A few weeks ago, I sat down with Dr Andy Roark and he dropped a line that lit up the internet:

“You, my friend, are a dick.”

His point was simple and uncomfortable. In veterinary medicine, one of the biggest career killers is being someone others simply do not want to work with. You might be clinically excellent. You might work hard. But if you consistently damage relationships, you quietly lose opportunities, influence and growth.

The feedback to that episode was fascinating. Many of you agreed. Many pushed back, sharing stories of abrasive leaders who still climbed the ladder.

So this week, I unpack it properly.

I break leadership down into a series of “Big D” styles - Direct, Ditherer, Dreamer and Democrat - and explore how each one shapes the way we make decisions. We look at when directive leadership works and when it corrodes culture, why indecision is often a clarity problem, how conflict avoidance erodes trust, and why collaboration without ownership stalls progress.

Underpinning it all is one core truth: leadership is decision-making.

And great leaders are not defined by personality. They are defined by flexibility.

So grab a coffee and join me for a practical conversation about leadership agility, self-awareness and choosing the right mode for the moment.

[00:00] Big D leaders in vet med

[02:03] Is being a dick really a career killer?

[03:14] The Direct leader – results vs relationships

[05:40] The Ditherer – clarity before action

[07:41] Dreamers – vision vs avoidance

[11:28] The Democrat – collaboration and responsibility

[15:52] Why data sharpens decisions

[17:11] Leadership is about flexibility

If you want to sharpen your decision-making, build clarity around what good looks like, and develop the flexibility your team needs from you. Book a call with us at the Veterinary Leadership Academy.

We’ll help you identify where you’re strong, where you’re stuck, and what to do next.

Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights:

1. Follow Dr. Dave: @drdavenicol
2. Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues!

This week, we’re asking a question that’s been rumbling under the surface of vet med for far too long: Are clients really the problem, or have we lost our grip on what’s actually going wrong?

To tackle this, I’m joined by Dr Seth Mathus Ganz, a board-certified small animal surgeon and founder of Agile Veterinary Surgery, who brings a rare perspective from working inside hundreds of practices. Seth has spent over a decade performing advanced procedures, mentoring vets, and observing what helps teams thrive - and what quietly holds them back.

Together, we look at the stories we tell ourselves about clients, discomfort, and growth, and how those stories shape our daily experience of the job. Seth offers a surgeon’s-eye view on why confidence and trust are built, not demanded - and how leaning into the right kind of challenge helps us grow skill, self-belief, and professional satisfaction.

We talk about feedback loops, compounding habits, and the long game of mastery - the kind that makes veterinary work feel meaningful, energising, and sustainable again.

So grab a coffee, take a breath, and join us for a thoughtful conversation about how we can build a healthier, more fulfilling future for vet med - one decision at a time.

[00:00] Clients as “the enemy”

[02:29] A surgeon’s front-row view

[04:03] The vet–client war story

[06:43] The victim mindset problem

[07:47] How “difficult” clients are made

[08:57] Avoiding discomfort blocks growth

[11:18] Two kinds of resistance

[14:42] Losing the magic of the job

[17:27] Growth compounds or stalls

[26:01] Why having a plan matters

[30:50] Clients as mirrors, not enemies

If you’re ready to turn insight into action, book a call with us at the Veterinary Leadership Academy. We’ll help you clarify what’s in the way and define your next move. Book your call here.

Connect with Dr. Seth Mathus Ganz:

Instagram: @ask_a_veterinary_surgeon

Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights:

Instagram: @drdavenicol

Learn more about leadership training: Veterinary Leadership Academy

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share it with a colleague who’s ready to bring the magic back to vet med.

In this episode of the Veterinary Leadership Success Show, I’m responding to the reaction.

Specifically, the wave of comments that followed a recent episode and social posts about a new graduate’s early experience in practice.

If you saw the Instagram reel or Facebook video, you’ll know the conversation struck a nerve.

Some comments were thoughtful and supportive. Others were angry, frustrated, and aimed squarely at “weak graduates”, falling standards, and a profession that feels like it’s under siege.

Today, I want to slow that conversation down.

Rather than adding to the noise, this episode looks beneath it, at the fatigue, the stretched systems, and the pressure that’s been building across the profession for a long time.

We talk about grit, resilience, mentorship, and why toughness isn’t something people arrive with on day one. It’s something that gets built, or broken, by the environments we place them into.

If you’re worried about standards, frustrated by how hard ownership has become, or quietly wondering whether the profession you love is changing in ways you don’t recognize, this is a conversation worth sitting with.

