Veterinary Leadership Programme

"Everyone needs leadership skills. What surprised me when I attended the VLP was the wide diversity of veterinary professionals that were there, and how much they all gained from the course"

Sue Paterson, Former BSAVA President

Are you struggling to balance your role responsibilities alongside leadership duties?

Do you want to feel more in control and effective in how and where you spend your time?

Would you like to gain or hone your skills to nurture and get the best out of your team?

Our transformative leadership programme with personalised coaching, support and guidance will help you gain the confidence and skills you need to lead your team to success.

Leadership: everyone talks about it, many claim to be the experts in it but few manage to get it right.

The veterinary profession offers many leadership opportunities, and just as many challenges. Veterinary leaders, whether they be clinical directors, primary care vets, RVNs or practice managers, often have to deal with leadership challenges alongside the demands of clinical or other roles.

Our highly acclaimed Veterinary Leadership Programme (VLP) is uniquely designed around the individual needs of veterinary leaders, providing professional and personal development opportunities to benefit both you and your team as you deal with ongoing challenges and change in practice.

What to expect

Our VLP is a 6-month online multi-modular programme supported by extensive Masters and Doctoral research by Carolyne Crowe and Dr Catherine Oxtoby.

Our VLP package includes:

• Eleven 2-hour live virtual workshops
• Harrison Assessment with a coaching session
• Group coaching and networking
• Online videos and reflective exercises accessed via an enhanced learning platform
• Leadership competencies assessment
• Mentoring for practice specific project work

This sustained, transformative programme will provide you with the time and support to stop, reflect and progress with behavioural change in practice. You will master new skills, consolidate your learning and develop into a confident, consistent leader.

As well as helping you to achieve your individual leadership goals, the VLP is designed to benefit your team and your practice as a whole, so you can achieve the best possible learning experience.

How long will it take?

In addition to eleven 2-hour workshops held live-online twice a month, each module contains an element of pre-work or reflection to complete ahead of the session. Each will take between 60 and 90 minutes to complete. There is also project work, such as the Practice Culture Survey, to complete with you team in your own time, with support from your coach and the VDS Training team where required. 

You’ll get access to the online platform two weeks before the first session and ongoing access, for 12 months from your first sign-in, to complete your project work and review the course material.

What you will learn

• Confidence in managing your role responsibilities alongside leadership duties
• Strategies to maintain motivation in challenging, changing circumstances
• Balancing high standards of patient care and client services with staff wellbeing
• Increased insight into different leadership styles and behaviours
• How to leverage your strengths to get the best out of yourself and others.

Dates

Workshop 1 Wednesday 05th March 2025 - Self-Awareness

Workshop 2 Wednesday 26th March 2025 - You and how to thrive

Workshop 3 Wednesday 30th April 2025 - Feedback and progress

Workshop 4 Wednesday 21st May 2025 - Working with others

Workshop 5 Wednesday 18th June 2025 - Performance of others

Workshop 6 Wednesday 09th July 2025 - Culture

Workshop 7 Wednesday 03rd July 2025 - Quality and Improvement

Workshop 8 Wednesday 01st October 2025 - Leading Change

Workshop 9 Wednesday 05th November 2025 - Overcoming Hurdles

Workshop 10 Wednesday 26th November 2025 - Goal Setting

Workshop 11 Wednesday 17th December 2025 - Wrap Up