We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Pamelar Hale. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Pamelar below.
Pamelar, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My parents were and are my greatest fans! They taught me the importance of self-reliance and working toward a goal. While I was a National Honor Student in high school, I struggled my freshman year of college due to the typical distractions of college life! My parents sat me down after that first year and told me that my dream was mine to achieve. Of course, they were there to support me, but the work has to come from me to achieve my dream of becoming a veterinarian. They were clear that they were living their dream and I had to buckle down and reach for my own. To grasp the dream with the day to day work. I went into my sophomore year determined to do better and I improved my grades for eventual acceptance into veterinary school after my junior year. I think of that life lesson often when I sometimes feel like giving up. One: be self-reliant, two- put in the work, three-don’t let others distract you from that path. I credit my parents for being supportive yet not coddling me. I learned from that lesson to not let obstacles deter me nor diminish the drive to reach a goal.
Pamelar, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I have always wanted to be a veterinarian from the young age of 7 years old. I only envisioned a clinical setting as a general practitioner based on the James Herriot book, “ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL”. What an idyllic vision of veterinary medicine! However, due to the evolution of veterinary medicine and multi-unit, group practices, I was able to move into leadership roles as a Chief of Staff in a hospital, Regional Medical Director, responsible for 20 hospitals and eventually a “C-suite” role — Chief Medical Officer of a national veterinary practice. I never imagined I would be responsible for multi-million dollar portfolios and hundreds of team members! From these roles I developed a keen interest in leadership and management for veterinarians. There were very few programs that were available specifically for veterinarians as we moved into increasing responsibility. Thus, today I am the co-founder of VetLeader Coaching. A cohort based, transformational coaching program geared toward veterinary leaders. I work with certified coaches in this program while I bring tangible business acumen. We help our leaders learn their style of leadership and how to apply their talents to lead a team! This is new for many veterinarians. Especially those that have not been in leadership before. I also provide consulting services to veterinary practices for best practices in growth, team dynamics and profitability. I have managed many veterinary hospitals to fiscal success! I love to help other practice owners achieve maximum return in their businesses!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
In my first leadership role, I was responsible for opening a new hospital which meant hiring and leading the team. I had never been in such a position as I had only been a veterinary associate in a hospital owned by a solo owner. I was under the impression that as a leader with the title, the team members would automatically see you as their leader and do whatever you tell them to do! Boy, was I wrong! I suspect this came from my upbringing as an only child raised by parents with clear expectations of my behavior. I had to learn that each person has to be led according to their personality type and also how to motivate each person according to their needs! I did reading on leadership and leading and came upon the concept of Situational Leadership. This teaches leaders that each person may have to be supported differently. Learning to recognize those needs and types in my team helped me to better relate to them. We went on to become a very successful veterinary hospital. But, that was quite the learning curve for me and I have taken that with me in all leadership roles and even personal relationships. I ‘unlearned’ that people will follow you just because you have a title. I learned that we have to earn that respect as a leader.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
One word: resilience. As i became more involved in higher level roles, I learned that resilience in the face of set backs was more important than ‘being strong’. Strength is often over rated. One needs the ability to get up and push forward after a set back, disappointment or when told you ‘aren’t good enough’ to prove the nay-sayers wrong. As a veterinarian of color in which minority veterinarians make up only 14% of all veterinarians and Black veterinarians, only 2% , I have been over looked for roles in which I am immensely qualified. I have been second guessed when I have been in the high level roles, talked over and dismissed in meetings as ‘unqualified’. These instances could break a person if not for resilience. Resilience is courage to speak up again, get up again and forge ahead or set a new path. I do not allow anyone to tell me who I am, especially if presented in a derogatory way. Resilience does require self-reliance but also an inner resolve to put on my own oxygen mask. And it’s perfectly fine to take care of self first! Resilience requires it. As a minority in veterinary medicine, we are virtually invisible due to small numbers overall. Thus, one must be willing to step forward with confidence, determination and resilience.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Pamelar Hale
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamelar.hale
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pam-hale-dvm-mba/
Image Credits
bjthephotographer
https://www.bjthephotographer.com/aboutbj