💬 Is Leadership Next? They’re Talking About You. In a Good Way.

You’re not officially in charge. But people are starting to look to you. The newer team members ask for your opinion. You’re the one who steps in when something’s unclear. Your boss trusts you with a bit more responsibility than everyone else. You haven’t been given a title, but the signs are there – leadership is coming. And if you’re honest, you’re not sure you’re ready.

In veterinary practice, leadership rarely starts with a promotion. More often, it creeps in quietly – through trust, competence, and visibility. But when the moment finally comes, most people step into leadership roles with no training, little support, and only an idea of how different it is from clinical work. So this article is your primer. It won’t make you a great leader overnight, but it will help you start thinking like one. Because leadership isn’t something you wait for, it’s something you prepare for…

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Understand That Leadership Is a New Role, Not Just More Responsibility

There’s a moment in every veterinary career when people stop seeing you as just part of the team and start expecting something more. You’re the one they ask for a second opinion. You’re the one they trust with the complicated client. You’re the one they pull aside when things feel tense. It might not be formal yet, but make no mistake: you’ve started leading.

What catches many people off guard is that leadership isn’t just more of the same with a few added tasks. It’s a fundamentally different role. You shift from focusing on your own performance to becoming part of how others succeed. Instead of just getting things done, you start to notice how people feel while they’re doing them. And when the team struggles, the question isn’t just “Why?” It becomes “What am I doing or not doing that might be contributing to this?”

It’s not a title that makes you a leader. It’s the way others experience you in the room, especially when things are difficult. If people already turn to you in those moments, you’ve already taken the first step.

Tactical Takeaway: Start Acting the Role Before You’re Given the Title

• Notice when people defer to you and start planning ahead for how you will respond
• Practice asking more questions before giving solutions
• In tense situations, observe how your tone and body language affect others

I realised I’d become the default problem-solver on our team, even though I wasn’t officially a manager. That’s when I knew I had to start thinking like a leader, not just a senior vet – Alicia D., Lead Veterinarian, Portland, OR, USA

Clinical Excellence Doesn’t Equal Leadership Competence

In veterinary practice, technical skill is everything… until it isn’t. The very traits that make you a standout clinician can sometimes hold you back as a developing leader. Being fast, precise, and independent might win praise in surgery or triage, but leadership demands something different. It’s not about being the best at the task. It’s about helping others do their best work.

That shift is uncomfortable for a lot of people. If you’ve built your identity around being highly capable, it can feel risky to let go of control. Delegating might feel like lowering your standards. Watching someone else struggle through something you could do faster yourself can be frustrating. But resisting that shift will trap you in the role of doer, not leader.

Leadership is a multiplier, not a solo act. If you’re still the only one who can “do it right,” then something’s missing… and it’s probably not just skill. It’s trust, communication, and the willingness to coach instead of rescue. That’s where your next growth curve begins.

Tactical Takeaway: Let Go of Being the Best So You Can Help Others Improve

• Watch for moments when you’re tempted to step in and do it yourself – pause instead
• When you delegate, focus on clarity and expectations, not just outcomes
• Make time to check in with team members after delegation – ask what support they needed but didn’t ask for

I used to think delegating was lazy or risky. Now I see it as the most powerful way to grow the people around me and that’s way harder than simply doing it myself – Tim R., Senior Associate Vet, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

You Can’t Fix What You Can’t See – Self-Awareness as Your First Tool

If you’ve ever left a tough conversation thinking, “That didn’t go how I expected,” you’ve already brushed up against one of the most critical leadership skills: self-awareness. It’s the ability to understand how you show up – not just in your own mind, but through the eyes of your team. And when you’re seen as a future leader, how you act under stress, how you respond to mistakes, and how consistently you communicate matters more than ever.

Self-awareness doesn’t mean second-guessing everything you do. It means staying curious about your own patterns. Do you get short with others when you’re rushed? Do you avoid conflict? Do you become overly controlling when you’re worried about outcomes? These are the kinds of questions that shape how people experience your leadership – even before you formally step into the role.

The good news is that self-awareness isn’t some mysterious trait. It’s a skill that grows through honest feedback, reflection, and the courage to notice your own impact. The earlier you start building it, the smoother your transition into formal leadership will be.

Tactical Takeaway: Build Self-Awareness Like Any Other Skill

• Ask two trusted teammates: “What’s something I do under pressure that I might not notice?”
• Set aside 10 minutes each week to review one moment that went well… and one that didn’t
• Track your energy and emotional patterns over the week – what lifts you up, and what drains you?

