AAN Leadership Alumni Newsletter: April 2018

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR, NA TOSHA N. GATSON, MD, PHD

From the AAN presidential team, the committee heads, and workgroup facilitators to the diverse, the transformed, the enhanced resident, and the emerging leaders; to those designated to practice, living well, and advocacy; and to the women leading in neurology—this inaugural issue is dedicated to you.

The Leadership Newsletter was created with the vision to promote, inform, and underscore the unity that exists among the wide variety of leaders within the AAN. It is decorated with endorsements from our past, current, and future AAN Presidents, which strengthens the promise to continue to develop and promote pathways toward leadership. It also features insightful and powerful educational pearls from our leadership course consultants Barbara L. Hoese, President of Pentecore Coaching LLC, and Joanne L. Smikle, PhD, Principal Consultant, Smikle Training Services.

It is through continuing education that we foster brighter and more innovative leaders to guide our field. Two such examples of this caliber of leader are also spotlighted in this issue: Roderick C. Spears, MD, FAHS, FAAN, and Barbara Jobst, MD, PhD, FAAN. Finally, we are highlighting a range of exciting opportunities and updates to keep our leaders connected and abreast of the issues centered in promotion and professional development.

It is an honor to have been entrusted with this inaugural issue, timed well with the AAN Annual Meeting’s 70th Anniversary. Our editorial team embraces the idea that effective education and promotion of future leaders within the Academy reflects our sustainable enterprise. We are passionately aware of the growing needs in the field of neurology, and hope that this bi-annual Leadership Newsletter will inspire current and future leaders, at all levels and from all walks of life and learning.

We welcome your suggestions for topics at AlumniEditor@aan.com. Please visit our Leadership Synapse community for up-to-date issues related to leadership events.

PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENTS

Letter from Leadership Development Committee Chair Terrence L. Cascino, MD, FAAN

At the AAN, we firmly believe in our mission to promote the highest quality patient-centered care and enhance member career satisfaction. One of the most important ways to do this is to prepare neurology physician leaders. Before the AAN Leadership Programs it was clear that members were ready to step in and become AAN leaders, but we were not intentionally preparing them. So, we looked at leadership and identified two types: members who lead within the AAN and members who become physician leaders outside of the Academy who could promote the ideals we all believe in. We were interested in developing both types within our membership but needed to equip them with the knowledge and leadership tools they needed to succeed. We began slowly, with individual courses in leadership and then we launched the first immersive program in 2012. In the years following, we continued to grow leadership opportunities exponentially and have developed and sustained relationship with leadership program participants, many who have become leaders within and outside the Academy.

These leadership programs offer an incredibly great view into the epidemic of neurologist burnout and trying to promote physician wellness. I have talked to many program participants who have told me they were either on the edge of burnout or burned out and participating in an AAN leadership program reversed that completely. Involvement and engagement with a group like the AAN and a leadership program are mitigators of burnout and a great way to promote physician wellness.

I firmly believe our future is tied to our ability to become physician leaders and lead our own lives rather than to depend on others to lead them. For many members, the AAN Leadership Programs are a first step in their leadership journey. Thank you for your participation in these critical programs. We look forward to your ongoing engagement and watching your leadership journeys continue.

Terrence L. Cascino, MD, FAAN
Chair, Leadership Development Committee
Past President, AAN

Leadership Development Committee Vision and Mission:
Vision: All members will achieve their leadership potential.
Mission: To cultivate and inspire leaders in neurology and foster their engagement with the AAN

Spotlight on Alumni

We reached out to AAN leader Roderick C. Spears, MD, FAHS, FAAN, graduate of the inaugural 2015 Diversity Leadership Program, to learn more about his experience and the ways in which he has been able to put the education and experience into practice.

Pleased with his experience, and already applying his skills at UPENN, Spears noted the benefits of being able to associate with leaders and other future leaders within the AAN who share his goal of contributing to the well-being of neurology members and patients alike. "The Insight evaluation was particularly useful in better understanding how I personally lead, and how to effectively communicate with colleagues that lead with different energy," he said. "Another significant advantage of my training was access to information about various opportunities to grow within the AAN."

Spears also sees decreased burnout and effective energy management as two longstanding benefits of the program, and continually works to be more proactive when dealing with change and growth in his own practice, such as when he recently added an advanced practitioner.

Spears was recently selected to serve on his institution’s Clinical and Professional Services Committee, which meets to discuss vital issues with the executive director and medical directors at UPENN. His leadership attributes have earned him the appointment as liaison between two departments to identify shared concerns, which are reported directly to the executive director and departmental chair. These appointments were well timed with his recent appointment on the AAN Practice Committee, where he often finds himself discussing similar issues and developing and implementing similar action plans at both the Academy and national levels.

Added Spears, "My Diversity Leadership Program experience was excellent, and I can’t recommend it highly enough."

How was your experience with the Transforming Leaders Program (TLP)?