Referenced Posts:

Instagram reel:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTvXiAlCSZX/

Facebook video:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1397139445528655

Episode Outline:

[00:00] – Why this conversation exploded

[02:45] – Are graduates really the problem?

[05:30] – The myth of “grit” at graduation

[08:40] – Why our early careers weren’t the same

[11:30] – When hard work turns into attrition

[14:15] – Mentorship as leadership, not therapy

[16:45] – The damage caused by sink or swim

[18:30] – What high standards actually look like

[20:00] – The responsibility owners still hold

[21:45] – Building resilience the right way

Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights:

Instagram: @drdavenicol

Learn more about leadership training: Veterinary Leadership Academy

Enjoyed this episode?

If this episode made you pause or reflect, I’d really appreciate you leaving a review on iTunes and sharing it with someone else in the profession. These conversations matter – and how we handle them shapes what comes next.

Be safe. Be well. And take care of each other.

Part 1 laid bare what happens when well-meaning practices ask too much, too soon, without the systems to support it.

In this second conversation, we deliberately turn the lens the other way.

I’m joined by Dr. Moriah McCauley, a veterinarian now five years into practice, who shares what it looks like when graduate support is done well – thoughtfully, deliberately, and humanely.

Moriah’s story matters because it shows what’s possible. She’s still in the same practice five years on, not through resilience alone, but because the system around her was built for success from day one.

Together we talk about what attracted her to the role in the first place, how expectations were clarified early, and why mentorship is not a single person or a buzzword, but a culture. One that includes planned progression, real availability, psychological safety, and permission to be human when life gets complicated.

This episode explores the practical reality of guiding – not grinding – graduates. What it requires from leaders. What it asks of graduates. And why, done properly, it creates loyalty, competence, confidence, and long-term value for everyone involved.

This conversation forms the second half of a two-part series and sits alongside the session I’ll be delivering at VMX 2026: Guiding, Not Grinding.

Episode Outline:

[00:01] – Why this conversation matters

[02:00] – Meet Dr. Moriah

[04:30] – Choosing a first practice

[07:00] – Spotting a culture of mentorship

[09:30] – Gut instinct and psychological safety

[12:00] – Setting expectations early

[15:00] – What good mentorship looks like

[17:30] – Being supported through hard moments

[21:00] – The cost of investing in graduates

[24:30] – Return on investment, done properly

[27:00] – Learning the hardest skill: communication

[30:30] – Why Moriah stayed

[32:30] – What leaders need to hear next

Follow Dr Dave Nicol:

Instagram: @drdavenicol

Learn more about leadership support and training: Veterinary Leadership Academy

See more from Dr. Moriah McCauley: https://www.instagram.com/dr.moriah.mccauley

Connect with Dr. Moriah McCauley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moriah-mccauley

Enjoyed the episode?

Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. These conversations matter, and sharing them helps move our profession forward.

The first year in practice should not decide whether someone stays in veterinary medicine. But too often, it does.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Hope Darnell, a recent graduate who shares a clear-eyed account of what her first year in practice was really like.

Hope stepped into her first role with the things good graduates bring - commitment, curiosity, and a genuine desire to do the job well. On paper, the support was there. Experienced vets. A capable team. Reassurance that help was available.

Then reality hit.

Within weeks, Hope was carrying a heavy clinical load, managing complex cases and new clients back to back, and covering the practice alone far earlier than she should have been. Emergencies, surgery, on-call work, and quietly absorbing management tasks as gaps appeared. All on top of a full caseload.

Without bad intent, guiding turned into grinding.

This story is not unusual. Practices are stretched. Mentorship is inconsistent. Time is scarce. Many teams want to do the right thing, but lack the structure or capacity to truly support early-career vets.

What matters is this. Despite everything, Hope chose to stay.

She stayed because she still believes in the work, the profession, and the possibility that we can do better. That belief places responsibility on those of us in leadership to build environments where graduates can grow safely, not burn out quietly.

If we get this right, we don’t just protect graduates – we strengthen our practices and safeguard the future of veterinary medicine.

This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation and forms the foundation of a session I’ll be delivering at VMX 2026, Guiding, Not Grinding. In Part 2, we move into practical solutions for supporting graduates, and the future of veterinary medicine, more effectively.

Episode Outline:

[00:02] – Meet Dr. Hope

[05:00] – Picking a first job

[09:00] – Support that looked solid

[12:00] – Trying to practise good medicine

[14:00] – Taking on more and more

[18:30] – Being left on your own

[20:00] – The day it all collided

[24:00] – Still working, but not coping

[26:00] – When numbness sets in

[31:00] – What new grads really need

[35:00] – The “unicorn vet” problem

[39:00] – Is your practice ready for a graduate?

