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2016 December AAL Newsletter

A good leader shares the credit

by John Baldoni, SmartBrief, November 11, 2016

A good leader has the temperament to discuss the accomplishments of the team rather than his or her achievements, writes John Baldoni in this blog post. Teams want “a leader who is confident in his or her own intellect to make the right call after the smart people have shared their ideas and their counsel.”

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5 keys to better time management

by LaRae Quy, SmartBrief, November 16, 2016

Trying to power through all day isn’t good for productivity or recommended based on what we know about brain science, writes former FBI agent LaRae Quy. “The way you successfully manage your time is less about a packed schedule and more about a clear and organized mind,” she writes.

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Technology cannot replace everything about a leader

by Judy Olian, ZÓCALO PUBLIC SQUARE, November 2, 2016

Despite the value of artificial intelligence and other technologies, CEOs will remain key business decision-makers, writes Judy Olian, dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management. While the amount and quality of data have increased, Olian notes, that won’t change the fact that “today’s CEOs will increasingly have to make tough, interpretive judgment calls.”

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Virtues, value & ethics

by Rob Jenkins, 9 Virtues Blog, November 23, 2016

Ethics-based leadership is an extremely hot topic on the leadership development circuit, writes Rob Jenkins. Organizations and individuals have for years been advised to examine their values as a way of getting at their core mission; however, virtue goes far beyond mere values—and values, like ethics, flow out of virtue.

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Rethinking leadership

by Susan Fowler, SmartBrief, November 23, 2016

The US presidential cycle calls into question whether long-espoused leadership qualities are actually important, writes Susan Fowler. These qualities include humility, apologizing and telling people the truth, even if it’s not what they want to hear.

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Forgotten Chairs

by Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Ed., December 1, 2016

A new study suggests that training for department chairs is woefully inadequate at most institutions. Sixty-seven percent of department chairs receive no formal training from their institutions, writes Kelly Ward, the study’s co-lead and a department chair herself at Washington State University. “Worst of all, two-thirds of those who have received training say it didn’t adequately prepare them for the job,” she writes.

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Being good at work doesn’t make you a great leader

by Steve Keating, stevekeating.me, November 21, 2016

Many leaders didn’t get their job title because they have led anything or anyone, writes Steve Keating. “The biggest mistake a person newly promoted to a leadership position can make is to believe that just because they were good at selling, or marketing, or even because they were good at managing, is that they are automatically good at leading,” he argues.

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2016 November AAL Newsletter

The right way to develop leaders

by Deborah Rowland, Harvard Business Review, Oct.14, 2016

A gap exists between the skills that leaders need and the instruction they receive from development programs, writes Deborah Rowland. The best development programs help leaders learn from experience and teach them to manage their mental and emotional states.

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3 things to focus on if you want to be a leader

by Jacob Morgan, Inc.com, Sept. 28, 2016

If you want to be a leader, it’s important to begin acting like one before taking on more important roles, says Herminia Ibarra, a professor of leadership at the INSEAD School of Business. Three things to focus on include being innovative in a current position, broadening a network of industry connections and trying new things.

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How leaders can become better critical thinkers

by Rob Jenkins, 9 Virtues Blog, Nov. 5, 2016

To be effective over the long haul, leaders must constantly expand both their knowledge base and their intellectual capacity, writes Rob Jenkins. Four critical thinking activities are recommended to further develop the skills of a leader, thus making them more effective in their roles.

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Winning over middle managers is key to strategic agility

by Holly Lyke-Ho-Gland, SmartBrief, Oct.31, 2016

Organizations can improve their agility by doing a better job of communicating with and offering incentives to front-line employees and middle management, writes Holly Lyke-Ho-Gland, a research program manager at APQC. Conversely, organizations generally do a good job communicating strategic change and roles to senior-level employees, Lyke-Ho-Gland writes.