The program was excellent! It taught me leadership strategies such as understanding group dynamics and accomplishing outcomes by consensus building, skills which are not traditionally taught in medical school. The program also focused on personal growth. The professional and peer coaching I received was invaluable.

How has participation in TLP contributed to your professional success?

Some of the skills I have learned through the program include developing a systematic approach to projects, incorporating organizational strategies to achieve my goals, and constructively managing setbacks. Applying these skills has helped me to obtain greater recognition and visibility within my own institution and subspecialty community. The program also helped me to recognize that neurologists are leaders in the future of health care, and it provided valuable insight into the workings of the AAN as a professional society.

What is your greatest achievement since graduating from TLP?

We have a program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock called HOBSCOTCH (Home Based Self-management and Cognitive Training Changes lives) that is designed to help improve memory in patients with epilepsy. HOBSCOTCH is part of the Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) Network, which has a strong focus on research and public health outreach to improve quality of life. The HOBSCOTCH program has been shown in randomized controlled trials to improve memory in patients with epilepsy, but it has been a challenge to disseminate the program to a large audience and earn recognition as a viable treatment option. My experience in TLP helped me to formulate a strategic plan to elevate HOBSCOTCH and the MEW Network to higher national visibility. We established a greater presence at national meetings, within community organizations such as the Epilepsy Foundation, and in professional societies such as the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. As a result of these efforts, the HOBSCOTCH program is now offered in three additional states.

What would you say to a colleague who may be considering application to TLP?

I would enthusiastically endorse the TLP. While many other leadership programs are directed to young investigators or junior physicians, the TLP focuses on seasoned neurologists in the mid- to late career. The skills I learned through the program are invaluable, and the diversity of participants was a great asset. I am pleased that the American Academy of Neurology continues to extend this opportunity to other physicians as well.

Consultant Corner

“Managing Your Energy – Not Your Time”

By: Barbara Hoese

One of the common challenges I hear from leaders is the need to better manage their time. They have tried traditional approaches to managing time: scheduling time to complete projects, shortening meetings, prioritizing to-do lists to see if they can pack more into an hour. Don’t get me wrong; these are great tactics to improve how you spend your time.

The problem with such tactics is that time is finite. No matter what you do, you only have 24 hours in your day. Exacerbating clock-watching habits are “time-saving” devices like laptops, smart phones, and tablets. Yet no matter how closely you watch the clock or how many time-saving devices you use, growing your leadership capacity isn’t about how you spend your time.

"Time is money" goes the old adage. People "buy" time, exchanging time for money or money for time. There is a similar connection between time and energy. Imagine you have an energy bank account. How you use time creates a positive or a negative account balance. Think back to a time when you spent an entire day on activities that lacked significance to you. How did you feel at the end of the day? Lethargic, tired, unmotivated, even a little depressed? What was your energy level?

Now think of a day spent doing what you cared about and that made a difference to others. Were you physically tired at the end of the day? Maybe. But what was the balance in your energy account then?

Leaders work 10 to 12 hours each day and then wonder why they feel so drained. Urgent tasks and to-do lists steal their energy, and those things that are energizing get pushed to the back burner. If this pattern continues unchecked, leaders can start to feel a sense of resignation. The constant juggling creates a leak in their tank and their energy dwindles away.

Consider another approach to using your time to re-energize. Jill (not her real name), an Emerging Leader, felt completely depleted as time she set aside for research kept getting hijacked by requests from others—and from not wanting to say "no" to those requests. She chose to set one day a week aside for focusing completely on her research. She let her colleagues know that, unless it was an emergency, she would not be available that day. After a few months, she reported that taking that one day each week to focus on what was important to her re-energized her for the entire week. Because she had more energy, she was a better colleague. By setting boundaries and talking with others, she gained their support, inspiring others to spend time on what energizes them.

Maybe you feel like you can’t take a whole day to do what energizes you, but how about an hour? Next week, track your energy level at different times of the day. What fills you with energy? What drains you? What hour in the coming week can you set aside to do what energizes you—in your work, with your loved ones, or by yourself? You may find that that even an hour puts a spring back in your step!

Accompanying Reading/Article: https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time

Join the discussion with other leaders by responding in the AAN Leadership Alumni Synapse!
Do you find that your discretionary time is "hijacked" by other less-fulfilling duties? Are the author's recommendations realistic for you? How have you been successful at protecting your time to pursue things that energize you?

“A Leader’s Legacy”

By: Joanne L. Smikle, PhD

Wise leaders recognize the need to refine and hone their brands. The leadership brand, much like a product label, is a well-developed, thoughtfully cultivated promise. It can raise the level of expectation that colleagues have of working with and for you. What is the brand that you are advancing? Your brand extends beyond technical competence and professional proficiency. It encompasses your mastery of the nuances of relationships, of organizational politics, and of conflict management. Certainly, your brand is reflected in your confidence and your competence. It is enhanced by the ways in which you show up. Frazzled, harried, scattered leaders are advancing a brand, though it is not an enviable one.