[43:00] – Why mentorship matters

[45:00] – Why Dr Hope stayed in vet medicine

Follow Dr Dave Nicol:

Instagram: @drdavenicol

Learn more about leadership support and training: Veterinary Leadership Academy

Connect with Dr Hope Darnelle:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-darnell-dvm-b53054214/

Enjoyed the episode?

Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. These conversations matter, and sharing them helps move our profession forward.

What happens when a seasoned vet with 30 years of experience decides to start again, but this time builds exactly the practice he wishes existed?

In this week’s Veterinary Leadership Success Show, I sit down with my good friend, Dr. Jay Thrush, co-owner of Forty Creek Animal Hospital in Ontario. Jay is one of the calmest, kindest humans you’ll ever meet, the definition of still waters running deep, and what he and Lisa have created together is nothing short of remarkable.

Jay talks openly about version two of his veterinary career. The part where he leaves behind the cookie cutter model, the metrics for the sake of metrics mindset, and the keep up at all costs pace, and starts designing a clinic with intention.

A space built for connection.

A team chosen for values, not CVs.

A culture shaped by psychological safety, empathy, and genuine human care.

We dive into the journey, the mistakes, the magic, and the surprising emotional yield that comes from building a practice around purpose instead of pressure. If you have ever wondered what it might look like to create a clinic that feels like home for pets, clients, and your team, this conversation will light a spark.

Grab a coffee and settle in. Jay brings wisdom, warmth, and a reminder that leadership gets really interesting when you decide to do things differently.

[00:00] Comfort by design

[01:10] Version two energy

[03:38] Letting the old model go

[06:17] Connection at the core

[07:49] What clients feel first

[09:35] Choosing people who fit

[11:03] A clinic that feels like home

[13:32] New, special and different

[15:24] Real psychological safety

[17:36] Signs your culture works

[19:54] Early systems and learning

[22:21] Building what truly matters

[24:05] The gift of good exhaustion

[25:49] Staying human as you grow

Forty Creek Animal Hospital ( 40creekvets.com )

Instagram: @fortycreekvets

• Follow: @drdavenicol
• Learn more about Veterinary Leadership Training: Veterinary Leadership Academy

Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med.

Most leaders want change to be quick and clean. A few tweaks. A new policy. A better week.

But meaningful change – the kind that transforms culture, steadies the ship, and creates a practice you actually love leading – follows a very different rhythm.

In this episode, Oli and I dig into the truth about change. Why overwhelm is a diagnostic, not a character flaw. Why burnout often signals a system problem rather than a personal one. And why rebuilding culture is more like farming than fighting.

We explore the emotional, financial and cultural yields your practice should produce, how to diagnose what’s really driving your stress, and why the first brave step is often removing the wrong person, not adding a new one.

You will learn practical ways to create immediate relief, the long term strategy for sustainable transformation, and why community support acts as a stabilising wall while you do the real work of leadership.

Change is not instant. But there is a path. And when you follow it with intention, the remarkable vet practice you build will give back far more than it takes.

Episode Outline:

[01:05] – Why change hurts more than it should

[03:45] – Burnout isn’t personal, it’s systemic

[06:37] – Culture is the soil everything grows in

[08:14] – Who should stay on your team – and who shouldn’t

[10:28] – Rebuilding from the core, not the surface

[12:03] – Why resistance shows up when standards rise

[14:49] – Why meaningful change takes a season

[16:20] – Finding relief before real change begins

[19:28] – Skills can be replaced, attitudes can’t

[21:47] – When work becomes an emotional drain

[23:04] – Someone has to own the culture

[23:46] – Why community stabilises leaders

[24:34] – The clearest path forward

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Need clarity on what needs to change? Book a diagnostic call with Oliver at the Veterinary Leadership Academy and let us walk you through your next steps.
• Download the Leadership Actions Study – practical steps to help you lead with clarity today.https://calendly.com/oliver-vetx/grow-your-vet-practice-1-1-discovery-call
• Explore our leadership courses – build the skills to create a culture your team loves being part of.
• Follow Dr Dave Nicol for daily leadership insights and practical tools for running a thriving veterinary practice.

Leave us a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med. 

This week, we’re doing things a little differently. No written notes. No heavy leadership theory. Just me, Dr. Andy Roark, and a completely ridiculous idea involving visual art - on an audio podcast. (What could possibly go wrong?)

If you don’t already know Andy, he’s a practicing veterinarian, international speaker, author, and media personality, and the founder of Uncharted Veterinary Conference, DrAndyRoark.com, and one of the few people in vet med who can make serious topics feel human, and fun.

