The Human Side of Organizations
Tommy
Boone, PhD, MPH, FASEP, EPC
Professor
and Chair
Department
of Exercise Physiology
The
College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN 55811
“Lord, we’re not what we
want to be, we’re not what we need to be, we’re not what we’re going to
be, but thank God Almighty, we’re not what we used to be.” -- An
African American prayer
The American Society of Exercise Physiologists
(ASEP) is the professional organization of exercise physiologists.
It is also the first-ever organization of exercise physiologists.
The members share a common interest in hard work and passion to put exercise
physiologists on the same footing as other professionals. They have
a common respect for words like “profession” and “professional”, and credentials
such as certification and licensure. They have a clear vision of
what they want to accomplish, and they have translated the dream into words
and actions.
The Third Quality: Passion
Successful organizations have at
least three very important qualities: (a) vision, (b) purpose, and (c)
passion. The third quality, passion, is a key component of success
where members do something for the cheer joy. Success also means
having courage, especially in dealing the rejection of friends who fail
to get the big picture. Being a successful member of an organization
means more than just another number, it means making a contribution.
It also means figuring out what you want and, then, paying the price to
carve out the future that is personally pleasing and acceptable to you.
Success is built on the backs of
the members who are risk takers. Their hard work and commitment keeps
the organization pointed in the right direction. In their hearts,
I believe you can hear them saying, “Look at that professional. That’s
what I’m going to be.” It is about respect and a sense of self-worth.
It is about belief in one’s ideas and caring about others. And, yes,
it is about the desire to unlock the full potential of exercise physiologists.
Also along with their passion, they become catalysts for change.
The idea of continuing at the technician level of work is filled with too
much uncertainty. Similarly, the specialist way of looking at job
opportunities (or the lack of them) isn’t appealing because of the unknowns
in healthcare.
Sky is the Limit
“The sky is the limit” is an effective
way of sharing a message. It is used to translate passion into action.
To many people, it can be about that simple. That is, clear up the
ambiguity, part with the calculated risks, and get with the program.
By exchanging one set of feelings for another, members try to improve their
odds at realizing their vision. If exercise physiologists believe
they have the power to step beyond the limits of their tradition, they
should take on the challenge? I believe they do, and the leadership
of ASEP believes they do. It takes vision and courage to build an
organization of influence; one that can catalyze change. Another
old saying is also true, “If you don’t try, you might as well stop crying
and go back home.”
To this writer, going home isn’t
an option and never has been. All we need to do is continue what
we have been doing, and add a few interesting twists to our options.
For example, “What about our human resources?” Every member must
have friends and colleagues who can increase our networks and maximize
our resources. “What about our ties and relationship with other organizations?”
Everybody ends up being a winner when they reach out and support relationships.
“Have we worked hard enough at marketing the ASEP Board Certification and
our Accreditation Guidelines?” If not, we should look for innovative
ways of doing so.
Sharing in the Work
Also of critical importance to the
effectiveness of any organization is the ability to communicate ideas.
Has the ASEP leadership communicated the organization’s vision and purpose
in an inspiring way? Equally important is the question, “Are the
members willing to listen and to act on the suggestions made by the leadership?”
While there are no data to determine one way of another, the members are
certainly encouraged to share in the work of those who have created the
certification and the accreditation guidelines. This can be achieved
easily by sitting for the “Exercise Physiologist Certified” exam (1)
and/or completing the guideline procedures for undergraduate accreditation
(2). These are direct and obvious benefits of ASEP
that its members can share in.
The human side of any organization
is directly a function of “expectations” beyond the benefits just identified.
Members want to be treated with respect. Point in fact, the first
of two guiding principles of the members of the Board of Directors is:
“Treat others as you would like to be treated.” It isn’t hard to
understand. The second guiding principle is: “Action speaks louder
than words.” It’s the members who get things done. The Board
of Directors (3) has placed its trust in its membership
to get public visibility. The Board’s intention is to build an organization
with committees to run it.
The organization’s importance extends
to building a level of trust between the Board members and groups of exercise
physiologists who run it and the members in general. Unfortunately,
ASEP doesn’t have the financial resources to ensure protection and/or help
for its members at the present time. Asset planning must be built
into the organizational plate form and thinking along with more powerful
ways to build and ensure a continuity of its finances. The resulting
economic conditions and the public sector’s willingness to file lawsuits
are logical ingredients to the formula for financial and/or professional
paralysis. To survive, members can help by supporting the vision
and making a commitment to its effectiveness in transforming exercise physiology.
Rules of the Society
The human side of ASEP is dictated
by “Rules of the Society”. They are rather simple and straight-forward,
but important to the success of every member. They are constructed
with one thought in mind, that is, when every member of the organization
works together, then ASEP has the best chance ever in realizing its vision
ahead of schedule. They are:
1. A single person’s commitment
is absolutely vital to influence of everyone in the organization.
2. The benefits and/or rewards realized
by a single person are shared with everybody in the organization.
3. Work hard, make a commitment,
and expect positive results.
4. Every single achievement by a
member at any level benefits all the members in the organization.
5. Change begins with the willingness
to take risks.
The importance of all members working
singly and collectively on behalf of the ASEP vision cannot be overlooked.
Equally important is the notion that “respect” is a more powerful motivator
than sex! Members should always manage change with hard work, loyalty,
and respect for each other. So, in closing, to highlight my
point once again, the human side of a great and effective organization
begins with hard work, loyalty, and respect plus perseverance, a market
strategy, a caring and committed leadership, defining the public sector
niche, the refinement of ASEP certification, the development of licensure,
and the willingness to see the big picture.
“When the vision is clear,
nothing else matters.” – Wally Amos
References
1. American Society
of Exercise Physiologists. (2001). Exercise Physiologist Certified exam.
[Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/EPCManual.html
2. American Society
of Exercise Physiologists. (2001). Guidelines for Accreditation of Undergraduate
Programs in Exercise Physiology. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/accredit.htm
3. American Society
of Exercise Physiologists. (2001). ASEP Board of Directors. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/execbod.htm