V1 Summer Bonus: Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE)!
This past week I had the privilege of attending the Veterinary Leadership Experience in Post Falls, Idaho!
Monday was a travel day that started off with a flight from San Diego to Seattle and then a quick flight across Washington to Spokane. We then took a bus to Post Falls, Idaho and stayed at the Ross Point camp. As we drove in we were greeted by cheering facilitators who helped unload our luggage and welcome us to the camp. After we arrived at the camp we got checked in and set up our cabins. We then had a few hours to explore the area and meet new people! That evening we had dinner as a group and then met up for the first session of the week. This session started with a little introduction on what VLE is and how it started. In short, VLE has been going on for roughly 20 years and its purpose is to teach servant leadership in a situational model along with other “soft skills” that aren’t commonly taught in the classroom.
After the history of VLE was explained, there was a transition into a little skit from the camp staff. We were sitting in a lecture-style arrangement and there was a treadmill on the stage. The skit started off with a person opening a vet school acceptance letter. She then hopped on the treadmill and started walking at a fairly mild pace. While walking there was another staff member narrating her thoughts, most of them were full of positivity and excitement. Shortly after that, commitments started to pile up and the treadmill pace got faster and faster and the backpack got heavier and heavier. The simulation demonstrated all of the little things that vets and students take on (clubs, family commitments, classes, extracurriculars, life) and how it can quickly become overwhelming and leave a person feeling helpless and just wanting to make it all stop. The treadmill in this simulation represented vet med and the person running was the vet student or veterinarian. The main point was to demonstrate all of the external pressures that are placed upon us and how they slowly start to add up and make us feel as though we have to travel 1000 miles per hour just to keep up! I thought this was a clever demo and found a lot of aspects relatable. After that demo was over the small group leaders did some introductions and then we broke off into our prearranged small groups. Once we met our small groups we then did a little mingling with the whole VLE crowd and got to meet different people and discuss random prompts which eventually ended in a handshake contest. This was a fun way to connect with new people and finish off the first night!
Tuesday started with a nice morning walk followed by breakfast and a session focused on self-awareness. Self-awareness includes an understanding of emotional self-awareness, accurate self-assessment, self-confidence, awareness of blind spots, and identification of personal strengths/challenges. It is not an easy skill to develop, but it can be achieved with consistent practice. We then dove into the Myers Briggs section of the morning which was on extroversion (E) vs introversion (I). This pair distinguishes an individual’s preference for how they get energy and how they focus their attention.
That afternoon we transitioned into our small groups and did some introduction games. These activities were used to get everyone familiar with each other and build a little community within our team. After that, we met up as a large group and played a game that consisted of running across the room and standing on plates. The plates were all around the perimeter of the room and there was one less plate to the number of participants. The person that was not standing on the plate was in the middle of the room. The middle person would say one of their favorite things and everyone that also liked what the person in the middle of the room said, had to run and find a new plate to stand on. The last person was the one without a plate and as a result, they were the one in the middle that had to call out their favorite thing and start the next round. By the end of the game, we had learned some fun things about each other and met people with similar interests!
The afternoon consisted of a few small group activities. The first activity was making a group code and decide on a team name. My group members were Anna, Ally, James, John, Julia, Maci, Maddie, McKenna, and Mirium and we were group 5 so we decided to call ourselves "Cinco-de-Tree-O". This code consisted of values that we wanted to foster within our group environment. Here is what we came up with:
After our group code was solidified, we transitioned to the experiential aspect of the afternoon. The first activity involved a tire tied to 6 trees with ropes on a pulley system. There was also a huge peg (probably 15 feet tall) with long nails sticking out of the sides. The goal was to lift the tire up and over the peg and get it to the ground without hitting any of the nails. This was a challenge and called for some solid communication and teamwork. After we got the tire over the peg and safely to the ground, we were told that we now had to reverse everything that we had done and get the tire back off the peg and onto the ground where it had started. There was a slight plot twist, this time we had to switch roles with our partners, and one of us had to be muted. This tested our communication, but our group was able to complete the activity successfully!
The next activity involved a small pallet of wood that was about 3 feet by 3 feet. Our task was to have our whole team of 10 stand on that pallet and then sing one line of Row Row Row Your Boat. This concept didn’t seem too challenging at first but once we tried to fit 10 adults onto one small platform, it was pretty tough. We eventually found a way to make it work and completed that task successfully!
The rest of the evening consisted of some group and self reflection along with some free time to spend around the camp. James, one of my new friends, and I did some mini golf and then I had the opportunity to chat with some new friends and hear about their lives and vet school experiences!
