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Are you a future leader?

| December 18, 2017

Are you a future leader?

Not everyone is naturally comfortable being a leader. And that’s only one reason why the College is hosting its Leadership Summit, Generation Next, for the second year in a row. The Summit, which is for allergists 45 years or younger or who have been in practice 10 years or less, is designed to help young, up-and-coming allergists get more involved in the College. It’s also a great way to take home important leadership skills tailored specifically for allergists.

Young allergists are not only important to the future of our specialty – they ARE the future. Without them, allergy would wither and die on the vine. With that in mind, the College is making sure the needs of our young allergists are supported – especially since they have different needs than other College members. And learning how to be a great leader is one of needs we’re here to support.

I’ve found over and over again that the leadership skills I’ve learned help me out every day in my practice. When I encounter a problem, I’ve learned that I need to get a diverse set of opinions to weigh in and find a solution that is mutually agreeable. It’s one of the cornerstones of leading a team. You’ve got to be able to get people on both sides of the fence to be okay sitting on it together, and see that there are other ways to do things. My team members learn that maybe their opinion isn’t the answer we need, and they grow on their own as they learn to compromise with other team members. Knowing that we need to compromise to run our practice effectively, my team can come together and get to the solutions we need – for clinical issues, practice management issues, and even simple disagreements. And, I have to say, knowing how to compromise always comes in handy during the holiday season.

During the Summit, you will learn everything from how to effectively lead a team to how to advocate for your specialty. Our facilitator, Mary Ritz, from Bold New Directions, will guide participants through the first day’s agenda. Mary received rave reviews from inaugural Summit participants.  Bold New Directions specializes in training leaders and has worked with a diverse group of companies and organizations worldwide.

Leadership skills are not the only thing you’ll learn at the Summit. You’ll also be introduced to a myriad of opportunities the College offers. You’ll find out how you can get more involved in the College, having your voice heard, and the needs of your fellow allergists met. A lot of College members aren’t aware that so many opportunities to get involved exist. The Summit is a fantastic way to really discover and focus in on these ways to apply your new skills.

If you are a young allergist and want to be part of the College Leadership Summit, don’t wait – apply today. Download the application and submit it by Jan. 16. The Member Relations Committee will review all applications and notify the 20 members who have been accepted by the week of Feb. 5. There is no fee for the course or materials.  Participants pay their own travel and hotel costs.

Have questions? Contact nancyryan@acaai.org.

Bradley E. Chipps, MD, FACAAI
ACAAI President

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