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| Election Time and what that means to us as Americans, PAs and NPs |
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by Bob Blumm, MA, PA-C, DFAAPA - January 13, 2012
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A citizen of our wonderful country would need to be blind or deaf to be in a situation where they were unaware that the Republicans are seeking a candidate to run against the incumbent President Obama. Concurrently this is the time the AAPA is declaring the nominees for election in the upcoming year and I am sure that the AANP is involved in the same labors. Elections are serious and it amazes me that so often we know so little about the candidates and how they feel on issues of great importance. As Americans, we need to know where our candidates stand on health care, national defense, welfare, social security as well as foreign and domestic affairs. Would we even attempt to pull a lever without knowledge of these issues? The same holds true in PA and NP politics. What does the candidate believe regarding issues concerning healthcare in America, utilization of the PA and NP workforce, reimbursement issues, research, and for the PA, a change to the name associate? THE NP side also continues to look at the DNP degree and their programs and content. What do our candidates believe? Are they willing to buck the tide and stand with the grassroots members of their profession? Take the “Associate” issue for PAs, more than six thousand PAs have asked for a change in our name but is anyone in leadership listening or are they quick to toss the ball to another entity to escape personal accountability? The membership of ALL organizations desire to be heard and also to see our requests both responded to and acted upon. Will the newly commissioned professional leaders perform this responsibility or will they look for “more important” issues and neglect the 6,000?
Leadership can be exciting, rewarding, stimulating and an experience in personal growth and development. A leader in an organization is a caretaker and has a responsibility to the profession and to its members. They cannot close their ears to the cries of the members nor can they close their eyes to petitions and comments, letters and facts that are delivered officially to the BOD on behalf of dues paying members. Why pay dues or consider membership if the leadership refuses to respond? In some cases, leaders who were written by members never answered them.
Good leaders accept their failures and defeats in some issues so that they may achieve success and triumphs in other areas. Leaders strive to win the battles but are more focused on final outcomes and what may be needed five and ten years from now. Perhaps because the role of leadership is filled with a multiplicity of emotions, it can be understood why and how styles and skills can differ among individual personalities. I have personally observed two leadership styles over the past several decades: the strong leader and the strong, sensitive leader. I am of the firm belief that volunteer organizations must have the latter in order to maintain membership and productivity. Observe the following two styles. Which do you prefer?
The Strong Leader
1. Is concerned with what is best for them.
2. Creates an atmosphere where membership is totally dependent upon their decisions.
3. Controls from without using tactics such as restrictions, rules and regulations.
4. Invariably has an: ”I’m superior, you’re inferior attitude” that alienates others.
5. Interprets questions as personal criticism.
6. Takes no risks and tends to pass the ball to others.
7. Limits the growth of other leaders by deterring the actions of others and by not training anyone else for the job.
The Strong Sensitive Leader
1. Is considerate of membership and others on the team.
2. Aims to create a plurality of leadership within the group which will ultimately make them unnecessary.
3. Influences from within by encouragement, inspiration and motivation.
4. Respects all members, old and new, Hears their comments and responds.
5. Is willing to discuss actions and reasons for actions.
6. Delegates and allows for success or failure.
7. Desires power with leaders, encouraging input, feedback, ideas and participation.
8. Liberates other leaders by encouraging new ideas and participation in a process where all are heard. Equips other with the tools to accomplish their tasks.
So who and what are we seeking in candidates or as officers in our professions?
We are seeking visionaries who are action-oriented and energetic, who are not afraid of adversity or challenge. We are looking for those individuals who accept these concepts willingly for the good of the order. Genus is not a requirement, but rather the requirement should be the insatiable hunger to see the profession grow and flourish both today and tomorrow and in the decades to come. We require future leaders who have a strong belief in our professions, our future and will enable us to resist all others who would try to limit our privileges. We need leaders who will stand against ANY powers that feel that they can make decisions for our profession. We need those who will not accept compromise or mediocrity in place of the pursuit of excellence. We need to know how people see the problems our profession has and how they will solve them. That’s what we need to be thinking about before we check off our ballots and vote for our future.
Robert M. Blumm has received national recognition as a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). He is the past president of the Association of Plastic Surgery Physician Assistants, and was past-president of the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants, past president of the American College of Clinicians and NYSSPA, as well as Chairman of the Surgical Congress of the AAPA. In addition, Bob received the John Kirklin MD Award for Professional Excellence from the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants. Along with his associate, Dr. Acker, Bob was the first recipient of the AAPA PAragon Physician-PA Partnership Award. He has been a contributing author of three textbooks, written 300 plus articles and is a sought out conference speaker throughout the United States.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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