Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline     


         ISSN 1099-5862   Vol 7 No 1  January 2004 
 



 
 

 

    Editor-in-Chief
    Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, MA, FASEP, EPC
 
 
The ASEP Exercise Physiologist:  Leadership and Shared Expectations
Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, MA, FASEP, EPC
Professor and Chair
Director, Exercise Physiology Laboratories
The College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN 55811
 
“You have to believe in something yourself first, before you can get others to believe.”  -- Ashraf Seddeek
Exercise physiologists have a history of supporting sports medicine, not exercise physiology.  No matter how far they have come in the last 50 years, that one factor has been both positive and negative.  The positive is obvious.  Doctorate prepared exercise physiologists have done an excellent job at creating the exercise physiology scientific-based, specialized body of knowledge.  The negative is the nagging problems that sports medicine has kept exercise physiology from maturing as an emerging profession.

This doesn’t mean that exercise physiologists haven’t come a long way.  Today, the ASEP exercise physiologist is moving alongside other healthcare professionals.  In all areas of healthcare, the ASEP board certified exercise physiologist [1] is recognized with professional competencies to nurture change towards acceptable lifestyle ways.  Increasingly, more exercise physiologists are becoming aware of the importance of their education and hands-on skills.  They understand that exercise physiology is a healthcare profession.  Clearly, the founding of ASEP is the transition point between the sports medicine exercise physiologist and the ASEP exercise physiologist.

The fundamental obstacle ASEP exercise physiologists continue to face is the sports medicine organization itself [2].  The truth is that there is still a lot of work to be done.  The cards aren’t stacked against change, but it is a major uphill battle to deal with the issue of power and political structures of today’s organizations.  Although it is unrealistic to think that ASEP exercise physiologists are the only professionals working to change their reality, at times it seems that everyone who is not a member of ASEP is not making great strides in the political arena.  For many ASEP members, the ability to get things done is the belief in the ASEP vision [3].  It is the mental and emotional power that is gained from the commitment to professionalism. 

Dosick [4] wrote, "Vision is more than what you see.  Vision is opening your eyes  -- and your mind's eye, as well -- to that inner place where you    see and forsee, where you dream and imagine and create....You could be satisfied with the status quo.  You could be content to leave things as they are.  You could choose not to 'not the boat,' 'upset the apple cart,' or 'make waves.'  You could repeat the sad and dangerous words, so often heard: 'But we've always done it this way.'  But then you and your business would probably not improve, not progress, not prosper."  The ASEP vision is important to the professional development of exercise physiology. 

  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
The purpose of this article is to help exercise physiologists understand and cultivate personal and professional qualities that will enable them to play more powerful roles in shaping the ASEP future of exercise physiology.  While the concept of personal power is new, the importance of leadership is well known.  What determines leadership and power [5] versus the traditional emphasis on research per se is important to know since both often give rise to confidence.  Projecting confidence is a matter of being in charge and sending the right signals.  It’s about the beliefs leaders embrace to facilitate change based on ideas that there’s no going back to sports medicine.  The ASEP leadership is about restoring hope, rebuilding a sense of community, and seizing career opportunities [6].

Leadership is important in anyone’s career and, most certainly, within one’s own organization.  The most significant contribution any exercise physiologist can make to the evolving profession is to speak out on behalf of ASEP.  In the end, it is a matter of time, vision, conviction, and courage [7] to create something better for all exercise physiologists.  It takes courage to make a difference when indifference is so common [8].  This means standing up for what you believe and sharing your values regarding the ASEP organization.  Leadership is about “Going the Extra Mile” [9].  Sports medicine is one thing.  Exercise physiology is something altogether different.

Sometimes a person has to choose a side!  To effectively model the ASEP behavior, one must be a committed member.  Then, the dream of exercise physiologists as healthcare professionals sets the stage for the future.  This image of the future is what drives the ASEP exercise physiologist.  It is the dream of a shared vision [10] whereby the sports medicine status quo is changed forever.  The ASEP leadership is about challenging the status quo at every level to ensure the unlocking of opportunities to serve the public.  It is about a finding a sense of purpose and communicating the ASEP vision; all of which is a legitimate on behalf of exercise physiologists throughout the United States.

During the 21st century, exercise physiologists are being brought up to be proud of “their” organization.  They are encouraged to talk about it, shared personal values about it, and explain to others why they are committed to the ASEP organization.  Their sense of ownership is making a difference.  The ASEP leadership has made a difference in how the public sees exercise physiology.  They “walk the talk” and, therefore, their actions are consistent with their promises.  Just this month, the ASEP Board of Directors and the ASEP Board of Licensure completed the final draft of the Minnesota Licensure Bill for Exercise Physiologists.  ASEP is doing what its leadership said it would do.  This is the definition of credibility [11].

Securing licensure for exercise physiologists as healthcare professionals is an important and serious foundation for building productive and genuine career opportunities.  Imagine the power in “doing what ASEP said it would do”.  It demonstrates that the commitment to a shared vision that exercise physiology is a profession of healthcare professionals is constantly affirming publicly that ASEP is also “the” professional organization of exercise physiologists.  Doing what ASEP leadership said it would do has helped exercise physiology escape from the sports medicine paradigm trap [12].  Stopping the past exploitation of exercise physiology is an important beginning to a sense of meaning and purpose.  It is the building process that results from an internal desire to inspire others to get involved in the niche [13] opportunities that defines the exercise physiology leadership in today’s healthcare.