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Ideas on improving leadership transitions

by Clara Lovett, The Chronicle of Higher Ed., Nov. 6, 2016

To improve a presidential search and transition, college and university trustees must have pertinent data about the institution and a commitment to work closely with whoever is hired, writes Clara Lovett, president emerita of Northern Arizona University. In this commentary, Lovett cites the recent presidential transition at the University of Dayton as a good model to follow.

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The leadership qualities that inspire loyalty

by Dan Rockwell, leadershipfreak.com, Oct. 30, 2016

People are more likely to follow leaders who are competent, humble and possess strong character, Dan Rockwell writes. Leaders who exude negativity or who shirk responsibility are less likely to gain followers.

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2016 October AAL Newsletter

6 tips for developing your leadership skills

by Gwen Moran, Fast Company, September 9, 2016

With the right approach, you can develop your own leadership skills, writes Gwen Moran. It’s important to get feedback on your current performance, take online classes for guidance and develop your presence as a leader.

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Closing the gender gap in leadership

by Lauren Silverman, KERA News, August 17, 2016

Women hold a relatively low percentage of CEO posts at top companies, despite studies showing the clear business benefits of diversity, said Elissa Sangster, executive director of the Forté Foundation. Companies that want to help more women get top jobs need to reach out to female employees who are just starting their careers and outline a path to leadership, Sangster writes.

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Leaders are responsible for culture

by Chris Edmonds, HR People & Strategy, September 14, 2016

Company culture is one of the most important business topics of 2016, according to research from Deloitte. “Creating a purposeful, positive, productive culture must be a strategic imperative for your organization — driven by senior leaders, supported by HR,” Chris Edmonds writes.

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Why is humility the foundational virtue?

by Rob Jenkins, 9 Virtues Blog, October 12, 2016

Humility is a “foundational virtue,” the one virtue from which all the others arise and the one that makes all of them possible. “If you want to be a better leaders, you must start by becoming a better person,” Rob Jenkins writes.

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Great leaders share credit with others

by Marlene Chism, SmartBrief, October 3, 2016

The best leaders are those who are curious without being superior and who look to share the credit, writes Marlene Chism. Such leaders also don’t try to “fix” people, she argues, but they do confront poor performance and help employees find their own answers.

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Women execs set the tone for work-life balance

by Lucinda Shen, Fortune, September 20, 2016

Leaders have the power to change business culture and show employees that it’s all right to strive for work-life balance, said Tracey Massey, president of Mars Chocolate in North America. “There’s absolutely no reason why you can’t have a career and a great family,” said Massey, who sets an example by leaving the office at 3 p.m. to attend her daughter’s soccer games.

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Honest leadership creates happy employees

by Kim Peters & Ann Nadeau, Fortune, October 12, 2016

Trustworthy leadership does more to keep employees satisfied than pay and perks do, research from consulting firm Great Place to Work indicates. The research shows that employees “are 10 times more likely to call their workplace great when they say their leaders are honest and ethical,” write Kim Peters and Ann Nadeau of Great Place to Work.

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2016 September AAL Newsletter

Leaders Need Influence to Be a 2-Way Street

by Roger Schwarz, Harvard Business Review, August 24, 2016

Most leadership ideologies seem to focus on how leaders can influence others without spending enough time on the right ways to be influenced themselves. “Unless you are genuinely open to being influenced by others, any leadership approach you use that relies on your team’s collective knowledge is likely to fail,” Roger Schwarz writes.

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3 Keys to Preparing Employees for Leadership Roles

by Thuy Sindell, Chief Executive, August 11, 2016

Technology and personal connections are both needed for leaders hoping to develop the next generation, Thuy Sindell writes. Such leadership development must be available to all employees, not just executives.

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How Passions and Personality Define Leadership

by Alaina Love, SmartBrief, August 22, 2016

Passion archetypes include identifiers such as connectorhealerteacher and altruist. Alaina Love describes why these archetypes matter for leaders who hope to stay ahead of change in the coming decade.

