Historian Thomas Carlyle is credited with developing what is known as “The Great Man Theory” when he said great leaders are born and not made. Having lived in the mid 1800’s he can be forgiven for not calling it The Great Man/Woman Theory. It suggests that certain traits or qualities are better suited to leadership, these are innate characteristics present at birth, and leadership will allude those lacking the genetics.
Legendary Green Bay Packers Coach Vince Lombardi had a different view of leadership. There on the frozen tundra, he claimed leaders are made, not born. That they are made by hard effort which is the price to be paid for achieving anything worthwhile.
And like any point of view, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. It is leaders made and leaders born that the AAWC seeks with nominations for its slate of future directors.
“The AAWC board of directors are those charged with leading the organization in fulfillment of its mission,” said Victoria Elliott, R.Ph., MBA, CAE, and AAWC Chief Executive Officer. “Each board post reflects the composition of our membership and essentially provides each member with a voice and conduit to the organizational leadership.”
The AAWC Board of Directors includes president, president-elect, immediate past president, secretary, treasurer, and directors-at-large including positions for consumer, nursing, podiatry and physical therapy, research, international, and industry. A complete list of the current board of directors can be found at https://aawconline.memberclicks.net/board-of-directors .
The open positions for 2020 are secretary and these directors-at-large: industry, two nurse positions (each 2-year terms), two physical therapist positions (one 2-year term and one 1-year term), two physician positions (one 2-year term and 1-year term), podiatric physician and research.
With the late 2018 transition to an independent status, the AAWC executive committee postponed elections till 2019. Incumbents are Tomas Serena MD, FACS, President, Ruth A. Bryant, PhD, MS, RN, CWOCN, President Elect, Gregory Bohn MD, UHM/ABPM, MAPWCA, FACHM, Immediate Past President, Kara Couch MS, CRNP, CWCN-AP, Secretary, and Tim Paine, PT, Treasurer.
“This decision enabled the AAWC to remain stable and member-focused during a transition year,” said Tomas Serena MD, FACS, AAWC president. “Each member of the board and the executive committee has been unwavering in support and commitment to AAWC with the needs of members as the primary focus.”
Short and long term goals have been established and are linked to membership input gleaned from a survey conducted last fall. The focus is on education and expansion of learning opportunities for membership, followed by two other pillars of public policy and research.
Ruth A. Bryant, PhD, MS, RN, CWOCN is president-elect and will assume the presidency in 2020. “We have a spectacularly strong organization,” she said. “Members have defined our future and have demonstrated keen insight in selection of solid leadership. With the call for nominations, we are excited to welcome new leaders to the board.”
A willingness to be nominated and then to serve presents opportunity and reward well-beyond wound care responsibilities. It is a chance to step outside a zone of comfort, face new kinds of challenges, and develop skills which may be dormant during the day-to-day. Further, these positions offer a chance to expand a professional network, change the industry, and try new things.
Nominations for candidates will be distributed to membership on July 11th and will be accepted through July 28th. Candidates must be AAWC members for no less than one year as of July 10, 2019.
Whether you were you born with or you developed the leadership skills necessary to help AAWC recognize its mission, consider how you or someone you know can take a larger role in impacting your profession in wound care.
