Understanding
the ASEP
Strategy
for Achieving Professional Status
Tommy Boone, PhD,
MPH, FASEP, EPC
Professor and Chair
Department of Exercise Physiology
The College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN
Anyone who has taken
charge of a business or an organization understands that a vision is everything.
If the cause is worthy and if the results are acceptable, the leadership
will in all probability be accepted as a good thing. That’s it! The
test of an organization’s worthiness is simply a function of the cause
to be served. With a worthwhile and achievable vision, people can
venture into unexplored territory. Without it, there is no agenda
and no dream. With it, people can inspire action and give reason
for hope. Quite simply, a vision sets a clear direction for shaping
the future. It is more than an idea for something better. It
is the “writing on the wall” that defines the way to transform and empower
people to move forward and to set a course that others will recognize as
right. Consider as an example, the ASEP Vision:
1. To be recognized
as the leading professional organization of American scholars and practitioners
in the study and application of exercise physiology to fitness, health
promotion, rehabilitation, and sports training.
2. The Society is dedicated
to unifying all exercise physiologists in the United States and worldwide
to promote and support the study, practice, teaching, research, and development
of the exercise physiology profession.
3. Through proactive and
creative leadership, the Society empowers its members to serve the public
good by making an academically sound difference in the application of exercise
physiology concepts and insights.
Is the vision the “right vision”
for the future of exercise physiologists and, if not, why? Does it
move exercise physiologists and, if not, why? Is the vision able
to grab the attention of those inside and outside of the organization and,
if not, why? Of course ASEP members would like to think that the
answer is “yes” to all three questions. They have a shared vision
that has helped to provide a measure by which exercise physiologists can
be evaluated. One such measurement is the recently developed Exercise
Physiologist Certified (EPC) exam. Another measurement is the shared
work directed by Dr. Dale Wagner and his committee to realize a common
dream of one academic community with credibility. As a result, ASEP
has its own distinct and first-ever Accreditation Manual for colleges and
universities that aspire to build a creditable future.
These two developments are
a result of the ASEP vision. There isn’t any confusion about purpose.
Exercise physiologists want to be recognized as professionals. The
idea is a simple one. It is about helping exercise physiologists
find happiness, respect, and financial stability. It is about a better
and more desirable future, and it is about unification that makes possible
the impossible. Hence, promoting exercise physiology is the cornerstone
of the ASEP organization.
From an organization viewpoint,
there is yet another major area of development that is also consistent
with and driven by the ASEP Vision. Most of all, as exercise physiologists,
regardless of where we may work but, particularly, the college teachers,
need to encourage the development of leadership among our students.
Our student leaders will secure the future of the emerging profession of
exercise physiology. They are the backbone to sustaining change and
finding the best ideas to insure the professionalization of exercise physiology.
If you are a college teacher,
there is much you can do to help your students prepare for future roles
in exercise physiology. To start with, help your students develop
a belief in possibilities. Students who have faith in their ability
to come up with great ideas and are self-confident will assume responsibility
for professional leadership. So, where possible, provide opportunities
for critical reflection and creativity. Help them embrace their imaginative
powers. Help them dream the dreams, and help them become visionary
leaders by getting involved in ASEP Student Chapters, ASEP State Chapters,
and by attending the ASEP National Meeting. Encourage them to write
other students to share their enthusiasm for ASEP.
Students with the vision
to move exercise physiology forward are usually very effective in helping
other students learn about ASEP. As role models, they can help their
friends assume a responsible role in the evolution of exercise physiology.
Collectively, students can make a big difference. It is no longer
enough for organizations to exist for those who are working in the field.
There should be leadership experiences for students at all national meetings.
Such experiences may result from student research, special interest group
presentations, or the discussion of critical current issues in exercise
physiology career opportunities. And, of course, students can also
be placed in positions of leadership whereby they organize and present
workshops on the history and philosophy of leadership in exercise physiology,
current strategies in developing leaders, leadership ethics, standards
of practice, and code of conduct. It is equally, if not more important,
to plan for the examination of these topics as it is for students to experiment
in research ideas and designs in data collection.
Students also need to acquire
a personal sense of responsibility for the emerging profession. The
topics of teamwork, networking, negotiation, and entrepreneurship should
be developed with opportunity for student experiences within the academic
departments, at local and national meetings. Last, and by no means,
students need good role models to help them cultivate and sustain the detailed
analysis and discussion of these issues. Their professors should
serve as a mentor, and they should treat their students with the respect
that they typically give to their colleagues.
In short, the multiplication
of many voices with the same driving force adds up to a powerful call to
action. If you are working with students, as a preceptor of an internship
program, as a director of a corporate fitness program, or a college teacher,
think about what you can do to get your students involved in leadership
roles in exercise physiology. Perhaps, the best place to start is
by making sure you have a thorough understanding of the ASEP Vision.
It is no longer acceptable not to know about our vision for responsible
and dedicated leadership as exercise physiologists.
Similarly, the work of the
ASEP organization cannot be relegated to just a handful of individuals
but to the work of a great number of its members working as a group welded
together by the common bonds of professional service, individual and collective
responsibility, and dedication. Professional leadership requires
a commitment from everyone; students, teachers, researchers, fitness professionals,
and clinicians. Everyone must shoulder the image of change.
Students can share and gain experience in the change process and leadership
through the ASEP Student Chapters. They shouldn’t wait until graduation
and, most certainly, after the PhD degree to share experiences, to participant
in leadership decisions, and to learn the keys to professional growth and
development.
It should be apparent that
the ASEP strategy for exercise physiology to evolve to the point where
it can be considered a profession requires student involvement. It
won’t always be easy, but it can be done (and it is being done).
Tradition, ignorance, and other obstacles are constant barriers to the
emergence of exercise physiology as a profession. None is easy to
overcome but students are strong and responsible young adults. Their
young minds, emotions, and energy are powerful contributions to helping
them meet and to recognize what has to be done to support the concept of
professionalization. This is the magic, when it all comes together,
students and everyone on the same page, working to realize the same vision.
Copyright
©1997-2001 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights
Reserved.
ASEP
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