Hope and Optimism From The 2022 National Association of Black Veterinarians Conference This past weekend I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the 2nd Annual National Association of Black Veterinarians Conference at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.  Cheers to Dr. Raphael Malbrue, Dr. Stara Robertson, and all of the amazing people [...]

No is a Complete Sentence Yes is an easy response to many requests and in some situations will be the perfect answer. No, however, can often feel more challenging. We do not want to disappoint others and we may be afraid of what might be missed if we do not accept what is being offered. [...]

Space for Racism in Veterinary Medicine "There is no space in veterinary medicine for racism." There is much I love about the shirt I'm wearing as I travel home from the 2021 AVMA Veterinary Leadership Conference including: Danielle Lambert and the Snout School created it with proceeds going to the BlackDVM Network (cheers to Dr. [...]

Smartcuts for Work-Life Integration Smartcuts for Work-Life Integration Have you ever been asked, “Are you traveling for work or for pleasure?”  If we are traveling for work and our response to that question is not “both”, then it is time to reboot and recharge.  For most of us, work-life balance is unrealistic and embracing work-life [...]

Tootie Tutelage #23 - The Best Moment is This One During the last year or so of my Mom’s life her cognition was sometimes strong, and sometimes not so much.  On one of my very last visits with her she was a bit out of it and not even in the mood for playing cards.  [...]

How Inclusive Is Your Workplace? Pic cred AirFocus on Unsplash Consider the following questions in the context of your current workplace.  Or if you are currently in a career transition, consider the questions as they relate to a previous work environment. Is there a publicly posted anti-harassment and non-discrimination policy? Has the current staff team [...]

Humanizing Quick Shares Humanizing Quick Shares Pic cred: Matheus Ferrero What is a critical attribute needed to lead today? A massive abundance of empathy. And what is one of the best ways to build trust?  Shared experiences. With both of these facts in mind consider creating a moment of shared humanity and lightheartedness before jumping [...]

Feedback is a Gift Thanks to Dr. Jen Brandt, AVMA Director of Wellbeing & Diversity Initiatives, I was exposed to the WWW EBY feedback model several years ago.  I use it to gain all types of feedback and share it wide and far, including with my clients.  PrideVMC used it this year to gather feedback [...]

Prioritizing Prioritization “Unless we wish to drown we have to choose between what is important and what is not, what is meaningful and what is not.” ~ Viktor Frankl Whether you are an individual contributor, manage a team, or run a practice - a critical element of effective leadership is effective prioritization. So why is it [...]

Purpose is Power Most organizations and associations have a documented purpose. Have you ever made the time to think about and create your own personal purpose statement? Your personal purpose statement should be short and sweet, action-oriented, and will likely evolve over time. It should answer questions such as: “Why do I exist?” “What matters [...]