In 2002, the British Cycling team was considered to be one of the worst in the world. They had only won one gold medal in the last 76 years of the Olympics. However, in 2003, Dave Brailsford became the performance director for British Cycling. He believed in the concept of “marginal gains” - making small improvements in every aspect of cycling to achieve a significant overall improvement.

Brailsford and his team began by analyzing every single detail of the cycling process and finding ways to make tiny improvements. His goal was simply tiny gains (1%) in key areas. For example, they tested different types of massage gels to see which one was the most effective, they redesigned the team’s bikes to make them more aerodynamic, and they even taught the cyclists how to wash their hands properly to reduce the risk of illness.

Over time, these small improvements began to add up. As quickly as the 2004 Olympic Games, British Cycling won two gold medals. In 2008, the British Cycling team dominated the field and won 14 medals including eight gold medals (seven of which were from the ten events in the velodrome) at the Beijing Olympics. In 2012, they won even more medals at the London Olympics. By 2016, the team had become one of the most dominant forces in cycling, winning multiple gold medals at every Olympics since 2008. In addition, British cyclists won 59 World Championships across a variety of disciplines from 2003 to 2013.

The Aggregation of Marginal Gains & Veterinary Communication

The key to the British cycling team’s success was not one big breakthrough or innovation, but rather a commitment to making small, incremental improvements in every aspect of their performance. Just 1% in many areas can lead to amazing results. This concept can be applied to any area of life, from personal habits to business practice. As you can imagine, it’s also applicable to veterinary communication improvement.

Veterinary communication training aims to improve the communication skills of veterinary professionals when interacting with clients and colleagues. While some may expect to see drastic changes overnight after undergoing communication training, it’s essential to understand that the goal is small improvements over time, leading to remarkable results.

You Just Need 1% Improvement

The 1% philosophy emphasizes the importance of making small changes consistently, which is precisely what veterinary communication training aims to achieve. By focusing on small, incremental improvements in communication skills, veterinarians and their teams can gradually enhance the quality of their interactions with clients and patients, leading to more satisfied clients, improved patient outcomes, and increased revenue for the practice.

For example, improving the veterinarian’s ability to explain complex medical terms to clients or providing more empathetic communication can significantly impact how clients perceive their experience with the practice. While these changes may seem small, the cumulative effect over time can lead to a notable improvement in client satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.

Another example is the implementation of patient-centered communication techniques, such as open-ended questioning and active listening, which allow the veterinarian to better understand the patient’s needs and concerns. Over time, these small improvements can lead to more accurate diagnoses, better treatment plans, and ultimately, improved patient outcomes.

It’s essential to note that while the 1% philosophy emphasizes small improvements, it does not mean that the changes made are insignificant. Small improvements can lead to significant impacts, just as a 1% gain in cycling performance can mean the difference between winning or losing a race.

The 1% improvement philosophy can be applied to veterinary communication training, emphasizing the importance of consistent small changes over time. It is not a one and done process. The goal is not to expect drastic changes overnight, but rather to focus on continuous improvement, leading to remarkable results in client satisfaction, patient outcomes, and revenue for the practice.