Leading Change in Veterinary Practice: Building Stronger Teams, Better Communication, and Lasting Behaviour Change

Change in a veterinary practice rarely fails because the idea itself is wrong. More often, it fails because team members feel that change is being done to them rather than developed with them.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Dr. Nicola Bromley shares practical leadership lessons from more than two decades in veterinary medicine, including her experience leading a team of approximately 170 people as Hospital Director at Fitzpatrick Referrals.

Drawing on both her leadership experience and her studies in psychology and behaviour change, Dr. Bromley explores why veterinary teams resist change, how leaders can build greater trust, and what it takes to create improvements that genuinely last.

The conversation examines the importance of listening before acting, understanding situations from the team's perspective, and identifying the real barriers behind resistance. These barriers may involve capability, opportunity, motivation, workload, workplace culture, or a lack of connection between the proposed change and the team's values.

Dr. Bromley also discusses compassionate leadership, psychological safety, change fatigue, burnout, and the importance of creating space for team members to speak openly. She explains why leaders should avoid introducing too many initiatives simultaneously and why sometimes the most responsible decision is to pause, allow an existing change to settle, and revisit the next idea later.

Her practical starting point for veterinary leaders is simple but powerful:

"Curiosity, not criticism."

Rather than immediately judging resistance or poor performance, leaders should pause, ask questions, and seek to understand what is making the desired behaviour difficult.

Whether you are a veterinary practice owner, hospital leader, practice manager, or team lead, this episode offers a thoughtful and highly practical approach to leading people through change while protecting trust, performance, and wellbeing.