On 6 January, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has launched its Leadership Library, a new initiative designed to support the development of leadership skills within the veterinary professions. The Library aims to promote the importance of self-reflection during the learning process and encourage people to develop their leadership skills, irrespective of what stage of their career they are at.
The Leadership Library is an online, free-to-access resources hub which has both veterinary sector-specific resources and curated non-veterinary content from reliable sources, which will allow learners to explore their interests in an informal way.
The Library has a range of materials that learners can work through at their own pace, including presentations, interviews, videos, blogs, articles and webinars on key leadership topics such as Delegation Skills, Difficult Conversations and Inclusive Leadership. The RCVS Leadership Team will be continuously adding more content, and the profession will have opportunities to suggest topics that they would like to learn more about.
Gurpreet Gill, RCVS leadership and inclusion manager, said: “In terms of veterinary CPD, importance often tends to be placed more on clinical and technical capabilities, but leadership skills are a critical aspect of every veterinary practice and organisation. It is vital that we encourage an understanding of leadership skills and behaviours to build this capacity within the professions.
“It is also assumed that leadership is a condition of status or position, but this is not necessarily the case. Leadership is an everyday practice that is applicable to everyone, regardless of their role. The Leadership Library provides learning opportunities for anyone looking to develop and reflect on their leadership skills, which will also count towards the annual CPD requirement for both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.”
The Leadership Library can be accessed now.