Once I realised my stress showed up as sarcasm, I understood why people sometimes shut down around me – I thought I was being funny, but I was just being sharp – Marcus T., Veterinary Nurse, Manchester, UK

Managing Up, Down, and Sideways – Leadership in All Directions

Leadership isn’t just about managing people who report to you. Even before you have an official title, you’re already influencing in all directions – supporting junior teammates, collaborating with peers, and communicating with those who oversee the practice. Each of these relationships needs a different kind of awareness, and learning how to navigate them early sets you up to lead with confidence when the time comes.

Managing up means learning how to communicate clearly with practice owners, directors, or senior managers. That includes raising concerns without sounding like you’re complaining, offering solutions instead of just pointing out problems, and understanding the pressures they’re carrying too. Leading sideways is about working well with peers – especially those who may not report to you but are part of the same daily workflow. Titles don’t carry weight if the person behind them hasn’t earned respect… people follow the ones who show up, stay calm, and make things better for others.

And leading “down” doesn’t mean bossing anyone around. It means building trust with the people who are newer, less experienced, or simply looking for guidance. That trust comes from listening well, being consistent, and showing your team that you’ve got their back – not just when it’s convenient, but when it matters most.

Tactical Takeaway: Practice Leadership in Every Direction

• Ask your manager what they find most helpful in team communication – and try matching that style
• Look for opportunities to support a peer who’s stretched thin – offer help without overstepping
• In team huddles or quiet moments, check in with newer staff – ask what’s working well for them and what’s still confusing

I didn’t have a supervisor role then, but when I realised people at every level were recognising how well I handled pressure, and complimenting me, that’s when I understood leadership isn’t about a title – it’s about presence – Chris L., Senior Veterinarian, Denver, CO, USA

Start Where You Are – Building Leadership Skills Ahead Of Time

Most veterinary professionals don’t get leadership training until after they’ve been promoted… if ever. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait for someone to hand you a title or a management course to start learning how to lead. In fact, the best time to build leadership skills is before you’re officially in charge. That way, when the opportunity comes, you already have a foundation to stand on.

Start with small shifts. Pay closer attention to how your team communicates. Volunteer to lead a morning huddle or onboard a new team member. Observe how your leaders handle stress, change, and conflict – what do you admire, and what would you do differently? Read a book or listen to a podcast on leadership outside the veterinary space and ask yourself how the ideas apply to your clinic.

Leadership isn’t about waiting to be chosen. It’s about choosing to grow. Even a few minutes a week spent learning how to support others, give better feedback, or understand workplace dynamics can make a huge difference in how prepared you feel when the time comes.

Tactical Takeaway: Build the Habits Before You Have the Title

• Choose one new leadership habit to try each week – leading huddles, giving peer feedback, or welcoming new staff
• Start a leadership journal – reflect on what you noticed or learned each week
• Pick one leadership podcast or book and commit to ten minutes a week of listening or reading

I’m not managing anyone yet, but I’ve started paying attention to how leaders in our clinic handle difficult moments – I want to be ready if that ever becomes part of my role – Priya S., Associate Veterinarian, Sacramento, CA, USA

Try These Leadership Warm-Up Tasks Over the Next Few Months

You don’t need to be in charge to start building leadership habits. These tasks are designed for veterinary professionals who are quietly becoming the go-to person on their team and want to be ready when leadership becomes part of the role. Choose one or two that fit your current priorities and start where you are.

• Observe how a respected leader in your clinic communicates during a stressful moment. Note what they say, how they say it, and how others respond
• Offer to lead part of a team huddle, handover, or case review. Focus on clarity, tone, and pacing
• Check in with a team member who seems off this week. Ask how they’re going and listen without trying to fix anything
• Ask a colleague or supervisor for one piece of feedback on how you contribute to team dynamics
• Step back from a task you usually handle and let someone else lead. Support them without taking over
• Track when you feel reactive, impatient, or withdrawn during the week. Notice what triggers those responses
• Have a conversation with someone newer to the team. Ask what has been clear or confusing since they joined
• Choose one leadership idea from a podcast, article, or book. Try applying it this week and reflect on what shifted

Leadership begins with how you show up, not with the title you’re given. These tasks are small steps to help you prepare with intention.

Closing Thoughts…

Stepping into leadership rarely begins with a job title or formal handover. More often, it starts when others begin turning to you for guidance, stability, or support. If that’s already happening in your world, this isn’t just a compliment… it’s a sign that your next professional chapter might involve more than clinical skill alone.

You don’t need to have all the answers yet. What matters is that you start paying attention, stay curious about your own habits, and begin practicing small leadership behaviours while the stakes are still manageable. Leadership isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you prepare for. And by doing that now, you’re giving your future team a better leader than you ever had.

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