IN THE WORKPLACE
MAKE YOUR OWN
SUCCESS Mike Eng interviews the man behind The 10 Behaviours of Success – a course now on offer to all members of the veterinary profession. WHILE SUCCESS MEANS different things to different people, it’s fair to say we all want our fair share. For most, professional success brings a sense of satisfaction and achievement that can enhance overall wellbeing and help to make life at home, work and play fulfilling and rewarding.
46 – VetScript October 2020
As many are aware, veterinary professionals have a unique set of onthe-job challenges, and pressures in the wider world are affecting all practices and their people. It could be for some that survival, rather than success, is a more realistic goal in 2020. But according to author, academic and consultant David Keane, striving for and achieving success at work can help professionals in any industry to enjoy a better sense of wellbeing and life satisfaction overall. As someone who has studied the attributes of successful people for more than three decades, he should know. “How you define success is critically important. It determines how you approach life professionally and personally, how you make decisions, and ultimately the results you get in your life,” he says. His definition of success is one that can be applied to everyone seeking success. It’s about being on a pathway to
achieving ‘worthwhile dreams’, whatever these happen to be for someone. “Each person can define success as it relates to themselves and each of us can be uniquely successful,” says David. “Success is about living life in a way that is purposeful. A person can look at the different aspects of their life and check if they are ‘on purpose’ or not.” Personal success does not have to come at the expense of professional success, he says. “A person can ask if they are ‘on purpose’ with their professional and personal lives. If the answer is ‘no’, they should look at what ‘worthwhile dreams’ mean in professional and personal senses. If there are tensions between the two, it’s a good idea to find a way for them to co-exist.” David says the key to achieving success, regardless of how we define it, begins with our behaviours. “Over time, we develop certain patterns and behaviours that get ingrained in the way we think and act. These affect how we make decisions and how we go about our work. They also have a big influence on our lives outside work, how we manage relationships and stress, and how we achieve a balance between work and our personal lives,” he says. David’s original PhD research looked at the behaviours of successful leaders. Since then he has broadened his research to study successful people in all walks of life, and discovered they exhibit certain behaviours every day. “I’ve always been fascinated by successful people and the behaviours of people who achieve great things. It’s always struck me that if you want to get good at something, the first place to look is at those people who have already achieved what you are interested in.” Growing up, David was inspired by stories of people who had overcome challenges to achieve success. “I loved reading autobiographies and the life stories of people who had lived interesting lives. The people who inspire me are not necessarily famous. They are everyday people who wake up most mornings and know that what they
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