A taste of tapas: 6 reasons why you should explore the RCVS Leadership Library

In this blog our Leadership and Inclusion Manager Gurpreet Gill writes about the RCVS Leadership Library, which brings together a variety of resources to help the professions understand some key concepts in leadership. 

Some of the best learning experiences we can have are a little bit like eating good tapas – a selection of menu items to choose from, that cater for different tastes, and are small, easy to digest and memorable. And of course, you can always have more!

Although we didn’t design the RCVS Leadership Library with tapas in mind, the principles are actually very similar. We wanted to create a leadership resources hub, that would give busy veterinary professionals access to a collection of self-directed learning opportunities that are quick and easy to dip into, on current leadership topics. Learners can choose from a selection of bite-sized content, presented in different formats. This approach provides a ‘leadership taster menu’ of short learning experiences, which can be followed up with more in-depth learning.

If you haven’t explored the RCVS Leadership Library, it really is well worth exploring and here’s why:

1. It’s free

Yes, it is completely free. All of the content is freely available online  and can be accessed from the RCVS website. No logging in. No hassle. Personally, I would never pass up the offer of free tapas and the same applies here.

2. The curation has been done for you

Material has been curated for you from reliable and respected veterinary and non-veterinary sources, meaning that that you don’t have to spend hours searching for current, high quality leadership content.   This means you can spend more time taking part in  leadership activities with your team…and eating actual tapas.

3. The learning is bite-size

The learning resources are mostly bite-sized and easy to consume, ranging from three-minute to thirty-five minute long videos. There are also longer more in-depth resources to dive into, such as guides and toolkits.

4. Content is provided in a variety of learning formats

Imagine if every tapas dish was cooked in the same way and looked and tasted pretty similar; your taste buds would get bored quite quickly. Resources presented in the same way are likely to have a similar effect on your brain. So, as well as being bite-sized, content is presented in a range of formats, including  articles, blogs, videos, podcasts, webinars, interviews and presentations.  Not only does this  add variety, but it also caters for different tastes and preferences.

5. The topics are relevant and matter to you

Like every good menu, there is plenty to tempt you. The Leadership Library contains a choice of topics to explore including Inclusive Leadership, Delegation Skills, Difficult Conversations, Quality Improvement and Leading and Working in a Team. We know from feedback that these are leadership topics that are important to you. We’re continuously adding content to the Leadership Library and welcome your menu suggestions!

6. It counts towards your CPD

The Leadership Library is a great way to develop your palate for learning. It supports reflection on everyday leadership skills and practise, whatever your level or role, and can also counts towards the annual CPD requirement for veterinary surgeons and nurses.

As well as helping you get a sense of what leadership training can offer, the Leadership Library can be used as a foundation for developing your team members. If you’re looking for a more structured or formal approach, you will soon be able to access the veterinary version of the NHS Edward Jenner Leadership Programme, which will be re-launched later this year. Also look out for the free leadership short courses we’ve developed for the new RCVS Academy.

In the meantime, I hope I’ve tempted you to take a look at the Leadership Library and to try our ‘tapas’ approach to learning. Enjoy!