Discussion: View Thread

What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

  • 1.  What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-15-2018 01:48 PM
    Greetings from Utah,

    My name is Teigan Beck and I currently serve as the NSSLHA President Elect and I love this leadership community. The discussion that is generated here really helps me to know what I should do now and where my pathway to leadership might lead next.

    I want to know... what do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Whether you are well experienced or just finding your groove, let me know your advice for students and early professionals looking to begin their pathway to leadership.

    Thanks in advance!

    ------------------------------
    Teigan Beck
    Utah State University SLP Graduate Student
    Logan, UT
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-16-2018 09:18 PM

    Teigan – thanks for your great question.  As I think back on my own leadership journey, I wish I had known to be a little more FOCUSED.  Sometimes I think I said yes to opportunities without thinking about whether or not it was something that I truly wanted to do AND that I had the skills to do.  Although we all can learn and expand our skill set, I think there were times when I said yes and I should have said no.  I am thankful that throughout my career I have had mentors, coaches and sponsors who have gently helped me in seeing that my focus was too broad. 

     

    Thanks again for asking this question!

     

    Donna

     

    Donna Fisher Smiley, Ph.D., CCC-A
    Audiology Supervisor/Audiologist
    Arkansas Children's Hospital

    1 Children's Way ● Slot 113  ● Little Rock, AR 72202

    (501) 680-2718  direct  ● (501) 364-6881 fax
    Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn


    ACmasterbrand

     

     






  • 3.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-17-2018 12:05 PM
    I have to smile at Donna's response! I totally agree. 

    I wish I had listened and asked more questions to really understand various roles, or projects. I have met so many great people along the way in our fields, and I wish I had taken time to learn from them. Lots of times I think we leave graduate programs/doctoral programs feeling like we "know everything" and we barely know anything! 

    I can think back and "see situations" where I wished I had taken the opportunities to a deeper level.....if this makes any sense. Those are moments in time, that are gone and you loose that chance. 

    So, my advice (especially to my graduate students) is to listen and learn from as many encounters and opportunities as you can, both formal and informal.  We then use what we learn as we mold our "leadership self"! 

    Carolyn

    --
    Dr.Carolyn Wiles Higdon, CCC-SLP, Fellow-ASHA
    Professor, University of Mississippi
    Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
    Clinical Associate Professor, UM Medical Center
    Past Vice President of Finance: ASHA Board of Directors 2012-2014
    Current: Member of the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA)

    University Contact Information
    100 George Hall, Rebel Drive
    University of Mississippi
    University, MS 38677
    Primary Phone/Cell: 678-296-0905
    UM Fax: 662-915-5717

    Primary Personal  Contact Information
    Cell: 678-296-0905
    Efax: 888-241-6254
    Email: cwhigdon@gmail.com






  • 4.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-18-2018 11:31 AM
    Tiegan, that's an excellent question! And you're already doing more than I did when I was at your point -- asking questions, seeking advice. Good on you!! So much wonderful advice has already been offered, which reflects a lot of wisdom.What I wish I had known earlier in my career is the value and importance of being a good listener (listening with intention) and being a good follower. I think being an intentional listener builds leadership skills and also helps us be good followers. Good followers are good workers who work hard and make a leader's job easier. These are skills that are also important in being a good leader. I think I was more focused on doing that I missed opportunities to build more authentic relationships with colleagues. I just came from a meeting of the TN Higher Education Commission where I watched my university president address questions by the commissioners. I was thinking of things I would say in response to the commissioners, but saw the grace and strength of my president in staying quiet. As a result, he gained respect and accomplished more. Listening and following can be powerful! 
    Good luck!
    Lynn



    ------------------------------
    Lynn Williams, PhD., CCC-SLP
    Associate Dean and Professor
    ASHA Vice President for Academic Affairs in Speech-Language Pathology (2016-2018)
    College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences
    P.O. Box 70282
    East Tennessee State University
    Johnson City, TN 37614
    p: 423.439.7469
    f: 423.439.4240
    e: williamL@etsu.edu
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-17-2018 06:21 PM
    When I was a clinical SLP in a medical center, I wish I'd been more aware of our salaries and benefit packages. 
    I was passionate about my profession and my patients. I accepted the job of my dreams without negotiating or researching my options.
    I didn't realize my salary was low for the position and below that of PTs and OTs (with BAs) and social workers, let alone hospital administrators.
    As leaders, we need to educate SLPs and graduate students about networking and investigating our financial options. For example, beware of PRN outpatient clinical positions that mandate late clock-in and early clock-out for no-shows or cancellations.

    ------------------------------
    Anne Bedwinek, PhD, CCC-SLP
    St. Louis, MO
    Adjunct Associate Professor
    The University of Missouri
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-17-2018 12:57 PM
    Hey Teigan!

