Who Will Inspire
Us?
Tommy Boone, PhD,
MPH, FASEP, EPC
Professor and Chair
Department of Exercise Physiolgoy
College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN 55811
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Our
chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”
Who are the best leaders in exercise physiology? What makes a leader,
and a great one at that? These are but two rather simple questions
to ask, but they aren’t easy to answer. It has taken some thinking
to find what appears to be the right answer to both questions. It
would seem logical that someone with the PhD degree would be the right
person or persons to inform and guide others in the right direction.
Yet, the PhD degree is not the key to leadership. Given today’s perspective,
it seems highly unlikely the PhD academic has the right kind of attributes
to lead the new exercise physiology.
For one reason, to plunge
right into the heart of the matter, PhD candidates aren’t taught about
leadership or even how to lead an organization. Instead, they are
told that research and grant writing are all that matters. When considered
carefully, of course research and publishing are important. They
are the very things academics do, but they are not the only things (or
even the most important). The changing nature of exercise physiology
as an emerging profession dictates a new way of thinking and doing.
Most of all, the change embraces the belief that an organization designed
exclusively for exercise physiologists is right. The management of
the transition from a discipline to a profession simply can’t be done successfully
via a conglomerate.
It makes sense that the most
likely leaders of the new exercise physiology will be fashioned after the
importance of staying in touch with all exercise physiologists (not just
the PhD academic), tracking their employment opportunities, and scanning
possibilities for new thinking. Who will inspire us? In short,
the answer must be somewhere in the mix of all exercise physiologists creating
their own solutions to their own unique situations. One thing, however,
is clear. The non-PhD exercise physiologist appears to believe that
the only true leaders are identified with the PhD degree. Are they
really the best leaders in the field?
The purpose of this article
is to examine how anyone from the field can be a leader. Anyone!
That is, anyone with the guts to make a decision. Forget about making
a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. To make a decision requires
a person to decide what is important and then goes after it. It requires
going on the offensive even when you don’t have all the information directly
in front of you. The question is whether the ASEP vision is worth
making a decision? Members of ASEP believe that you’ve got to trust
your instinct, especially if what you are doing benefits the emerging profession
of exercise physiology. They believe that everyone should speak
to their colleagues about ASEP. Some have written articles
for the PEPonline journal. Others have expressed their feelings and
thoughts in class or during professional meetings. Letting others
know what they believe is important and, fortunately, ASEP has created
the professional environment that encourages others to follow. Leading
by example is important to all professions.
Too many times though, there
are members in their twenties or thirties who could have made a difference
in marketing ASEP but didn’t. Despite their passion and intelligence
to get the message across, they believe that it is better to say nothing.
Unfortunately, they don’t understand that failing to communicate what they
think is important allows the “vision” to be pushed aside. But, on
the positive side, when they speak up, things happen! Many times
and, in fact, frequently, even when they wouldn’t expect it, their words
and feelings are met with a friendly smile and a bond of confidence with
others who agree.
The net result is that all
exercise physiologists benefit when young professionals are impassionate
about what they do and what they believe in. It’s how you become
part of an organization, how you would guide it in the right direction,
and how you would expect professionals to embrace each other. By
“benefit”, first, it means that the leaders have figured out exactly what
they want. They also have a strategy to go forward with their vision.
This doesn’t mean that they sacrifice relationships with colleagues who
think differently. They don’t over react and throw their arms up
in the air and give up. Rather, it is simply a matter of sharing
the passion for their vision; a matter of speaking up and communicating
to others the ASEP vision. Communicating aggressively about the ASEP
initiatives is imperative, however done.
In the end, it is a matter
of execution, perseverance, and perspective. All exercise physiologists
need to know what ASEP stands for, and that the collective effort is based
on the belief that the members are doing what is right. This strategy
works because it is unprecedented in exercise physiology. It also
provides increased opportunities for students, young professionals in the
field, the creation of new and better academic programs, and the PhD academic
to grow professionally. It is a means to saying to the world that
“exercise physiologists know who they are and what they do”.
That’s a pretty radical shift in thinking. No one has to elaborate
very much to appreciate that the non-PhD exercise physiologist is often
lacking in ownership in name and service.
So, who are the upcoming
leaders who will lead others to a place they didn’t think was possible?
The obvious answer lies with the exercise physiologists who are focusing
on the ASEP vision and beliefs. Not surprisingly, the critical thing
for the reader to understand is that you don’t have to be perfect.
Success comes with imperfections of all kinds and types. Just because
you may not have the doctorate degree doesn’t mean that you aren’t a leader.
Nothing matters more than speaking out and talking about the ASEP initiatives.
The thinking is sound.
If you follow something other than exercise physiology, you are destined
to be identified with it forever. Instead, if you look like an exercise
physiologist, talk like an exercise physiologist, and profess to be an
exercise physiologist, you are likely to identified as an exercise physiologist.
It may sound like a joke or a stretch in thinking, but is isn’t.
To lead exercise physiologists into their own thinking and doing with their
own credentials is nothing short of major work. It requires a new
way of thinking; one that is prepared to break with the past. To
lead requires the conviction and the ability to bring about change.
It requires commitment, especially in creating the feeling that others
believe it is possible to be like the professionals in other fields of
work.
It will be someone who wants
to make a difference. It will be someone who is vigilant, who understands
the competition, and who is self-reliant. This person or persons
will be willing to take risks; someone who reaches out to others and thus
earns their trust. Frankly, it isn’t much more complicated than that.
Keeping it simple means trying new things, developing new credentials,
accrediting academic programs, and achieving results. Of course,
keeping it simple doesn’t mean that the work isn’t rigorous or challenging.
