Take Me to Your Leader: Qualities of Leaders in Exercise Physiology
Jonathan A. Moore
Department of Exercise Physiology
The College of St. Scholastica
Duluth MN  55811

“We are still masters of our fate.  We are still captains of our souls.” – Sir Winston Churchill

WHEN I BEGAN THE MAJOR in Health and Exercise Science at Furman University, Greenville, SC in January of 2003, I was not fully aware of the implications of my decision.  That is, I had not fully researched the careers of those who had undertaken similar studies in the past, nor had I researched the current job market for the new students of today.  I also did not examine the leadership or professional infrastructure of the discipline.  The program at Furman University is housed in a relatively large department, full of activity and interesting people, and its walls were draped with research posters and signs touting the benefits of physical activity.  I took it for granted that such a department had to be part of a large, well-organized group of professionals who shared a common goal, in much the same manner as medical doctors have the American Medical Association.  MDs specialize in areas such as cardiology or neurology, but they are all medical doctors who are committed to treating human disease.  Exercise Science must be the same, right?  Maybe or maybe not, but at this early in the game, I had to find out who was “our” AMA.  That could provide a clue to who “we” are as well and, thus where we are going.

Eventually, it became clear that the only association anyone ever mentioned was the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).  Honestly, I did not understand why the apparent governing association of the area I was studying, which emphasized clinical application of physical activity, was known as “Sports Medicine.”  After all, was sports medicine not a separate, specialized area of practice?  I could see how someone who practiced sports medicine would have training in the courses I was taking (e.g., kinesiology, motor development, exercise physiology, etc.), but is everyone who studies “exercise science” in general or kinesiology or exercise physiology going into a career practicing sports medicine?  On the contrary, I saw that most students in my department seemed to be pursuing physical therapy as a career.  Eventually I realized this was precipitated directly by a lack of leadership and organization in this broad field.  Someone apparently decided at some point to create an organization under the name of a specific group and clump together other disciplines under that name because they were some how loosely related.  This was always a point of confusion throughout my undergraduate studies, but I chose not to pursue a good answer to the question I had.

Now, less than a year after finishing the undergraduate degree, I enrolled in a Master’s program in Exercise Physiology in Duluth, MN.  I find myself asking, who are we and who are our leaders?  When I mention to others who I am an exercise physiologist, I am usually greeted with a puzzled look, a confident response such as, “so you’re going to be a personal trainer,”  or a straightforward and intelligent question, asking, “what do you do?”  Yes, good question.  Now, I can offer the definition of an exercise physiologist [1]:

“Exercise Physiology is the identification of physiological mechanisms underlying physical activity, the comprehensive delivery of treatment services concerned with the analysis, improvement, and maintenance of health and fitness, rehabilitation of heart disease and other chronic diseases and/or disabilities, and the professional guidance and counsel of athletes and others interested in athletics, sports training, and human adaptability to acute and chronic exercise.”

The definition is a great start.  I could also follow-up by naming a few common jobs where a person may find an exercise physiologist.  But there was an inherent problem or, at least, until recently.  There was not an identifiable, substantial, and organized professional leadership in the field.  Not until 1997, when the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP) was founded, was there dedicated leadership for exercise physiologists.  Before I knew about ASEP, I felt like the proverbial “first contact” man standing in front of the just-landed UFO with a little green man saying, “Take me to your leader.”  I had no idea where the leader was or how to contact him, which rasies two important questions:  "Who are the leaders of exercise physiology?" and "What makes them the leaders?" 

Perhaps the proper course of action to delineate this quandary and arrive at a suitable conclusion is to examine the qualifications and inherent characteristics of a leader.  In high school, I applied to and was accepted by a prestigious program known as Junior Leadership.  It is a program administered by the leadership in my home county in South Carolina.  Members of the program were selected from all county high schools.  The purpose of the program was to expose students who have exercised potential as future leaders to current leaders in society and thereby imbue the students with the fundamental characteristics of successful leaders.  Our first meeting consisted of a speaker who came to tell us about such characteristics.  I do not remember his name, but I remember what he said:  "The one characteristic that set a leader apart from a follower is VISION."  The speaker believed vision is the paramount element of a leader, and I agree.  A leader exists to lead, to cut a path, to break new ground.  Followers are not less, they are necessary, they are equal, but someone must lead.  To lead, there must be a clear destination to reach, an objective to realize, a target to hit.  This is the purpose of a vision, and for a vision to be realized, the visionaries must possess inexorable resolve to forge the necessary path, however tumultuous the terrain betwixt the realities of conception and realization.

Vision and Exercise Physiology
Just as vision is integral to a leader’s personality, a vision cannot exist without a leader, whether an individual or a group.  In exercise physiology, there are leaders.  Despite the obstacles presented so often by those unwilling to change, the ASEP organization stepped up to the plate.  In 1997, the ASEP leaders declare a  commitment to the professionalism of exercise physiology.  ASEP asserted its rightful ownership over the emerging profession, and it became the primary vehicle for initiating and sustaining progression toward the goals set forth by the ASEP leadership.  Those goals are exactly what I have described previously: a vision.  The ASEP vision [2] provides a clear destination for exercise physiologists and the advancement of exercise physiology as a profession:.

The ASEP Vision

• 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. 