Unfortunately, finding a vision, expressing a vision, and maintaining a vision is not always an intuitive, emotional process.  Why?  Part of the human response is very likely life itself.  As if work at the office isn’t enough, the challenges that associate with raising a family, war and terrorism, and other concerns such the weather, taxes, paying bills, the human race is living a mix of feelings.  And, frankly, everyone is stretched to the breaking point, it is reasonable to expect any change at all to be hard won.  But, what is important is simply this“Regardless of what others may say, a single person can make a difference.”  That person can help others make sense of why a struggle that is worth fighting for is worth suffering for.  That one person can write about exercise physiology, talk about career opportunities, embrace others who have similar views, and “stand his or her ground” passionately on behalf of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. 

The willingness to stand for something and to be something is intimately connected.  Members of ASEP ought to read about professionalism and professional development issues and concerns.  They should talk with others who are living the change in professionalism within exercise physiology and, where possible and time permits, visit with members of the Board of Directors [14], Board of Accreditation [15], Board of Certification [16], and Board of Licensure [17].  There is a lot to talk about and the implications are important, given that they define the future of possibilities for the common good of exercise physiologists.  The ASEP leadership knows that working on behalf of an organization just for exercise physiologists is worth doing.  ASEP is making a difference, and it is having an important impact on the meaning and purpose of many students who are immersed in exercise physiology.  The organization is about the projecting into the future, building a shared vision, and keeping its members’ energy focused on becoming what they want to be.  The ASEP Board of Directors is committed to Shared Expectations of Exercise Physiology.  That is, in spite of the difficulties and tensions that surround the ASEP perspective of exercise physiology, they have shared expectations.  It is a shared expectation that is fundamental to the rights of every evolving profession:

  • They expect that academic exercise physiologists will come to terms with the support of sports medicine and their failure to support ASEP. 
  • They expect that exercise physiologists (whether they have the doctorate degree or not) are equal to other healthcare professionals; that all professionals should be treated with respect and equal in every way possible.
  • They expect that not too far in the future the students of diverse academic programs will be able to say that they graduated from an accredited exercise physiology college or university.
  • They expect that at some point in the future the sports medicine leadership will recognize the transformations led by the ASEP leadership and support the ASEP initiatives to professionalize exercise physiology.
  • They expect that the founders of the ASEP organization and its leadership will in the not too distant future be given the respect due them and that they will not be judged by their association with ASEP, but by their integrity and convictions to improve the conditions of exercise physiology.
  • They expect that their shared vision will inspire others to mobilize the ASEP movement.
  • They expect that next month, next year, or even 5 years from now those who disregard and put down the ASEP leadership and organizational efforts will be transformed into thinking about and supporting the ASEP organization so that exercise physiology students will be given the same respect, career opportunities, credibility, and trust as other healthcare professionals have working the public sector.
  • They expect members of the ASEP organization and others to share in the ASEP vision that is realistic, full of hope, and straight from the heart.
  • They expect that exercise physiology will rise to status of a profession, and that the seeds for success are being planted day-after-day.


References
1.  American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2004). Information for EPC Candidates: A Guide. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/epcmanual/
2.  American College of Sports Medicine. (2004). Welcome to ACSM. [Online]. http://www.acsm.org/index.asp
3.  American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2004). The ASEP Vision. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/vision.htm
4.  Dosick, R.W. (1993). THE BUSINESS BIBLE: Ten Commandments for Creating an Ethical Workplace. New York, NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., p. 29. 
5.  Boone, T. (2003). Overcoming Institutional Inertia with Leadership. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol 6, No. 2 [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/OvercomingInstitutionalInertiaWithLeadership.html
6.  Boone, T. (2003). The Entrepreneurship of Exercise Physiology.  Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.Vol 6, No. 3 [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/EntrepreneurshipOfExercisePhysiology.html
7.  Boone, T. (2003). The COURAGE to QUESTION What is Exercise Physiology in the 21st Century.   Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.Vol 6, No. 1 [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/COURAGEtoQUESTION.html
8.  Boone, T. (2003). Ethical Thinking:  What Is It and Why Does It Matter? Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.Vol 6, No. 6  [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/EthicalThinkingANDexercisephysiology.html
9.  American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2000). "Thank You Matt"  -- Going the Extra Mile!  ASEPNewsletter. Vol 4, No. 12 [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/ASEPNewsletter2000.html
10.Boone, T. (2003). A Shared Vision Precedes Reality: A Personal Perspective. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.Vol 6, No. 6  [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/SharedVisionPrecedesReality.html
11.Kouzes, J.M. and Posner, B.Z. (2002). The Leadership Challenge. (3rd edition). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
12.Boone, T. (2003). The ASEP Organization is a Paradigm Shift. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.Vol 6, No. 2  [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/TheASEPparadigmShift.html
13.Boone, T. (2002). IMAGINATION, PASSION, and the INTANGIBLE:  A Window on the Future of Exercise Physiology. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.Vol 5, No. 12  [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/ImaginationANDExercisePhysiology.html
14.American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2004). Board of Directors. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/execbod.htm
15. American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2004). Board of Accreditation for Exercise Physiologists. [Online]. http://www.exercisephysiologists.com/boardofaccreditation/index.html
16. American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2004). Board of Certification for Exercise Physiologists. [Online]. http://www.exercisephysiologists.com/boardofcertification/index.html
17. American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2004). Board of Licensure for Exercise Physiologists. [Online]. http://www.exercisephysiologists.com/boardoflicensure/index.html
 
 

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