• Leadership in Veterinary Medicine provides both theoretical and practical information for veterinary professionals who are contemplating leadership or currently facing day-to-day leadership challenges.

    This much-needed book introduces and explores key leadership concepts in the veterinary context whilst encouraging self-reflection through real-world scenarios. Each chapter outlines a particular leadership concept or issue and includes a topic summary, discussion questions, full references and further reading suggestions. This thought-provoking text:

    • Explores the principal areas of leadership for both veterinary professionals and for those leading veterinary professionals
    • Discusses various leadership styles, competencies, behaviours and perspectives
    • Addresses topics such as leadership assessment, organisational dynamics, interpersonal communication, remote and virtual leadership, and collaboration skills
    • Assists readers in developing strategy, leading change, creating effective teams and improving staff engagement
    • Includes practical cases and examples highlighting challenges in veterinary leadership

    Leadership in Veterinary Medicine is a must-read for all veterinary professionals in leadership posts, for those aspiring to be leaders and for instructors in veterinary schools and veterinary nursing training organisations.

  • Acknowledgements xii

    Foreword xiv

    Part I Foundations of Veterinary Leadership 1

    1 Introduction 3

    1.1 What Is Leadership, and Why Do We Need a Book on Veterinary Leadership? 3

    1.2 My Leadership Experiences 5

    1.3 My Approach 5

    1.4 Who Is the Book for? 6

    1.5 How to Use This Book 6

    1.6 What Is ‘Good Enough’? 6

    Questions 7

    Further Reading 7

    References 7

    2 Veterinary Leadership in Context 8

    2.1 Introduction 8

    2.2 Complex Systems and Wicked Problems 9

    2.3 What Is a Profession? 10

    2.4 The History of the Veterinary Profession 11

    2.5 What Are the Veterinary Professions, and What Are They for? 12

    2.6 Uncertainties of Role and Identity 13

    2.7 Professional Archetypes 14

    2.8 Why Is Leadership Important in the Veterinary Professions? 14

    2.9 Veterinary Teams 15

    2.10 What Difference Does Leadership Make? 16

    2.11 The Discipline of ‘Leadership’ in Veterinary Medicine 17

    2.12 The Future of Leadership in Veterinary Medicine 18

    2.13 Conclusion 19

    Questions 19

    Further Reading 20

    References 20

    3 Leadership Repertoires 23

    3.1 Introduction 23

    3.2 Cognitive Competencies 25

    3.3 Emotional Competencies 29

    3.4 Intuition 32

    3.5 Conclusion 34

    Questions 34

    Further Reading 35

    References 35

    4 Self-Leadership 37

    4.1 Introduction 37

    4.2 Self-Awareness 38

    4.3 How Do Others See Your Leadership? 42

    4.4 How Do you Want Others to See Your Leadership? 45

    4.5 Self-Motivation 46

    4.6 Self-Regulation 47

    4.7 Leadership Traps and Shadows 49

    4.8 Self-Development 51

    4.9 Self-Care 52

    4.10 Conclusion 55

    Questions 55

    Further Reading 56

    References 56

    5 Veterinary Professionals and Leadership 59

    5.1 Are Veterinary Professionals Different? 59

    5.2 The Leadership–Followership Dynamic 67

    5.3 What Do Veterinary Professionals Want from Leadership? 70

    5.4 It’s Not Just the Veterinary Professionals 72

    5.5 Conclusion 72

    Questions 73

    Further Reading 73

    References 73

    6 Analysing Organisations 76

    6.1 Introduction 76

    6.2 Why Do Organisations Differ? 77

    6.3 How Organisations Differ 77

    6.4 Analysing Organisations 87

    6.5 How Do Organisations Develop? 93

    6.6 Leadership and the Organisational Context 94

    6.7 Conclusion 94

    Questions 95

    Further Reading 95

    References 95

    7 Understanding Strategy 97

    7.1 Introduction 97

    7.2 Strategy Now 98

    7.3 Strategy Then? 103

    7.4 Strategy How? 108

    7.5 Conclusion 112

    Questions 112

    Further Reading 113

    References 113

    8 Communicating and Engaging 114

    8.1 Introduction 114

    8.2 How Do We Communicate? 115

    8.3 What You Want to Say Is Not (Necessarily) What I Hear 117

    8.4 Types of Communication 118

    8.5 If You Want to Be Heard, First Listen 118