Wednesday started off with a coffee walk followed by breakfast and a discussion on self-management. Betsy began the conversation by showing us a video of a chicken in a Mercedes-Benz commercial that had intense body control even when the lower half of its body was being moved in random directions. She reminded us to “be the chicken” and remain calm in the storm because, ultimately, how we show up is how we show up and it can say a lot about our character. Self-management is a skill set that takes time to build and through the use of mindfulness and intentionality, we can exercise that muscle and better manage our actions and emotions. We then dove into our Myers Briggs activity which was explaining the difference between sensing (S) and intuition (N). This distinguishes an individual’s preference for how they take in information. People who prefer sensing like facts, focus on what is real, trust experience, and like details, while those who prefer intuition are oriented to future possibilities, like being imaginative, focus on patterns, and variety. We then moved into discussing empathy and its importance in successful communication. Empathy is the experience of understanding another person’s condition from their perspective which can be hard because we all know it is easier to solicit solutions than to listen. It has also been shown that empathy can lead to better patient outcomes and more satisfied patient relationships so developing this skill now will also be beneficial for our future careers!
We then transitioned into a small group activity called “The Wall”. This activity required getting all 10 team members over a tall wall but there were some rules that required strategizing. The first rule was that there could only be two the platform behind the wall and once someone had gone over the wall, they were no longer able to help push other people over the wall. The team did a great job of planning and executing the activity! I was the last person to go up the wall which meant that I didn’t have any teammates that I could use to push myself up, I could only grab onto the two people on the platform reaching over the wall. Luckily, John, Julia, and I all had long arms and I was able to jump and latch on to John’s arm. He then pulled me up enough to grab Julia’s arm and they both pulled me over the wall. I am a self-identified control freak so putting all my trust into John's arm should have felt very unnatural but oddly enough there was a sense of peace once I knew he had me and wouldn't be letting go. This activity required trust in each other and the plan that we had developed and was one of my favorite activities of the camp.
After the wall we enjoyed lunch and then did an activity called “Your Story”. This activity was a methodical way to dive through your past and ultimately come up with your own “Gladiator Statement”. A Gladiator Statement is basically a statement that explains who you are when you talk your mask off. After we had our stories deconstructed and reconstructed into different chapters in a booklet, we had the perfect framework for developing our statement. At the end of the activity, we had the opportunity to share our statements and a majority of the people in the room shared!
Here is my Gladiator Statement:
“My name is Isabella Pulido, daughter of the Most High King, sister to an aspiring businesswoman, daughter of two driven parents, friend to all, and triathlete. A lover of learning, people, and the animals that they care about with an aspiration to live life with intention, foster meaningful relationships and lift others up to their full potential.”
After we created our story we had the opportunity to swim in the wonderful lake that was a nice warm 58°! The night finished with some awesome field games, an intense rock, paper, scissors tournament, and a bonfire!
Thursday morning’s session was centered around relational competence which included the skill of delivering and receiving feedback. We first learned what makes feedback effective and it can be boiled down to this list:
-Specific and descriptive, not vague or judgmental
-Provided from a place of beneficence
-Timely (as soon as reasonable)
-Private setting
-Focused on something the individual CAN change
We then spoke about the “Rule of 6” which means that instead of just coming up with one single answer as to what is going on, there are at least 5 other stories that may be true. This is a great perspective that helps us withhold judgment because in all reality, we don’t know what is actually going on in a person’s life so giving them the benefit of the doubt is necessary. After that, we dove back into Myers Briggs and learned about thinking (T) vs feeling (F) and how that impacts the decision-making process.
After the morning session, we shifted to a conflict resolution seminar. This seminar helped us practice the steps of conflict resolution and there were some demo situations where we were able to practice our skills. The four components of non-violent communication are observation, feelings, needs, and requests. If these components are properly utilized, a conflict can be addressed in a more neutral way and a resolution can be worked towards.
That afternoon we had a seminar on giving and receiving feedback which helped tie in the ideas discussed in the morning session! We used the situation, behavior, impact (SBI) feedback mode to help design the feedback that we wanted to deliver which was a nice framework. The style of delivery is crucial because feedback can be hard to receive and can also make people feel uncomfortable. We then discussed how to receive feedback. I thought that this was a great workshop because personally, I had never been taught how to effectively receive feedback. Some key take aways are that feedback is a gift by listening to understand, being open and aware of our response, and reflecting on the feedback we have a huge opportunity for growth!
