Smart is not enough: Why emotional intelligence matters in veterinary medicine

On this episode of Vet Watch, host Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DACVM (Parasitology), invited Michael Glauser, MBA, to discuss the importance of emotional intelligence in veterinary leadership. Glauser emphasizes to listeners and Lee that leadership is about action, not just position, focusing on people, purpose, and productivity. He also stresses the importance of building trust, being transparent, managing emotions effectively, and more throughout this episode.

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity.

Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DACVM (Parasitology): Let's start with the basics. What does it really mean to be a leader, and is it about position, personality, or something completely different?

Michael Glauser, MBA: That's a great question. I think it's one that, in business…that's the question that comes up a lot. I think some of the confusion is people associate being a leader with a title or a position—and that's false—because you have a big title. Yes, you can be a leader, but because you do have it, it doesn't make you a leader. Being a leader is a result of action, not a result of a cool title or an acronym behind your name. So really, for me, leadership is focusing on people, purpose, and productivity. Those are important focuses. I think all 3 of them have to be a focus. A leader [is] someone [who] inspires, motivates, and encourages. That's what makes you a leader.

So anybody can be a leader…is the point. You don't need to wait for a few years to move up the ladder [to] have a fancy title and have a lot of people report to you to be a leader. You can be a leader as an individual contributor, as long as you're focusing on [the] people, purpose, productivity, and whatever you're doing, and really inspiring and motivating and encouraging others. That's what it is. It's action, not position.

Lee: So you could be a leader, as a chief medical officer, or as a brand-new kennel attendant joining the veterinary world.

Glauser: Absolutely. And if people understand that, everybody around them is going to be better. If we can recognize that that's the case…managing is very different than leading. Managing is getting things done, yes, but maybe it's just going through the tasks and checking them off. At the end of the day, yes, I accomplished this, this, and this, but maybe the people you're supposed to be leading go home and hate their lives because you yelled at them and didn't motivate them. You didn't inspire them, encourage them, or support them. So that's the difference. The 2 words aren't synonymous: manager and leader.