398 - My Boss Makes Me the Bad Guy

Maria Pirita hosts the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast with guest Ron Sosa to answer a mailbag from a practice manager who feels stuck after a visionary practice owner announces exciting upgrades and perks to the team before anything is approved, budgeted, or discussed, leaving the manager to backtrack and appear like the “bad guy.” They discuss assuming good intent, how visionary leaders often verbally process ideas that land as promises, and how this dynamic erodes trust and credibility over time. Using DISC concepts, they frame the issue as a coordination gap between visionary and implementer roles, emphasizing shared intention over blame. Practical steps include using calm I statements, building protected owner-manager meeting cadence with agendas, creating guardrails like “no surprise announcements,” asking filter questions about realism, timing, and communication, using exploratory language such as pilots, and coaching the team to respond with clarifying questions.

Ron Sosa is the Executive Director of Uncharted Veterinary Conference, a published author, international speaker, and veterinary leader with more than 20 years of experience in operations, practice management, leadership development, and consulting. From client service representative to business partner to industry educator, Ron has built a career around helping veterinary professionals create healthier teams and more sustainable workplaces. As the founder of Syn APT Neuroinclusive Leadership, he is especially passionate about neuroinclusive leadership, workplace culture, burnout prevention, and helping people thrive at work.

Maria Pirita is a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager, Elite Fear Free Certified Veterinary Professional and former hospital administrator. In her work with Uncharted Veterinary Conference and beyond, Maria has presented to veterinarians and teams across the US and Canada on topics including veterinary marketing, feedback, team building, and positive work culture. With over 10 years of experience in veterinary medicine and over 20 years in leadership, she's passionate helping leaders develop their skills. Maria loves any activity that involves creativity or learning something new. This leads to an abundance of hobbies including crafting, traveling, cooking and aviation.

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