In this episode of the Veterinary Leadership Success Show, we’re pulling back the curtain on something that’s quietly sabotaging teams across the veterinary profession: disengagement.

I’m joined by Oliver Loveday, our Head of Community, to talk about the early findings from our Veterinary Employee Engagement Benchmark Study (VEEBS). We’ve had over 80 practices take part already, and the results are both sobering and full of opportunity.

What we’re seeing is a consistent, avoidable gap – a breakdown in day-to-day communication, appreciation, and leadership follow-through. And it’s happening in practices where the leaders genuinely care, but are overwhelmed, overstretched, or just don’t have the systems in place to stay connected.

This episode is a wake-up call and a guide. We unpack the biggest blind spots that are showing up in the data, from feeling ‘too nice to lead’ to ‘trust that’s really avoidance’ and we offer practical advice to help you reconnect with your team before the wheels fall off.

If you’ve ever thought “but I’m trying to lead well, so why isn’t it working?”…this episode’s for you.

Episode Outline:

• 00:00 – Why we created VEEBS and what it measures
• 02:15 – The courage to ask hard questions
• 04:40 – Net Promoter Score vs real engagement
• 08:10 – What we’re learning from 80+ practices
• 12:00 – The feedback famine: no system, no support
• 15:00 – Growing pains: why teams break at 12–15 people
• 18:30 – Too kind to lead? Why empathy needs boundaries
• 21:00 – Lack of appreciation = lack of love
• 24:00 – How to join the VEEBS study (for free!)

Want more leadership tools in your corner?

Follow me: @drdavenicol

Check out: Veterinary Leadership Academy

Want to take part in VEEBS? Sign up here: drdavenicol.com/get-your-enps 

If this episode helped you see something in a new light, leave a review on iTunes or send it to a fellow leader who might need to hear it. That’s how we build stronger teams, one small step at a time.