#076: Stepping into Leadership with Dr. Sarah Gillings

Vet Med Wellness + Leadership

Are you entering a leadership position? Today, Dr. Sarah Gillings shares her leadership development journey and offers insights on how others stepping into leadership can make their desired impact.

Dr. Sarah gets right into the basics. Before you become a leader, you really don’t know what you don’t know. She reminds us that people pay much more attention to you than you realize, and your influence is significant. What you model will be echoed throughout your team. Additionally, you need to set explicit expectations for “The Bar,” AKA the minimum effort you expect from your team.

We discuss the importance of supporting your team in taking on more than just basic skills. By aiding in their advancement and not making assumptions about what they can handle, you can provide a sense of agency and growth in their careers—something critical to job satisfaction. Dr. Sarah provides a great example of training by scaffolding knowledge and expertise.

Communication style is another important factor that Dr. Sarah discusses. As team members step into leadership roles, whether you're a hospital manager or a DVM, providing what we call a “Leader Operating Manual” for your team can be extremely valuable. While it does take work and requires setting aside your ego, letting your team know what makes you tick and what you expect can create a consistent and comfortable work environment.

What’s Inside:

• What should you know as a new leader?
• How leaders influence their team.
• Communication matters when it comes to leading your team.
• Supporting your team with advancement and agency.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Sarah Gillings on LinkedIn
Full Circle Lab
Crystal Stokes on LinkedIn