RECOMMENDED RESOURCES FOCUSING ON COMMUNICATIONS FOR MENTORS AND MENTEES

For mentors:

1.  Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott, 2002, The Berkley Publishing Group, New York, New York - This is a book on essential communication skills and covers a lot of coaching principles without specifically referring to them as such.

2.  Coaching for Performance: GROWing Human Potential and Purpose (4th Edition) by John Whitmore, 2009, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, Boston MA -

Consultants often use this as their "text" for coach skills training. It provides not only an easy to use coaching model (GROW) but also great insights on the benefits and specifics of becoming a more effective leader.

3.  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. By Steven R. Covey, Simon & Schuster, 2004, available at www.amazon.com This is an excellent book for helping mentors and mentees step back and critically evaluate their lives, personality, and overall approach to work and problem solving. It helps readers target their weaknesses, and guides them step-by-step to a more rational and productive approach towards life and relationships, unquantifiably essential elements for a successful career and home life. While this book is not a direct resource for building a veterinary practice, it is a fundamental resource for effective communications and success in any endeavor

4.  The 8th Habit: from Effectiveness to Greatness By Stephen Covey, 2004, Free Press, New York, New York – This book is about “Finding your voice and inspiring others to find theirs.” It will help you to clarify your vision for yourself and your practice, make good choices and make the most of your relationships at work.

For mentees:

1.  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

By Steven R. Covey, Simon & Schuster, 2004, available at www.amazon.com This is an excellent book for helping mentors and mentees step back and critically evaluate their lives, personality, and overall approach to work and problem solving. It helps readers target their weaknesses, and guides them step-by-step to a more rational and productive approach towards life and relationships, unquantifiably essential elements for a successful career and home life. While this book is not a direct resource for building a veterinary practice, it is a fundamental resource for effective communications and success in any endeavor.

2.  Educating Your Clients from A to Z: What to say & How to say it, 2nd edition

By Nan Boss, DVM, 2011, AAHA Press 6 proven communications techniques are applied to 26 common topics you will be talking to clients about every day in practice.

3.  Client Satisfaction Pays: Quality Service for Practice Success, 2nd edition by Carin Smith, 2009, AAHA Press -Learn how to keep existing clients and generate new ones with quality service and attention to client needs.

4.  Compliance: Taking Quality Care to the Next Level & 6 Steps to Higher-Quality Patient Care 2009, AAHA Press - These are the follow-up booklets to the original compliance study book, The Path to High-Quality Care, which is better than either of these but no longer in the AQAHA Press catalog. If your employer has this little booklet it’s a must read. It will challenge and change your assumptions about client compliance.

5.  Connecting with Clients: Practical Communication for 10 Common Situations, 2nd Edition & Connecting with Grieving Clients: Supportive Communication for 14 Common Situations, 2nd ed., both by Laurel Lagoni & Dana Durrance, 2010 & 2011, respectively, both from AAHA Press.

  1. Handbook of Veterinary Communication Skills Carol Gray & Jenny Moffett, Wiley-Blackwell, ($48.41-Book) – sensational book with great graphics illustrating the art of communicating with veterinary clients. Filled with veterinary case examples illustrating what works and what doesn’t.
  1. Exam Room Communications for Veterinarians: The Science and Art of Conversing with Clients By Jon Klingborg, DVM, AAHA Press ($39.95 member $44.95 nonmembers) – uses “hawks, owls, dogs and kittens” plus “leaders, engineers ,energizers and dreamers” to explain cognitive learning and communication styles.
  1. Getting Past No By William Ury – Communicating with staff, clients, vendors, bosses, parents, spouses, significant others and children all involve understanding and developing communication skills. This book explains the different styles and tactics we all need to learn and practice throughout life.