Written by: Larry Young, HAPS President-Elect
I remember my first Communication Committee (ComCom) meeting as a new committee chair for HAPS. I had the butterflies and anxiety of a 6th grader going to middle school for the first day. It was October 25, 2021 at 1pm and the meeting was on ZOOM. I had sent an email announcing the meeting to the committee, sent my reminder emails as well. I had multiple copies of the agenda next to me (in case I somehow lost copies going from my work bag to my home office work desk), multiple pens at the ready, and my trusted cup of coffee. I had rehearsed… YES, you read that correctly… I rehearsed my agenda. I even gave myself a pep-talk in bathroom mirror. I looked at that face looking back and said “you got this!”. I was ready to lead ComCom into the next few years of rapid change as the post-COVID era was coming about. Three people showed up. THREE! It had to be me – my leadership had to be the reason why people did not show up for my first committee meeting as Chair. In the moment it could not possibly have been any of the other 38 reasons why members did not show up.
Leadership is a fickle activity. It can lift you up to new heights, or humble you in a blink of an eye. It has a sense of humor, and a sense of seriousness and sometimes in the same meeting. And leadership can be expressed in a multitude of ways, softly, more direct, collaboratively, or encouraging and guiding. It can be teambuilding and empowering of others, tear a team down, or be very scripted and controlled. Leadership is also largely rooted in a deep sense of vulnerability. And yet, leadership is so hard to define and understand despite our ability to easily identify and even criticize. But are we not all leaders in some way, often in our own unique ways?
January means Board of Director nominations in HAPS are underway! As President-elect, I have the honor to lead the Nomination Committee (NomCom). The charge of NomCom is to solicit HAPS members who are willing to serve in various roles on the Board of Directors. At the activation of NomCom, it is only a short time before the call is sent out for nominations of members… I mean leaders… to share their willingness and vulnerability to lead HAPS. Each nomination will be vetted, reviewed, and a final slate of exceptional HAPS members who are committed to the excellence in A&P education will be presented to the HAPS community to vote on who they feel embody the community and ethos of HAPS the best. This year HAPS will elect a President-Elect, Treasurer, and 2 Regional Directors; the Western and Eastern Regional Directors.
I challenge you to look in the mirror and consider the leader that you see looking back at you. Are you a reluctant leader? A transparent leader? A task-oriented leader? Maybe your leadership style is consensus or team-building or some combination of all of the above. Whatever the leadership style, if your passion is excellence in A&P education and have a commitment to the betterment of the HAPS community as stewards of our human and financial resources then please consider nominating yourself for one of the four Board of Director positions!
Are you up for the challenge?
Got questions? We are hosting a HAPS Leadership and You! Town Hall on Thursday, January 22, 4pm EST. Come with your excitement, questions, and vulnerability. We will have past and present leaders of HAPS from the Steering Committee (our phenomenal Committee Chairs) and the Board of Directors who will share their leadership journey in HAPS as well as what leadership means to them. We will also answer all of your questions and give you a boost of encouragement to submit your nominations!