Team member perception of leader behavior associated with engagement and intent to stay in veterinary practice

Objective: To examine whether positive leadership behaviors, conceptualized as Psychological Safety, Purpose, Path, Partnership, and Positive Communication, are associated with staff sentiment and practice performance and whether alignment between leaders and staff perceptions matters. Methods: A voluntary, cross-sectional, 360° leadership survey was conducted across independent veterinary practices, with staff additionally reporting intent to stay and work engagement. Survey data were linked, where available, to practice financial and operational metrics. Results: In multivariate analyses, higher staff-rated leadership quality was associated with stronger intent to stay and higher engagement, and higher revenue per staff hour was also associated with stronger intent to stay. Indicators of greater workload intensity were associated with lower engagement, suggesting that operational pressures may dampen engagement even in supportive cultures. Further work is needed to determine the impact of positive leadership behaviors on practice financial performance. Conclusions: Overall, these findings provide 360° insights that leadership as experienced by staff is meaningfully related to engagement and retention intentions in independent veterinary practices. The insights underscore the value of structured staff feedback and leadership development while highlighting the need for longitudinal research to assess downstream financial effects. Clinical Relevance: Misaligned perceptions between staff and independent veterinary practice leaders of leadership behavior may contribute to organizational risk. Investment in and demonstration of positive leadership behaviors can reduce staff turnover, increase staff engagement, and support improved patient care.