There’s no question about it. It is hard work to create a profession.
This is especially important to understand in light of our history as a
discipline. Exercise physiologists don’t view themselves as professionals,
except of course the PhDs. Instead, they see themselves as technicians.
This kind of thinking will
not fix the problems faced by non-PhD exercise physiologists. In
fact, it is important for everyone to be involved in deciding the future
of exercise physiology. The history of decentralization has to change.
Ironically, the change from a discipline to a profession and from thinking
only the PhD academic is an exercise physiologist is likely to occur from
within the ranks of the non-academic. They appear to have more of
a reason to buy into the notion that change is necessary. The person
at the lowest level of work, all the way up to the highest level, can make
a difference. The ASEP environment is created for all members to
realize their God-given potential. After all, it’s just a matter
of taking charge and making the ASEP vision so compelling that everybody
gets excited about it.
The good news is that the
evidence suggests there are already some young exercise physiologists who
are making a difference. They are role models for others who love
what they are doing. They believe if you don’t take care of where
exercise physiology is today, it may not have a future. They understand
that attention to detail and a willingness to work are hallmarks of people
who inspire others. They also believe that if exercise physiologists
take care of the emerging profession, the profession will take care of
them. The test of their commitment is the connection they have made
with ASEP specifically, and with the readers of PEPonline in general.
That connection is the work done in committees as well as the article or
articles they have written on behalf of exercise physiology professionalism.
The single most important
challenge is to communicate, to connect with other exercise physiologists,
and to never become complacent. Similarly, another challenge is to
know what is important. For example, not everyone knows why ASEP
is important? They don’t understand why it exists as a professional
organization? What are its purposes? The purposes are directly
related to the question, “What do exercise physiologists want to become?”
The answer is tied to the role models and, yet who are they? Where
are they?
Role models must inspire
us to become what we ought to be. The frustration of not having achieved
that which exercise physiologists believe is fair and right results from
many things. One important factor is the lack of teachers leading
their students in understanding professionalism and what it takes to be
a profession. The PhD academic has also failed to question the lack
of a serious undergraduate curriculum for all students. This, too,
can be changed though.
The power within ASEP is
the opportunity to take charge and to persuade other people to do things
the way exercise physiologists like. For example, first, it is the
purpose of ASEP to be committed exclusively to the advancement and improvement
of exercise physiology. Second, it means finding the answers to the
questions, “Does this fit what exercise physiologists need?” “Are
they doing things that advance the profession, or they doing things that
advance something else?” Exercise physiologists must learn the importance
of thinking about what is right for all members of the emerging profession.
ASEP helps by providing a forum for leadership and exchange of information
to stimulate discussion and collaboration among its members. If the
purpose is a good one, if it helps to establish exercise physiologists
in the public sector, if it helps to define exercise physiology as a profession,
then the focus, effort, and communication are correct.
Similarly, if it is the ASEP
agenda to set the standards for exercise physiologists through its approved
curricula in Universities and Colleges throughout the United States, isn’t
this kind of focus good? Isn’t it important, and shouldn’t those
who are working on its behalf be held in high esteem? It is pretty
hard for most people not to understand the logic and reason behind the
founding of ASEP, especially since part of its vision is to unify exercise
physiologists to promote and support the study, practice, teaching, research,
and development of the exercise physiology profession. It is also
natural to communicate to others the direction the profession is emerging,
that is, once its members understand where they are going!
Who will inspire us?
The answer is everyone who is motivated by doing what is possible to give
our students better tools to be successful. The inspiration comes
from a shared vision that is inspiring. In the end, everybody wins
when the members of an organization (and emerging profession) feel valued.
ASEP members appreciate the hard work of others before them, but nonetheless
understand the reason for change. Hence, honoring history and tradition
is good as long as exercise physiologists don’t dwell on the past and stay
in the past. This thinking is one of the great differentiators today,
and even more so going forward is the only competitive way to make things
happen. This is true because every group changes and every group
is required to change to keep pace with other groups. Not keeping
abreast of the need to change is a major mistake.
Students aspiring to become
leaders in the field can and should look to ASEP members as role models.
They can and should look to those who have created breakthrough opportunities
for entrepreneurs to use information and technology better than the competition.
Another thing that students can do is get involved with creating ASEP Student
Chapters at their institutions. Members can then make better decisions
about career opportunities. They can state with certainty that “It’s
my profession. It’s my future.” They become, therefore, more
responsible at focusing their energy on the profession and their professional
knowledge on their clients in the public sector. It is at this level
they learn to state, “This is what we believe to be important.” The
key to the whole thing exists with the students. It is important
that they are pointed in the right direction. In fact, it is an absolute
necessity, regardless of the mistakes or the difficulty in getting out
the message, to preach the equality of opportunity and personal achievement.
Exercise physiologists will
inspire themselves. How? By talking with each other via emails,
phone calls, egroups, letters, meetings, and through the published articles
about professionalism. They will learn to listen carefully to each
and every concern, especially those in the public sector, and by building
on their desire to make a difference. It is never too late to begin
to inspire others to become more responsible to the profession. Students
need to hear this over and over, time after time, because it is hard to
appreciate their power to create change. The fact remains that leadership
is a function of passion and loving what you do. Students have the
right to and the ability to create their own destiny. They have inspired
this writer, and it is clear that they will continue to focus on doing
the right thing for the right reasons. Look around you and be proud
of your students for they will become the leaders of change within exercise
physiology. It is clear that they will inspire others to lead
the transformation spreading the message to everyone interested in working
in exercise physiology.
Copyright
©1997-2001 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights
Reserved.
ASEP
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