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7 Ways to Become a More Humble Leader

by Dr. N. Karl Haden & Rob Jenkins, 9 Virtues of Exceptional Leaders Blog, August 25, 2016

Humility is often said to be the most elusive of virtues — the moment you think you have acquired it, you’ve lost it. While there’s some truth to that statement, it also is true that humility, like any other virtue, can be developed over time, through practice and attention. Dr. N. Karl Haden and Rob Jenkins discuss a list of exercises you can practice to increase humility as a leader.

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How to Prepare Yourself for Future Leadership Roles

by Kerri-Ann Santaguida, The Globe and Mail, August 23, 2016

By developing an individualized career plan and following through with it, you’ll be better prepared to move into leadership positions in the future, writes Kerri-Ann Santaguida. Make sure your long-term goals are complemented by short-term objectives to allow you to take advantage of opportunities that may arise.

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4 Ways to Help Millennials Become Good Leaders

by Dan Negroni, Great Leadership, August 25, 2016

Millennials need mentors to help prepare them for leadership roles, writes Dan Negroni, who offers four tactics to guide employees along the leadership path.

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Exceptional Executive Leadership Program for Women

Exceptional Executive Leadership Program for Women

by Felicia Tucker-Lively, Ph.D., M.P.H., AAL Vice President

Women today make up 50.8 percent of the U.S. population. In addition, they earn 60 percent of master’s degrees, 47 percent law degrees, 48 percent medical degrees, and account for 49 percent of the college-educated workforce.1 While progress is being made in some areas, inequities continue to exist for women in terms of their representation in high-level executive leadership positions.2 In spite of women holding more leadership positions in academic medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy than ever before, 75 to 85 percent of deans and department chairs remain men.3 Although some institutions and associations recognize the need for leadership development programs for women, additional preparation for women who aspire to leadership roles in the health professions is essential.4

For more than 10 years, AAL has been dedicated to advancing people and institutions through professional development and consulting services. Answering the call to assist women who aspire to leadership roles in the health professions is aligned with AAL’s mission. This year, AAL is excited to launch the Exceptional Executive Leadership Program for Women (ExcEL for Women) on October 16-18, 2016. During the 2-1/2 day competency-based developmental leadership program, participants will engage in a hands-on structured training and mentorship to enhance their personal and interpersonal leadership skills. The curriculum addresses topics critical to the growth of a high-impact leader:

  • Leading with greater influence and decisiveness
  • Driving innovation
  • Developing strategic initiatives
  • Building your professional network
  • Heightening your political savvy

The ExcEL for Women facilitators are Dr. Marcia Ditmyer, a Vice President at AAL and Emerita Associate Professor for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Val Gokenbach, a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow and a Former Magnet® Commissioner; and Dr. Felicia Tucker-Lively, Director of Professional Development for AAL. During the ExcEL for Women dinner on October 16, AAL will welcome our special guest speaker Rep. Stacey Abrams, J.D., House Minority Leader for the Georgia General Assembly and State Representative for the 89th House District. She is the first woman to lead either party in the Georgia General Assembly and the first African-American to lead in the Georgia House of Representatives. Rep. Abrams will provide inspirational insights about how women can function effectively in their lives and improve their leadership skills.

The ExcEL for Women program will be held at the Château Élan Winery & Resort, just 40 minutes northeast of Atlanta. Château Élan’s resort and spa combine French provincial and Southern hospitality with the beautiful, unspoiled vistas of the North Georgia foothills and lush vineyards of Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet, and Riesling grapes. See chateauelan.com for additional details.

To register for the ExcEL for Women program prior to the September 9 deadline, please go to aalgroup.org.

1. Warner J. Fact sheet: The women’s leadership gap. Center for American Progress, March 2014. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/report/2014/03/07/85457/fact-sheet-the-womens-leadership-gap/

2. Haden NK. Addressing the hidden barriers to women’s leadership. AAL Newsletter, March 2015.

3. Draugalis J, Plaza C, Taylor D, et al. The status of women in US academic pharmacy. Am J Pharm Inf 2014;78(10):178.

4. Albino J. Leadership training for women: should it be different? AAL Newsletter, March 2015.