CVC: Learn to be the change you want to see

Recently, I listened to a story on our local National Public Radio station, KCUR, that featured CEO and president of the Kansas Leadership Center, Ed O'Malley. As a former Kansas state representative and co-author of the recently released book Your Leadership Edge: Lead Anytime, Anywhere, O'Malley says that our society tends to think that leadership is linked to authority-a role or position-which is a problem. He defines leadership as the ability to mobilize others to make progress on challenges and problems at hand. He thinks leadership should be viewed as an activity, not a role. O'Malley cites Rosa Parks as an example of a leader.

So, are you a leader? No matter your job title, do you help your fellow team members come up with solutions to issues faced every day in veterinary practice?

At CVC, we understand how crucial good leadership is and are here to provide the resources you need to help refine your leadership skills. Here is just a sampling of the content offered at all three locations-CVC Virginia Beach, CVC Kansas City and CVC San Diego-that will help you in your role as a leader.

• CVC and the Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative (WVLDI) have partnered, with the support of Banfield Pet Hospitals, to bring top experts on veterinary leadership to all three CVC locations-Virginia Beach in May, Kansas City in August and San Diego in December. Topics addressed will include women as leaders and imposter syndrome in veterinary medicine.

• Shawn McVey, MA, MSW, will focus on managing change and how to get everyone on the bus.

• Sarah Wooten, DVM, will share tips on how introverts can survive in the extroverted profession. (Admit it, most of us don't consider ourselves people people!)

• Brian Conrad, CVPM, will focus on making your team meetings work.

• Marty Becker, DVM, and Jonathan Bloom, DVM, will help you lead the way to a low-stress, pet-friendly practice.

• Mikkel Becker, CPDT, will help you lead by educating your clients on what your practice is doing to enhance pets' emotional well-being.

• Ernie Ward, DVM; Brian Conrad, CVPM; and the dvm360 Channel Directors Mindy Valcarcel, Kristi Reimer and Brendan Howard will explore the leadership challenges facing veterinary medicine in the future as well as caring for millennial clients.

By attending even a few of these sessions, you can return to your veterinary practice ready to encourage and enact change. Use your powers for good. Be like Rosa.