We got into everything from AI scribes saving vets five minutes a consult (and possibly their sanity), to how to stay calm when the world’s losing its head. We even tackled the fine art of giving feedback without crushing someone’s soul.

At its heart, this episode’s about perspective. About remembering that veterinary medicine isn’t just science, it’s art. And if we want to stay sane, we’d better learn how to create, not just cope.

So grab a brew, settle in, and join us for a conversation about leadership, creativity, and keeping your head while everyone else is losing theirs.

[00:03] – Meet Andy Roark

[04:20] – The “F*** yeah” AI moment

[06:13] – Staying on time, not speeding up

[08:22] – How Andy uses AI in consults

[10:21] – Right here, right now

[12:03] – Focus on what you can control

[12:49] – Feedback as art

[15:42] – Why vet med is art

[17:27] – Clients, costs, and conflict

[20:20] – Who we really work for

[23:48] – How perspective shifts

[25:52] – What Andy sees differently now

[29:47] – Money, motives, and mistrust

[30:04] – Don’t be a dick

[32:15] – Final thoughts

Connect with Dr. Andy Roark:

Website: drandyroark.com

LinkedIn: Dr Andy Roark

Instagram: @drandyroark

Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights:

Follow: @drdavenicol

Learn more about veterinary leadership training: Veterinary Leadership Academy

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share it with someone who needs a reminder that vet med, for all its chaos, is still an art worth practising.

Most practice owners think they have a vision. A sentence written years ago. A vague idea. A gut feeling. But a real vision, one that energises your team and shapes culture, is something very different.

In this episode, Oliver and I break down the most common mistakes owners make when creating their vision – why many end up with fluffy statements that change nothing, why some practices have no vision at all, and why the work isn’t finished once the document is written and alive.

We explore how to structure a vision that actually works, how purpose, mission, and values fit together, and the simple tests that tell you whether yours is fit for purpose. You’ll learn why authenticity matters more than polish and how a living, breathing vision becomes rocket fuel for recruitment, retention, culture, and long term sustainability.

The medicine gets you started. The vision takes you somewhere worth going. Remarkable practices are built by leaders who choose the path with purpose.

Episode Outline:

[00:00] – Why vision matters

[01:07] – The danger of having no vision

[02:14] – Vision as your X factor

[06:49] – When structure goes wrong

[07:51] – Why “vision, mission, values” fall short

[09:46] – The purpose–mission–values model

[11:54] – Vision is only useful if you use it

[13:19] – The cost of abdication

[15:32] – Why vets avoid vision work

[18:00] – People, culture and sustainability

[20:40] – The goosebumps and butterflies test

[22:23] – Writing the unfiltered truth

[23:52] – Turning vision into leadership fuel

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Need help with your vision? Book a chat with Oliver at the Veterinary Leadership Academy and we’ll help you assess where you are and where you’re going.
• Download the Leadership Actions Study – practical steps to help you lead with clarity today.
• Explore our leadership courses – build the skills to create a culture your team loves being part of.
• Follow Dr Dave Nicol for daily leadership insights and practical tools for running a thriving veterinary practice.

Leave us a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med. Great leadership, like great culture, grows when it’s shared.

You care deeply about your practice.

The vision, the medicine, the values, the clients - it all matters to you. Maybe a bit too much sometimes.

But unfortunately, just because you care, it doesn’t mean your team automatically will.

So how do you get them on board? How do you turn that personal passion into something your whole team believes in and wants to be part of?

In this episode, Oliver and I dig into what buy-in really looks like inside a practice - how to move from pushing people to inspiring them, why fear and control never create lasting motivation, and how clarity of purpose, mission, and values can turn a team that’s “just doing the job” into one that’s driving the vision forward.

You’ll learn how to help your people see what you see, how to build belief through consistency and communication, and how to create the kind of culture where everyone cares - not because they have to, but because they want to.

Because when your team believes in the vision, everything else starts to work.

Episode Outline:

[00:00] – What real care looks like

[02:00] – Duty, patients & self care

[04:10] – When care goes missing

[06:50] – Why “care” isn’t enough

[08:20] – The restaurant test

[09:35] – Fear kills culture

[10:00] – Clarity builds buy-in

[11:25] – Purpose, mission, values

[12:45] – Defining care for your team

[14:00] – Create context, not chaos

[14:45] – What truly matters to me

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Download the Leadership Actions Study – simple, practical steps to lead better today
• Explore our leadership courses – build the skills to lead your team with confidence and clarity
• Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for daily veterinary leadership insights

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med. Because great leadership - like great care - grows when it’s shared.