In Veterinary medicine, it’s a common and well-meaning practice: a highly effective technician or client service representative is promoted into a management position. While their technical skills or front-desk efficiency are exemplary, many of these new managers are not provided the tools, training, or mentorship needed to succeed in leadership. The result? Unintentional sabotage—setting up a promising team member for failure through the classic trap of “promotion to incompetency.”
But it doesn’t have to be this way. With intentional preparation, strategic onboarding, and ongoing support, new Veterinary practice managers can evolve into capable, confident leaders who guide their teams and hospitals toward long-term success.
Understanding the Promotion Gap
Veterinary hospitals often promote from within, and for good reason. Internal candidates are immersed in the hospital’s culture, understand the clientele, and often have the respect of their peers. However, the skills that make someone an excellent CSR or technician aren’t necessarily the same skills needed to manage a team, handle conflict, interpret financial reports, or lead strategic initiatives.
This “promotion gap” occurs when a new manager enters their role without clear expectations, a job description, or training in core leadership competencies. Unfortunately, this lack of preparation often causes the new manager to feel overwhelmed, unsupported, and ineffective – leading to unmet expectations, frustration from both the newly promoted manager, as well as practice owner(s), hospital dysfunction, and, oftentimes, turnover.
Setting the Stage: Clarity and Expectations
The most critical first step in empowering new managers is to clearly define the role and expectations. Job descriptions should go beyond generic language and instead outline:
- Key responsibilities (e.g., scheduling, performance management, inventory control)
- Goals tied to hospital priorities (e.g., improving staff retention, reducing overtime, enhancing client experience)
- Metrics for success (e.g., staff engagement scores, team productivity, client compliance)
Clear expectations help new managers focus on the right things. Without them, managers may fall into the trap of “doing it all” themselves or acting as a backup CSR or tech instead of leading and developing their team.
Equip Them with Core Competencies
Success in practice management requires a blend of operational, financial, and leadership skills. While clinical acumen might get someone promoted, success in management depends on mastering a new toolbox of competencies. These include:
- Communication & Conflict Resolution: Managers must be able to navigate interpersonal dynamics, provide constructive feedback, and lead effective team meetings.
- Time Management & Delegation: A good manager doesn’t try to do it all—they create systems, prioritize tasks, and empower others.
- Emotional Intelligence: Self-awareness, empathy, and regulation of emotions are key to managing both their own stress and their team’s morale.
- Basic Financial Acumen: Understanding KPIs like Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), DVM production, payroll percentages, and EBITDA allows managers to make informed operational decisions.
If your hospital doesn’t have a structured training plan in place, consider enrolling new managers in external programs, pairing them with a mentor, or bringing in consultants to provide management development.
Build a Support System
One of the most common mistakes in onboarding new managers is isolation. They’re expected to lead but not included in leadership conversations. They’re responsible for operations but excluded from strategic planning. To succeed, managers need:
- Mentorship or Coaching: Regular one-on-one time with a hospital leader or outside coach to help them reflect, strategize, and grow.
- Peer Learning: Connection with other managers inside or outside the hospital group to share best practices and challenges.
- Structured Feedback Loops: Consistent, scheduled check-ins from their supervisor (often a medical director or practice owner) focused on development, not just performance evaluation.
Providing this infrastructure signals that the hospital is invested in the manager’s success—not just using them to offload tasks.
Reframe the Manager’s Role
A new manager’s mindset often defaults to task execution. They may feel pressure to “prove” themselves by doing more. However, effective leadership is not about doing more—it’s about enabling others to do their best work. New managers should be encouraged to shift from being doers to being developers.
This means learning to:
- Set clear goals for the team and hold people accountable.
- Recognize and address underperformance quickly and kindly.
- Identify high-potential staff and nurture their growth.
- Create systems to make operations more efficient.
This reframing is both practical and empowering—it helps managers let go of the stress of perfection and instead embrace their role as an orchestrator of team success.
Measure and Celebrate Wins
Especially in the early months, small wins go a long way in building confidence. Encourage managers to track progress in tangible ways, such as:
- Improvements in scheduling efficiency
- Decreases in staff turnover or absenteeism
- Positive feedback from clients or team members
- Reaching goals tied to patient care, revenue or cost control
Celebrating these wins publicly helps build buy-in from the rest of the team and reinforces the new manager’s legitimacy as a leader.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Even with preparation, new managers will make mistakes. Here are a few common pitfalls and proactive solutions:
- Micromanaging: Often driven by fear or lack of trust. Solution: Help them delegate effectively and coach team members instead of fixing everything themselves.
- Avoiding Hard Conversations: Many new managers fear being disliked. Solution: Provide scripts, coaching, and role play scenarios to build confidence in handling conflict.
- Neglecting Self-Care: The stress of leadership can quickly lead to burnout. Solution: Model boundaries and encourage professional development days, peer support, and mental health breaks.
The Bottom Line
Promoting from within is a beautiful way to reward loyalty, recognize talent, and grow your team. But promotion without preparation is not a reward—it’s almost a punishment that carries risk for the manager and the team.
By setting clear expectations, equipping new managers with essential skills, and surrounding them with support, Veterinary hospitals can turn potential into performance. Done well, empowering new managers doesn’t just elevate one team member—it elevates the whole hospital.