Leaders don't have things happen to them. Leaders make things happen.
This is the Year of the Snake. We can take away many valuable lessons from the snake and its strong attributes that can help in making things happen. Some of these attributes are insightfulness and influence.
Those born in the year of the snake are known for managing others well and tend to be good for organizations. They are motivated, intellectual, very determined and resolute about success.
These are many of the same and similar qualities that can help anyone grow into a good leader. Recently I have been reading leadership books and looking into what makes a leader, who are they and what are the qualities they possess.
Now is the time that acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners think about stepping into a leadership role.
Listed below are numerous terms that are found in leaders in many industries.
Just look at the list and find three that you possess and then find three you would like to strive to develop:
L: Likeable, logical, learner, live living life to the fullest E: Enthusiastic, energetic A: Adaptable, ambitious, adventurous, and assertive D: Dynamic, dependable, determined, dreamer E: Enterprising, efficient, ethical R: Rational, reliable, resourceful, responsible, and realistic S: Stable, strong, sincere, secure, smiles, shares stories, shows up, successful, supportive H: Helpful, hopeful, and honest I: Idealistic, imaginative, independent, influential, inventive, industrious P: Pleasant, persevering, polite, positive, progressive, punctual
Motivational speaker Brian Tracy said, "Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily, even if you had not title or position."
These days the practice of acupuncture and all of its attributes, techniques and ideas are growing in acceptance and used for many ailments around the world. In the United States we are seeing many more people wanting to try this type of alternative health care. More medical providers want to learn and practice it. Now is the time to become strong, stand up, speak out and be counted with the healthcare system.
This profession has the responsibility to develop many strong leaders. This profession knows the medicine, we believe in the product and that it helps patients move to new levels of health. We must develop the art of leadership by knowing the way, showing the way and sharing the way.
Every one of us possesses one or more great qualities of leadership. Just look around where you live and work and find and outlet for your talent.
Join your state and national organizations. Get on a committee, volunteer to help, get your peers involved.
Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller, who wrote the famous and influential book The Secret, recently wrote a new book.
They are now talking about how great leaders themselves grow. There must be a gaining of new knowledge. Acupuncturists do this every year. Whether it is in person, by attending seminars, conventions, symposiums - new knowledge is acquired every year.
Acupuncturists are true lifetime learners.
This year venture out and learn a subject outside the vast wealth of information about the medicine.
Widen the parameters of your own personal world by learning about a brand new subject, try some new kind of food, thumb through a new magazine, listen to a new kind of music, meet someone else in the profession in your own town or city. Let your world open to new adventures and experiences.
Finally it is important to seek wisdom.
Be wise in decision making, wise in building relationships, wise in speaking with others, wise in financial dealings and wise in growing in leadership.
Study your circle of influence and work toward interactions of harmony and productivity.
It is now, that the profession of acupuncture practitioners grow into influential leaders both with and for patients in the United States.
Click here for more information about Marilyn Allen, Editor-at-Large.
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