reaching a decision felt like a battle and you’re not sure whether the client is going to follow your advice? We’ve all been there, trust us! Thankfully the tips we share in this toolkit will help you to brush up your consulting skills, making these situations a rare event if not a distant memory.
You may think that good communicators are born rather than made. But thankfully this is not true! Whilst some people are naturally more confident communicators, communication skills are absolutely something that can be learned and improved upon. And this matters because good communication leads to more satisfied clients, with better understanding and recall, and who are more likely to follow your recommended treatment plan. You are also less likely to receive a complaint and less likely to make mistakes if you communicate well. And when you put all of this together, it’s easy to see that good communication is the route to improving your patient’s health and well-being.