Inherent in the effort to advance your leadership brand should be intentional attention to the legacy that you are creating. It stands to reason that a leadership brand should be memorable. If it is forgettable, it is not much of a brand, is it? It is the depth and substance of the memory your brand creates that fuels a worthy legacy. While it is tempting to think that legacy-building is only for the vain or for those in the sunset of their careers; in fact, concern about a legacy should be on the radar of any self-aware leader. There are three questions to consider when thinking about your unique leadership legacy:

1. What do I want to be known for having contributed to my profession and my world?
2. Do I have the courage of my convictions? How is that courage evidenced?
3. Have I created intentional congruence between my values and my commitments?

These three questions assume a high level of emotional intelligence, particularly the first two components: self-awareness and self-management. A self-aware leader has clarity on his/her identity, how it was formed and how it continues to evolve. These are leaders who are not invested in furthering their fantasy selves; they deal with the reality of who they are. They find ways to identify, celebrate, and leverage their strengths. Equally as important, these leaders find ways to manage themselves in consistent ways that advance their aims without being insensitive to the needs of others. It is in the persistent development of emotional intelligence that leaders are able to be very clear about their legacies.

In summary, spend time reflecting on your legacy. Create time for reflecting on the imprint that you intend to leave in your profession, your community, your family, your world. Make the time to make a meaningful impact in the present and beyond.

For more information and access to other works by Dr. Smikle visit http://smiklespeaks.com/library.html

Join the discussion with other leaders by responding in the AAN Leadership Alumni Synapse! What is your leadership brand? Do you agree with Dr. Smikle that leaders should be intentional about creating their own brand? What are ways that you have been positive or negatively influenced by the brand of another leader?

Opportunities & Updates

New Synapse Online Community

Join the new AAN Leadership Program Alumni Synapse community for special communication, updates, networking, and connectivity.

Annual Meeting Events for Alumni

• Leadership Display: Be sure to visit and spread the word about the visual interactive Leadership Display that will be in the LACC South Lobby of the convention center highlighting the AAN Leadership Programs and alumni successes.
• AAN Leadership Alumni Reception: All alumni are invited to attend this reception on Monday, April 23, from 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. at the J.W. Marriott at 900 W Olympic Blvd. in Los Angeles. The reception will offer an excellent networking opportunity along with food, beverages, and fantastic prizes.
• Leadership University Program: These programs offer live full-day and half-day courses at the Annual Meeting and regional AAN conferences to further enhance your leadership skills. For a complete listing, check here!
• 2019 Annual Meeting Course Proposal: Interested in submitting an idea for a course for the 2019 AAN Meeting? Do so here.

Applications Open April 1 for Four Intensive Training Programs

Encourage your colleagues to apply for one of these programs; applications will be accepted April 1–June 4 for the following:

• Emerging Leaders: A six-month program for members who are less than 10 years out of residency.
• Transforming Leaders: A 10-month intensive training program for members who are 10 or more years out of residency.
• Practice Leadership: A seven-month program for neurologists in solo or small practice.
• Women Leading in Neurology: A seven-month program designed specifically for women to strengthen communication and leadership skills and to address topics such as gender bias in medicine.

Visit AAN.com/conferences-community/leadership-programs to view more AAN Leadership Program offerings.

Call for 2019 Editors

Applications are now being accepted for the editor and two associate editor positions on the 2019 Alumni Newsletter Editorial Board. For questions, contact us at alumnieditor@aan.com.

• Editor Responsibilities
  Responsible for coordinating online publishing cycle and managing content areas, setting publication standards and establishing goals and expectations, and suggesting stories and generating headline ideas in alignment with target audience. There will be two newsletter editions per year, and the term for this position is two newsletter editions, or approximately one year. The term of the editor and terms of the associate editors will be staggered to facilitate continuity of newsletter leadership. The editor will be heavily involved in developing the succession plan for his/her position at the end of his/her term.
• Associate Editor Responsibilities
  Responsible for supporting the efforts of the editor. The associate editors will be tasked with assisting with content ideas and copy. There will be two newsletter editions per year, and the term for these positions is two newsletter editions, or approximately one year. The term of the editor and terms of the associate editors will be staggered to facilitate continuity of newsletter leadership. The associate editors will be heavily involved in developing the succession plan for their position at the end of their term.

Editorial Team

• Editor
  Na Tosha N. Gatson, MD, PhD, is Director of the Neuro-Oncology Division at Geisinger Neuroscience Institute, Danville, PA
• Associate Editor
  Yazmin Odia, MD, is Lead Physician of Medical Neuro-Oncology, Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Health South FL, Miami, FL
• Associate Editor
  Daniel B. Simmons, MD, is Associate Program Director for the Neurology Residency of the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, Windcrest, TX

We hope you have enjoyed this inaugural issue of the Leadership Newsletter. Join us for the next issue due Fall 2018!