Viewing Communication Through Another's Lens: Considerations for Communicating With Bovine Producers

This chapter is the third of four in this textbook to explore communication preferences of veterinary clients. Drawing upon the veterinary literature, this chapter identifies and explores in greater depth those communication skills that bovine producers desire when engaging with veterinary team members. Studies have begun to identify what producers need and want from us, and which skills are required of us to increase producers’ receptivity to implementing change. This chapter introduces how motivational interviewing skills can be applied to bovine practice to facilitate partnership in strategic planning. That partnership begins by soliciting the client's perspective: who are they and how do they define their operation; who else influences their decision-making; what goals do they and other advisors share that we need to tap into; and how can we partner with them to elevate their goals?