The keynote speaker at this past summer's American Veterinary Medical Association meeting in Denver was Rudi Giuliani. Known as “America's Mayor,” he rocketed to fame for his handling of the fallout of the horrific terrorist attack on New York City. Some people have said that perhaps it isn't so much that he is a great person but rather that he is just someone in the right place at the right time who has been able to capitalize on the circumstances. I prefer to think he was in the right place at the wrong time. There is no possible way that anyone could have known or planned for the sequence of events that happened in New York City on that September day. No amount of leadership training could prepare anyone for the magnitude of what developed. Yet, it did happen and someone had to effectively take control of the situation. This, in my mind, is what makes a true leader, someone who is in control regardless of the situation.

Mr. Giuliani gave an enthusiastic presentation entitled Leadership In Troubled Times. I believe his message is relevant in untroubled times as well, and may serve as a guide for veterinarians in leading practices and in leading the profession. I will attempt to paraphrase his 6 key elements of effective leadership.

To begin with, in order to be a true leader, you must have a set of beliefs. You need to know your own personal and professional philosophy and values, and must never waiver from them. If you are firm in this, you will never have to waste time in a crisis deciding what you really think.

A leader must be an optimist and remain willing to follow his or her dreams and visions. A leader must always strive to improve things and solve problems in a manner consistent with his or her personal vision and values.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather, the strength to overcome it. Courage is the 3rd requirement of an effective leader.

The 4th attribute of a leader is relentless preparation. This type of person will anticipate what might happen and recognize that the unexpected may, indeed, happen. Leaders have wide peripheral vision. By preparing for the worst, they are better able to handle the unexpected.

Teamwork may be an old and tired term, but it is very relevant here. Without a team, there can be no leader. A person must recognize his or her weaknesses as a leader in order to provide balance. The best team is a balanced team, and an effective leader will compensate for his or her weakness by staffing the team more in the areas in which he or she is deficient. While it is true that like attracts like, a good leader will avoid this and strive to effectively select a team with strengths in all areas. It may be more difficult to collaborate with dissimilar individuals, but a leader recognizes that this is necessary in balancing a team for strength. Compromise in personality issues may be necessary.

The final attribute of a leader is effective communication. You must explain what you think and why. This is an easy task if you have already subscribed to principles 1 through 5.

Many people never think of themselves as leaders. While it is true that few people rise to the same level of responsibility as the mayor of New York City, I am certain that no veterinarian is willing to be considered only as a follower. One of the commitments that a professional makes is to society; in being dedicated to society, veterinarians are really saying that they are willing leaders within this group. Some may become political leaders in government or the governance of our profession. Some may be leaders in their practice or area of clinical interest. Others are leaders of a family. At the very least, they are leaders of their own personal lives.

Even if we do not recognize it, we all have a leadership role and that role is magnified by the expectations of the public. The demand for veterinarians to accept this responsibility is justifiable and should be expected. It is really not that difficult. Every veterinarian has a set of values. Veterinarians need to be optimistic and brave enough to take the necessary steps when decisions are required. In this way, they can balance their responsibilities as respected professionals and take their lives and careers in the direction they want them to go, regardless of what potential insurmountable obstacle confronts them.

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