Are you walking your talk?

Truly inspirational leaders are those who walk their talk. They do what they say they do (even when nobody is watching), and they lead by example to inspire and motivate their team.

One of the fastest ways to lose respect from your team and credibility as a leader is to be accused of not walking your talk. Trust is lost when a leader says all the right things and delivers on few. Perhaps you can recall someone in your career who always knew how to sound inspirational and get people fired up, but the pep talks didn’t align with their actions? Maybe you’ve encountered a manager who expected a lot from other people but believed some of the duties they expected their team to do was beneath them?

Where I believe walking your talk is vital for the future of the veterinary profession is people’s mindsets and habits. I have worked with veterinary leaders who spend so much of their time serving their team incredibly powerfully, going above and beyond to care for and nurture people, and encouraging their team to do the same for themselves, but the leader doesn’t pay the same attention to their own health and wellbeing. I have worked with veterinary leaders who are beyond frustrated at a colleague’s inability to be consistent in their performance at work, only to find that being inconsistent is a blind spot of theirs too. I have worked with leaders who say they value honesty and integrity, only to find they are instigating or fuelling some of the gossip and negativity in the practice.

The result of these people in leadership positions identifying their blind spots, doing the inner work, and forming new, positive habits is that it’s immediately reflected in their team too.

Was it hard?

Yes!

Was it uncomfortable?

Heck yes!

But to be in a leadership position you have to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. You have to be continuously stretching the boundaries of your comfort zone and demonstrating immense courage and bravery every single day. 

Your team is a reflection of you. Whatever you expect from your team you must expect of yourself too. Whatever you want to see out there must start within.

Leaders grow first, and their team follow. Telling people what to do doesn’t get you very far but showing people what to do creates an incredible quality of presence and the ability to influence and inspire. 

Are you ready to step up as the inspirational leader the veterinary industry needs you to be?

The Inspirational Veterinary Leader Revolution November 2022 is now fully booked. My next group launches in January 2023. Click here to find out more.