That afternoon we had another awesome small group activity. This activity was the vertical web and it was hard to say the least. This obstacle was a web with different-sized holes and our goal was to get our whole team through the web without touching the string. This required some close team bonding, strange positions, courage, and complete trust in our teammates. A lot of our team ended up being carried through the web and were passed to our teammates on the other side. This activity came at a point in the week when most of us were fairly tired but with the encouragement of our teammates, we were able to work together and successfully complete the task!
Friday’s morning session was based on social awareness which is the ability to recognize and respond to the emotions of others. This skill requires empathy and a desire to positively contribute to shaping one’s world. It also requires the ability to reflect and ask yourself “how do I live my life and how does that show on the outside?” We then did our last Myers Briggs activity of the week and explored judging (J) vs perceiving (P) in regard to how one approaches life. Those who prefer judging are often organized, structured, like deadlines, planning, and closure. Those who prefer perceiving are often spontaneous, flexible, adaptable, curious, and enjoy openness. I have a strong preference for judging and like to approach life in a structured and organized way.
This deep dive into the Myers Briggs Type Indicator personality test was insightful and helped me understand how people with different preferences tend to approach life. I am an ESFJ and understanding what this means and where I fall along the spectrum will help facilitate more productive collaboration! If you are interested in finding out your MBTI you can click HERE!
The morning small group activities stretched our communication skills. The first activity was set up with five people on each side in a line (standing on a piece of wood) and both lines faced each other with one open wood space in the middle. The goal was to swap places with the other side but only one person could move at a time and you could only move forward. After a few attempts our group found a pattern that worked and we were able to complete the challenge within a minute or two. We then were told that we had to swap spots in line and then reset the activity. Something as simple as just changing our line order flipped the perspective and took us a second to reestablish the pattern. Once we nailed that challenge we were told we had to do it without talking to each other. This was a challenge at first but we found non-verbal ways to maintain order and encourage our teammates. We were actually able to complete the silent round faster than the previous rounds with a time of 1 minute and 16 seconds! After debriefing the activity we realized the impact that perspective can have and the importance of trusting ourselves and fully committing to something. The second activity involved the removal of a different sense (our sight) in addition to our voice. We were all blindfolded and assigned a number. The goal was to get in number order without vocalizing. As an extra challenge there was also a group member that was assigned to be the distractor and tried to trick us into the wrong order. The team tried a combination of non-verbal communication skills and eventually we got in the correct order. This activity showed us that different styles of communication strategies can be effective and it is our job as leaders to have the ability to listen. We then did some additional debriefing and shared our “why” for pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. In short, mine was because of my passion for people and the bond that they have with their animals. That bond is something that I have personally experienced and get the pleasure of seeing every day that I am in the clinic. It is such a gift to be able to be a part of that journey and I can’t imagine pursuing any other career!
During lunch we had the ability to write a letter to our future selves. These letters will be sent out near the end of the year and it will be fun to see how our lives have changed after VLE. We also had the opportunity to write thank you letters to the sponsors because without them, none of this would be possible!
After lunch we got to challenge our creative side which was more challenging than I thought it would be. Staring at a blank canvas without a prompt was difficult but it was also fun to just “go for it” and paint something.
The last small group activity of the trip was the cable walk. This activity involved traversing a cable that was connected between four trees. The goal was to get to get the whole team across the cable. There was a rope hanging from the main starting tree for stabilization but he only catch was that the rope was not long enough to support every cable section. This meant that multiple group members had to be on the obstacle at once so that we could help stabilize the other teammates and help them get across. We ended up running short on time so we had our end goal adjusted. We now just had to get all of our team members up on the cable. I think this little changed gave our team some additional motivation and within a few minutes all of our teammates were up on the cable and we had achieved the adjusted goal.
That evening we had the opportunity to cruise around the Coeur d'Alene River on a boat and enjoy some desserts. This was an amazing way to culminate the trip and the river was absolutely beautiful. While on the boat I had the opportunity to chat with a lot of new people and hear about their favorite part of the week!