    What a forward thinking question! It's ironic that Carolyn said so many graduate students enter the work force feeling like they are armed with all the knowledge and skills they need for the rest of their career, because I entered my clinical fellowship year feeling the opposite! We all have a good foundation of skills and clinical experiences after graduate school, but I think the best thing I did to set myself up for leadership is knowing that I was going to be a "forever student." Every meeting, publication, and conference is an opportunity to learn something new.

    Even with that mindset, I wish I had worked sooner to keep myself in the loop with the changes in the fields of other professionals that we work with so closely - occupational therapists, physical therapists, special education teachers, nurses, too many to name. While I may not subscribe to the research journals geared toward these professionals, I have found it to be so beneficial to listen to their expertise and ask questions. So many of our patients/clients/students require a multidisciplinary team for treatment and I think building a certain level of interest/respect goes a long way for building a career as a leader. 

    Good luck as you finish graduate school! 

    Sara

    ------------------------------
    Sara Taylor, M.A., CCC-SLP
    Watkinsville, GA
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-17-2018 01:03 PM
    Hi Teigan! Great topic. I wish I would have explored potential work settings  (e.g. schools, colleges, rehab, outpatient, etc) in depth while in graduate school and either shadowed or interviewed professionals in settings that I had the most interest in. I also wish I would have taken a leadership role early on while in graduate school (e.g. NSSLHA). Although I was a member of NSSLHA, I really did not think about exploring leadership positions while in graduate school. My focus was on getting through school. Once I completed school and became a working professional, I started to take an interest in leadership. While its never too late to start, I think one should be focused (as Donna S. had mentioned) and become acquainted with mentors and/or professionals who share similar interests.

    ------------------------------
    Gabrielle Haliburton
    Chesilhurst, NJ
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-18-2018 09:40 AM
    ​Hi Teigan:

    First of all, congrats on being the NSSLHA President-elect! And a great and insightful question you've posed.  I've been reading the responses from others with interest, and reflecting on your question for a couple days now. 

    The one thing that comes to the forefront for me is that I wish I would have been more comfortable asking probing questions.  I was raised with the notion that it wasn't necessarily polite to ask questions (especially if they were of a personal nature).  Naturally, this stuck with me as I began my audiology career and my journey as a leader.  I'm not sure if it's age or experience-or likely a combination of both-but I through practice, I've become much more comfortable asking probing questions.  I try to seek the "why" behind a process, issue, or problem. Sometimes that involves asking others "Why?" and sometimes it's simply a "conversation" I have with myself when I'm reflecting on my own performance as a leader:  "Why did this happen or unfold the way it did?  Why did I do what I did?  Why was that a good/bad was to respond/react?" 

    Thanks for starting this discussion!

    --Margot



    ------------------------------
    Margot Beckerman, Au.D., CCC-A
    Michigan Medicine
    Ann Arbor, MI
    margotbe@med.umich.edu
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-18-2018 02:48 PM
    Teigan:

    I have learned much from those who have already responded to your question; so here's my advice along with a tribute to the person who taught me this lesson. Dr. Lida Wall, a well-regarded audiologist and ASHA leader, was a favorite mentor and former boss. I was in a new leadership role and she assigned me to lead a team of faculty to address a contentious issue because she felt I needed exactly that kind of experience. It was a volatile issue and the first few meetings were rugged. So, I finally asked her for help and she offered these strategies: verbally acknowledge every member's contribution, keep the team focused on the issue and state the potential impact of each solution they suggest. My success leading this group significantly improved as I applied her guidance. I wish I had asked her for help immediately. So, this is what I wish I had known: Ask seasoned leaders you admire for guidance before you start a challenging role. To this day I thank Lida for teaching me to be a better leader by asking for help from those who have more experience; especially when dealing with contentious issues.

    Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10




  • 10.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-30-2018 04:33 PM
    Teigan,

    As I reflect on my leadership experiences, when I was starting out with my first leadership position it would have been good to know that different situations call for different leadership styles.  My philosophy of leadership is inclusiveness.  It is important to include people in decision making and delegation is also important.  I don't think leaders can or should do it all themselves. But there may be times when a different style of leadership is necessary. It depends on the situation and what is to be accomplished.  I think a good leader knows how to adjust their leadership style to fit the need.

    ------------------------------
    Dr. Elise Davis-McFarland, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow
    ASHA President- 2018
    Charleston, SC
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: What do you wish you had known as you started your pathway to leadership?

    Posted 05-31-2018 08:11 AM
    ​Teigan,

    This discussion has so many pearls of wisdom having had diverse situations in which to grow our leadership styles/methods.
    I have also found it necessary, when possible, to take a moment to reflect on the comments of others who may disagree with my stance on an issue.  My early reaction was one of defensiveness, but this did not necessarily help me to understand the other view point.  Having a better understanding of conflicting viewpoints may later help with coming up with a mutually beneficial solution.


    ------------------------------
    Karen B. Kurcz, MA CCC
    Clinical Supervisor, Speech-Language Pathologist
    Compliance Manager
    ASHA StAMP member
    Michigan Medicine
    Ann Arbor, MI
    ------------------------------