    8.6 Asking Great Questions 119

    8.7 Think About Your Intended Audience 120

    8.8 What Message Is Received? 121

    8.9 Putting It Together 122

    8.10 Engagement and Authenticity 123

    8.11 What If They Don’t Want to Listen? 124

    8.12 Negotiation 125

    8.13 Conflict and Conflict Management Styles 126

    8.14 Mediation 127

    8.15 Difficult Conversations 128

    8.16 Conclusion 129

    Questions 130

    Further Reading 130

    References 130

    9 Creating Effective Teams 132

    9.1 Introduction 132

    9.2 Who Is the Team? 133

    9.3 What Is the Shared Purpose? 136

    9.4 Shared Leadership 139

    9.5 Relational Team Leadership 140

    9.6 Creating the Right Team Environment 145

    9.7 Task Leadership 145

    9.8 If, and When, to Intervene 147

    9.9 Team Maintenance 147

    9.10 When Teams End 148

    9.11 Conclusion 149

    Questions 149

    Further Reading 149

    References 149

    10 Leadership and Change 153

    10.1 What Is Change? 154

    10.2 Systemic Perspectives on Change 155

    10.3 Psychological Aspects of Change 158

    10.4 Change Leadership 160

    10.5 Adoption and Diffusion of Change 166

    10.6 Conclusion 169

    Questions 170

    Further Reading 170

    References 170

    11 Remote and Virtual Leadership 174

    11.1 Introduction 174

    11.2 Definitions 175

    11.3 Considerations for Remote Leadership 176

    11.4 Remote Leadership Tasks 178

    11.5 Considerations for Virtual Leadership 180

    11.6 Virtual Leadership Tasks 185

    11.7 Informal Virtual Leadership 188

    11.8 Hybrid Models 189

    11.9 Conclusion 189

    Questions 190

    Further Reading 190

    References 190

    12 Leadership and Development 193

    12.1 Introduction 193

    12.2 What Are You Developing? 194

    12.3 Does Leadership Development Work? 195

    12.4 Engagement and Motivation to Develop Leadership 195

    12.5 Developing a Leadership Identity 197

    12.6 Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle 198

    12.7 Creating a Feedback Culture 200

    12.8 Choices for Leadership Development 202

    12.9 Succession Planning 207

    12.10 Conclusion 209

    Questions 209

    Further Reading 209

    References 209

    13 Leadership in Practise 214

    13.1 Introduction 214

    13.2 Choose Your Behaviours 214

    13.3 Be Brave and Authentic 215

    13.4 Be Decisive and Assertive 215

    13.5 Be Honest, Fair, and Transparent 216

    13.6 Have Integrity and Trustworthiness 216

    13.7 Own Your Failures 216

    13.8 Be Grateful and Positive 217

    13.9 Understand the Organisation 217

    13.10 Get to Know the People 218

    13.11 Think of the Group 218

    13.12 Align and Create Direction 218

    13.13 Trust 219

    13.14 Empower 219

    13.15 Nurture 220

    13.16 Protect 221

    13.17 Be Tough on Standards and Kind to People 221

    13.18 Connect 221

    13.19 Make Time 222

    13.20 Follow 222

    13.21 Accept Messiness and Dance with Complexity 222

    13.22 Conclusion 222

    Questions 223

    Further Reading 223

    References 223

    Part II Veterinary Leadership Scenarios 225

    Scenario 1 A Thief in the House? 228

    Scenario 2 A Failed Strategy? 229

    Scenario 3 ‘What Do You Think You Are Doing?’ 230

    Scenario 4 At Last, a Proper Lunch Break! 231

    Scenario 5 Not a Trivial Matter 232

    Scenario 6 Convincing the Board 233

    Scenario 7 A Tough First Time 234

    Scenario 8 A New Broom? 235

    Scenario 9 A Bit of a Beef 236

    Scenario 10 Into the Lion’s Den 237

    Scenario 11 Our Planet Is at Stake! 238

    Scenario 12 Creating a New Future 239

    Scenario 13 On the Horns of a Dilemma 240

    Appendix A Behavioural Drivers Questionnaire 241

    Index 243

  • Clive Elwood MA VetMB, MSc, MS(Ashridge) PhD, CertSAC, DipACVIM, DipECVIM, FRCVS

    Is the founder of Trellis Leadership Coaching, which focuses on executive coaching, leadership development, and strategy. Clive was a veterinary specialist in private practice for 20 years and was Managing Director of Davies Veterinary Specialists, where he led a staff of more than 150. Clive holds a Masters in Executive Coaching from Hult Ashridge Business School and is a European Mentoring and Coaching Council Senior Practitioner.

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