Saturday morning started off with an early walk around the campground to do some last minute exploring and to stretch my legs before being on a plane for the rest of the day. On my way back I saw the 5:30am coffee walkers and joined them. I was able to have a good conversation with some of the facilitators. I was also able to witness the leadership skills that we had been working on all week be put to use. When we were all in line waiting for our coffee a man in a truck zoomed around the little coffee shop through the dirt and quickly pulled up somewhat close to us. He looked a little irritated, which is a judgement that I made. I was standing with a facilitator and we both instinctively stepped out of the way and then we saw Chuck, another one of the facilitators go up to his window and start a conversation. A few minutes later the man in the truck was smiling and his whole demeanor seemed to change. This brought me back to the rule of 6 meaning that for every story that we tell ourselves there are at least 5 other possible reasons that it happened. I don’t know what that man in the truck actually felt when he drove up or if he was just wondering why there was a group of people standing in front of a coffee shack at 6:00. Seeing these skills applied in real life was awesome and it helped with the communication between the man and Chuck while also diffusing any tension. Watching this situation unfold made me realize how programmed I am to just throw a quick story at everyone based on my perspective and that can easily lead to misunderstanding. Being intentional and seeking understanding before judgement is hard but a crucial step towards becoming a better leader.
During the second part of the coffee walk I found out that Kim, one of the amazing facilitators that had been helping with my group, was actually in Dr. Karl Jandrey’s VLE group as a participant! Dr. Jandrey has been working super closely with the symposium planning team so I have gotten to know him well and it was fun to meet someone that has also been impacted by him!
After the coffee walk we all packed up our cabins and made our way to breakfast and the final group session. The last session consisted of some heartfelt thank yous to our sponsors and other key people that made VLE possible. We then watched an amazing video recap that summarized the key points from the week! This video can be accessed HERE. We then had the opportunity to run through all the facilitators again and give bear hugs to anyone and everyone that made this experience so impactful. We were then ushered out of the camp on busses with the facilitators waving us on with the responsibility to internalize what we had learned over the past week and be intentional on implementing these skills.
This whole event and personal growth that occurred wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our amazing facilitators Brandi, Karen and Kim who quickly became our camp “moms”. These amazing women helped lead our team through the various experiences mentioned above and without them I can confidently say that our group’s experience at VLE would have been much different. They always knew the best questions to ask during the debriefings and oftentimes these questions stretched us out of our comfort zone and caused us to search deep for an answer. Some of the answers led me to discover things about myself that I previously had not known and also made me realize that even though we all come from different backgrounds, we actually aren’t that different and all struggle with similar things. These women were our biggest cheerleaders and it was apparent by the amount of laughs and tears that were shared between the group that they care deeply about every single one of us and I can confidently say that we all reciprocate that same feeling towards them. Thank you Brandi, Karen, and Kim for making our VLE experience unmatched, we love and appreciate you all!
I would also like to give a huge shoutout to Betsy Charles. I had briefly met Betsy in Tennessee at the 2024 SAVMA Symposium (before I knew that I was going to be attending VLE) and after that first interaction I knew that I wanted to know more about her and her story. Betsy started us off every morning with some impactful pieces of information that blended into the day’s future activities. The Betsy we all met on day one was the same Betsy that we saw on day five, there was never any fluff. She was always her authentic self and everything that she did was intentional (she was even intentional about the songs that we would listen to at different points of the session. Betsy also showed us immense vulnerability on day one after explaining one of the hardest things that a person can go through. Betsy’s husband, Drake, was diagnosed with ALS and Betsy walked by his side until the Lord called him home. This was in 2019 and since then Betsy shared with us the struggle of learning what life is without Drake. Her courage and vulnerability immediately made everyone feel safe to share their struggles and this kickstarted the magic that happened throughout the rest of the week. I am so grateful for Betsy and all that she has done to advance the world of veterinary medicine and train the future leaders in the field.
I would also like to thank my Cinco-de Tree-O buddies and amazing Mexico cabin-mates you all are amazing and I am excited to see where life takes you!
VLE was an experience that is hard to put into words. When I had asked previous attendees I had gotten responses along the lines of, life changing, best week of my life, and unforgettable. I can now attest that these are in fact true but in order to truly understand the experience you have to experience it for yourself. In complete honestly, I am not much of a “summer camp” person, I like my own space and consider my social battery fairly finite. Fully committing to VLE and diving into everything head-first was a way that I could challenge myself and I am so glad that I did! If you are a veterinary student or veterinary professional and are interested in exploring the opportunities that VLI presents, feel free to click HERE! Also, if you were interested in seeing all the fun we had last week summed up into one video you can click this LINK!
I usually do a "quote of the week" to end the blog but there were too many good quotes to choose from so enjoy these five:
"The things we burry we burry alive"
"Leave three inconsequential things unsaid every day" -Kim Scott
"Go towards the barking dog"
"Praise in public, criticize in private"
“They rocked when they should have scissored”
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