MAKING A DIFFERENCE--"Leadership" is a word that's bandied around far too much, and appreciated far too little … in our nation and in our world ... but there's hope that we'll grow up as a nation to appreciate that leadership is by example and by showing vision, and not just by declaring one's self in charge.
For example, at last weekend's annual meeting for the doctors and other providers of HealthCare Partners Medical Group, an amazing man--former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, M.D., M.P.H.--with an even more amazing life story spoke to us about what a true leader (including a physician leader) should be.
Dr. Carmona's life story is a stunning epic about what one can do in life, and about one can do when grasping the opportunities this nation has to offer.
A high school dropout turned medic, combat veteran, police officer, nurse, physician and expert in public health, Dr. Carmona came from a poor family and a neighborhood where dropping out of high school to get a job and survive was the norm, not the exception.
But it's not hard to figure out that it was his mother's influence--she was flawed and poor but tough and principled, and who declared to her children her most valuable possession as being her library card--that was this exemplary man's first exposure to civics and history and American values as a child.
Which raises all sorts of issues as to what "leaders" are:
1) We need more women as leaders--during my training, the two most influential leaders I saw were both women. They were kind, they were caring, and they calmly and quietly led by example.
2) We've seen all sorts of leaders who used their position to "force" leadership on those who reported to them--but that fails in short order as morale and productivity plummet. The subordinates may take the blame, but it is the leader who abuses his/her authority to lead well who is to blame.
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3) True leaders are confident enough to accept criticism, and can keep calm in the middle of a crisis. Every medical student knows who the best surgeons are...and they're NOT the one throwing temper tantrums when operations and procedures hit unexpected snags, and they're NOT the ones who ignore the opinions of others who may be right.
It's not hard to figure out where local, state, and federal leadersip has gone astray.
It's also not hard to figure out that the rise of non-political leaders, or those who just "tell it like it is" means that America is waking up to the fact that "the Wizards of Smart" do not exist.
There are brilliant geniuses with no college (or even high school) degrees who reside in this nation, and clueless idiots with many degrees who also reside in this nation.
Let them all talk, and let us all hear what they have to say.
But if we keep our eyes on the ball and minds focused on what true leadership really is, then we'll get those leaders to help our nation reach new heights.
Just as we did with Richard Carmona, M.D.
(Ken Alpern is a Westside Village Zone Director and Board member of the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC), previously co-chaired its Planning and Outreach Committees, and currently is Co-Chair of its MVCC Transportation/Infrastructure Committee. He is co-chair of the CD11Transportation Advisory Committee and chairs the nonprofit Transit Coalition, and can be reached at [email protected]. He is a dermatologist with HealthCare Partners Medical Group, and has clinical experience seeing patients in L.A., Orange, and Riverside Counties in over 20 years of practice. He also does regular commentary on the Mark Isler Radio Show on AM 870, and co-chairs the grassroots Friends of the Green Line at www.fogl.us. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 85
Pub: Oct 20, 2015
