About Vetsquared Innovet
Veterinary Leadership Development
Keeping the Passion for Your Veterinary Calling Alive
The journey of becoming a veterinary professional starts with a passion. A passion not only for animals, but also for the technical and clinical skills involved in healing and working with animals.
Working with people and running a business, however, are not usually the primary drivers for most veterinarians.
You go through at least five years of study focusing on anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, and much more before finally obtaining your degree. You are now a highly skilled academic technician about to enter the world of people and business.
You are good at what you do. Your skills are recognised, and eventually, you become the head veterinarian, head nurse, practice manager, or business owner.
Now what?
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The problem
The Veterinary Leadership Challenge
Much like the less-than-optimal induction many young veterinarians experience when entering a new practice, the induction into a management or leadership role is often just as limited.
Veterinary professionals are frequently placed in positions where they are responsible for leading and serving others without first being given the tools, skills, or support needed to succeed.
One of the most common reasons staff leave a veterinary practice is because the business culture has become a mixture of toxic attitudes and dysfunctional working relationships.
A junior veterinarian entering a toxic workplace culture can be a sad recipe for disaster for the young veterinarian, the team, and the business.
The pressure of long hours, demanding clients, highly emotionally charged situations, difficulty understanding the business side of the practice, and ineffective management can lead to burnout, dropout, and even more drastic outcomes for newly qualified veterinary professionals.
The cost
When Passion and Enthusiasm Begin to Disappear
Middle and senior managers are often promoted without being given the tools and skills needed to become effective and productive leaders.
They may suddenly find themselves responsible for leading a veterinary practice filled with negativity, stress, and anxiety.
In this type of environment, the passion and enthusiasm of the staff can quickly become stifled and, over time, disappear completely.
Without the right leadership, communication, management systems, and support, even highly skilled veterinary professionals can struggle to perform at their best.
The answer
Creating a Psychologically Safe Veterinary Practice
Vetsquared Innovet understands this dilemma deeply.
We have developed a program that addresses these challenges by helping veterinary practices recreate a psychologically safe environment where staff can pursue what they love doing, perform at their best, and function as a coherent and effective team.
Our approach is designed to help veterinary professionals, managers, and practice owners:
- Improve leadership and management skills
- Strengthen workplace communication
- Create healthier practice cultures
- Support staff wellbeing and resilience
- Reduce negativity, anxiety, and workplace dysfunction
- Build effective and coherent veterinary teams
- Protect the passion and enthusiasm of veterinary professionals
Next step
Let’s Discuss Where You Are Now
We can have an open and honest discussion about where you are currently and assist you in identifying the best way forward.
You will receive practical tools to help you take care of yourself, your staff, your business, and your family.
The goal is to help you lead a full and balanced life while keeping the passion and pride for your veterinary calling alive.
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Founder of Vetsquared Innovet
Meet Dr Larry van Niekerk
Dr Larry van Niekerk has over three decades of hands-on experience working in veterinary private practices. He has worked as both a generalist and specialist veterinary surgeon in South Africa and, more recently, in Australia and New Zealand.
Having been an employee, shareholder, and business owner, Larry has developed extensive expertise in:
He is also the founder and current director of the Institute for Veterinary Practice Development.
Perspective
Real Business and Life Experience
Larry’s broad perspective, developed through real business and life experiences, gives him a deep understanding of both business and human behaviour.
This enables him to assist veterinarians and their teams in becoming more effective leaders of themselves, their people, and their businesses.
His work focuses on empowering veterinary leaders, managers, and teams with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to become strong role models.
He helps leaders manage stress, support their teams, and create psychologically safe personal and working environments for the people they serve.
The first step
What Is Your Biggest Frustration?
Whether you are struggling with leadership, staff performance, workplace culture, communication, management, stress, or the direction of your veterinary practice, the first step is an open and honest conversation.
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