Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself. (Rumi).
For many of us, the academic work goes on all year. For others, the summer is a chance to focus more on scholarship, to take some time off, or to simply enjoy a slightly slower pace. As a Department Chair, summer means I will spend time reflecting about what our faculty and programs have accomplished in the past year and how we can improve going forward.
In my final weeks as Board Chair, I am also reflecting on what we’ve accomplished at AUPHA. We have made some great strides (and we still have work to do). I look forward to sharing our progress at the Annual Meeting in Kansas City and learning together in the fantastic sessions organized by Diane Howard and the Annual Meeting Planning Committee. The meeting provides time for much-needed fellowship and networking with our colleagues.
This summer I am also reflecting on my own behavior, skills, and attitudes - as a teacher and as a leader. Last week I attended a great class on using simulation in teaching. The class helped me consider the ways that I teach and how I can improve. I have been teaching for almost 20 years, but I realized that you can teach an old dog some new tricks!
I have also been thinking about my work as a leaders and how we – the AUPHA Board, staff, and volunteers – are leading AUPHA and the field. We have made important improvements together, but I encourage each of us to consider how our own individual actions will change and improve the field. It is a collection of small steps – often with courage, tenacity, and discipline – that will create lasting transformation. We need to make sure our actions match our words, in big and small ways.
As noted above, Rumi said, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” I am calling on all of us – Board members, program directors, Forum leaders, teachers, program staff – to improve our field by changing ourselves. Perhaps Michael Jackson said it best: I’m starting with the woman in the mirror.
What does this mean? We must remain focused on developing leaders to drive improvement in the health system, to live our professed AUPHA values every day: diversity, excellence, innovation, learning, collaboration. As we each improve ourselves, we can improve our profession and the field.
We cannot profess collaboration and yet only compete with other programs and refuse to share information and ideas to improve the field. We cannot say we value diversity and inclusion and act in our old ways that can lead to “in-groups” and exclusivity in our activities. If we value excellence, we need to work tirelessly to seek and support excellence. It all sounds easy, but I have learned this year that it very difficult. I have also seen that we can learn and improve. We can do this, together.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as AUPHA’s Board Chair. I am encouraged by the commitment to excellence among our Board and by you – our members.
See you in Kansas City and on the Network.
Best,
Christy