Like any good leader, the ASEP leadership defined a good vision.  It embodies the goals of the organization.  The first point deals with the dilemma I posited earlier:  "Who are we, and what is our organization?"  This is our organization; we as exercise physiologists collectively form the society, and this should be recognized by other professionals and their professions.  In fact, it must be recognized and accepted in order to achieve the rightful place of the exercise physiology profession in the broad domain of health care.  Dr. Tommy Boone sums it up in his book, Professional Development of Exercise Physiology [3]:  “Buying into professionalism means accepting the ASEP as the leader to take exercise physiology to a place most do not believe is possible.”  Without proper recognition of one leader, it is impossible for members of a group to move forward.

Exercise physiologists currently work in many arenas, such as corporate health and wellness centers, cardiac rehab, health promotion, private health clubs, university and private research labs, just to name a few.  But we are all exercise physiologists, and must be united under the standard of ASEP to achieve professionalism and to garner respect from both health care professionals and the public alike.  The second and third parts of the ASEP vision encompass this goal, that is, to unify all exercise physiologists, and subsequently we will have a firm foundation and greater ability to stand up for ourselves and take charge of our profession.  We will be able to not only know what we can do, but we will be able to do.  Dr. Boone points out that one characteristic of a profession is a specialized body of knowledge.  There isn't any question that we have our own body of knowledge.  We seamlessly integrate important information from different fields of study, such as physiology, biomechanics, biochemistry, psychology and many others, and apply them to our understanding of the human body’s response to exercise [3].  It is our specialty to incorporate this information with the knowledge of disease in both preventive and rehabilitative measures.  It is self-evident to me that a group of individuals who study a specialized field would come together willingly and with great purpose to unite under one leadership organization.

            “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Enthusiasm in Leadership
Whoever knew a professor, employer, or other visible leader who was both successful in their position but did not seem to enjoy it?  This scenario may be possible, but most of the successful leaders I have known have exuded enthusiasm for their field or organization; it follows intuitively that one who blazes a trail for others to follow is one who is energized and emboldened to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of others’ opinions or objections.  Dr. Boone says, “Leaders know that nothing is easy” [4].  In 1997, he and Dr. Robert Robergs founded the ASEP organization and, despite expected opposition, it has caught hold impressively.  Just as a flame touched to the center of a paper spreads outward in all directions, the ASEP has fostered several state associations of similar mission in almost all parts of the country.  Now, as I survey the posts and publications of those involved directly with the organization, the enthusiasm necessary to propel the exercise physiology profession is ubiquitous across its membership and is entirely infectious!  Such fervent leadership is the ultimate instrument for change in any scenario and, thankfully, it is the spearhead of exercise physiology in the 21^st century.

            “You can really change the world if you care enough.” – Marion Wright Edelman

Willingness
It is understood at this point that a person or organization that takes up leadership is one that is willing to do so.  What exactly, must leaders be willing to do?  They must initiate communication.  It is not sufficient to be one who is comfortable with the mere concept of communication; it is the inception of new lines and breaking down of barriers to establish dialogue where it may or may not have been previously welcome.  It is in the bridging of the gap that is the struggle of the leader, but also where the greatest triumph may possibly be found.  What may be vitriolic exchanges between those concerned with shattering paradigms and those who are content with mediocrity or the maladroit incapacity of the status quo could lead to strength and awe-inspiring solidarity down the road.  Mountains are a good example.  We hold them in high esteem, paint pictures and write songs about their ascribed majesty, and find ourselves on trips to their summits—yet they were products of violent collisions and upheaval of epic proportion.  This too will be the future of exercise physiology: a mountain in the world of health care that resulted from the imposed pressure and energy of its leaders.

There is another key component to a leader’s willingness: education.  A group is composed of individuals, and they must be willing to passionately educate their contemporaries and those who will assume the torch for the next generation.  It is impossible to find a great leader who is not a great educator, regardless of whether they hold an actual “teaching” position.  The leader’s role as educator will inspire the successor to act with zeal!  As William Arthur Ward said, “The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires.”  The flow of knowledge, unquenchable ardor, and unflagging commitment from the leaders to the future leaders is of cardinal importance, especially when an effort or organization is barely out of its infancy.  The leaders of the ASEP organization have not failed in this regard, as the push for accreditation of exercise physiology curriculums nationwide is a primary goal of the organization.  For exercise physiology to stand with credibility and accountability as a profession, the education of its practitioners must be standard and equally rigorous across higher education institutions.  It is the responsibility of the leaders today to ensure the proper education of the leaders of tomorrow.

It is only a matter of time before the sustained efforts of the leaders who initiated the process, combined with those who have joined recently and those future leaders who will yet join, surpass the opposition and bring the goals of the ASEP to fruition.  For now, the route is clear and the miles are being logged.  As ASEP pounds the pavement toward the professional development of exercise physiology, I now have the answers to the question, “Who is your leader?”  Pointing to ASEP when asked for a leader is no difficult decision.  The vision, enthusiasm, and willingness to communicate and educate are all ensconced firmly in the activities of its members, and these characteristics prove to me that it is the leader exercise physiologists not only do have, but more importantly deserve.  Ultimately, leadership is a privilege, granted by those willing to follow and support those with enough fortitude to assume the responsibilities requisite of leadership.


References

1. American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2004). Definition of an Exercise Physiologist. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/
2. American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2004). ASEP Vision. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/vision.htm
3. Boone, T. (2001).  Professional Development of Exercise Physiology.  Lewiston, New York: The Edwin Mellen Press.
4. Boone, T. (2004). “The Making of Leaders in Exercise Physiology”.  Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. 7:2: [Online].