In the process of advocating for children, many look to physicians to be leaders in the process. Many of us have natural leadership skills, but we do not often stop to think about how we do that. What makes an effective leader, and how do we go about effecting change?
Start with this web-based leadership inventory. Reflect on your experience as a leader and a follower, and what your strengths and needs might be. Takes notes about your areas of strength and potential for growth. A couple of readings for you:
Our Iceberg is Melting. Click link (or use book Ben gives you). It is a somewhat cute, but very well done, examination of the process of change and the leadership skills necessary to be successful.
Your job is to figure out which Penguin you are naturally, and you will have a brief reflective writing piece on this. This is the preface for the next set of readings...
A long afternoon at the cafe of your choice, and you will get your honorary MBA. Why do you care? As a physician and advocate, you will often, for better or worse, be thrust into the role of leader. Some of us have natural skills, some of us do not. We all could improve. Your advocacy work involves managing people, ideas, and "products"- it is a lot like a business. See what some of the world's experts say about what we all need to do to become more effective leaders.
Read this handbook on community organizing.
Culture Change that Sticks--Katzenbach
Also from the Harvard Business Review- an easy to read discussion about change and the constraints of existing culture within an organization or group. As advocates, we are all about change, and change is seldom easy. What makes change stick? How can we win the day and do the right thing for kids?