RWL #214
Promotions, philanthropy, teaching, Amazon, and AUPHA
Greetings from the University of New Hampshire! Well, week two is in the bag. Only 13 weeks to go but who’s counting! Just kidding - the first couple of weeks are the hardest part of the semester. I get lazy over the breaks and it’s like starting into a race, getting your breathing right and in time with your steps. A semester is much more like a marathon than a sprint.
It’s lovely and cold here in Durham. We got some snow this week, and we’re getting more this weekend. It seems like winter has finally arrived. We also got some stunning sunrises, with the sun low in the sky. The sketch above is based on a picture taken by my colleague Beth of downtown Durham. Isn’t it a beautiful place? Get your vaccine and come visit!
In the meantime, stay well and stay safe!
Read
What: HBR, Promotions Aren’t Just About Your Skills – They’re About Your Relationships
https://hbr.org/2021/02/promotions-arent-just-about-your-skills-theyre-about-your-relationships
Why: I have had or been privy to conversations with 20-somethings who are chomping at the bit to get promoted into leadership roles, but they are being blocked in their organization. They are usually highly motivated and hard-working, so they are frustrated. This is powerful feedback. Obviously it applies in different ways at different levels, and the failure looks different. This is a quick read - good for personal reflection, as well. Are you really a team player?
Of course there are other reasons why people get blocked from promotion, some of which are not for the good of the organization, but this is one where you can actually do something about it.
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What: HEALTHCARE PHILANTHROPY JOURNAL, Reflections on a fundraising journey
Why: This article was penned by my colleague Peter Gosline, and originally appears in the Healthcare Philanthropy Journal, but Peter has the article ungated on his LinkedIn so I’m referencing it here. Peter and I are in a journal club of sorts, and we discussed his article this past week that outlines some of his experiences and recommendations for fundraising. Fundraising, or “development” as it is referred to in non-profit organizations, is something I had no experience with in the military. Of course I was asked to donate to this or that thing, and we always gave to the church we happened to be attending depending on where we were stationed, but I never worried about fundraising in the military, and I was never a target because by definition if you are in the military, your income just ain’t that big. Development has been one of the things I have come to understand, along with its importance now that I work for a civilian university and spend a lot of time with non-profit healthcare entities. I had no idea how much time and effort CEOs were called on to contribute to the development effort. Peter does a nice job talking about it in this article, along with some advice if you are heading into such a role.
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Watch
What: TEDxSantoDomingo, Azul Terronez, What makes a good teacher great?
Why: I know most of you are not teachers, but I thought this was an interesting question. Of course all of you have been in school, some much longer than others. I think the answers Terronez comes up with are useful for thinking about leadership, too. So the answer is not being a world class expert on a body of knowledge. I think a teacher has to be competent, but doesn’t have to be the most knowledgeable person. Some of the most knowledgeable people aren’t great teachers. In fact, they are kind of jerks, even when they are in a teaching role. This applies particularly at the college/university level. Terronez’s answers come down to, great teachers love to teach, they love to learn, they are humble, and they seek to have a deep understanding of students. I concur with all of that. With the internet and YouTube, you can find people who are greater presenters of information. That is one component of teaching, and I would argue not necessarily the most important part. Being competent at presenting information (and of course being competently knowledgeable about a field) is sort of the ante for getting in the game. But teaching is so much more about connection than it is about presenting information - at least it is to me. And I think leading is also all of the things above - you have to love your organization’s purpose and functions, you have to love to learn and improve, you have to be humble, and you have to want to connect with your people. It’s not all that different. Teaching is leading people to learn.
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Listen
What: a16z Podcast, Amazon Narratives: Memos, Working Backwards from Release, More
Why: I’ve read a couple of books about Amazon, but this one seems like a unique mix of corporate history coupled with how-to lessons. I’m excited to read the book - it just came out this week. I love some of the approaches they discuss that Amazon uses, such as writing a press release about a new service before trying to develop it. I’m starting the process of developing a Masters in Healthcare Administration program here at UNH and I started an exercise along these lines, imagining what positive program reviews would sound like if the program came off as I hoped it would. It actually helps you start the process of backward planning to help clarify what the end state should look like. More in the podcast - and I’ll definitely let you know what I think of the book.
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What: AUPHA Management & Leadership Faculty Forum Podcast, Daniel Gentry, CEO of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA)
Why: My colleague Zach Pruitt at the University of South Florida has a podcast series in which he interviews leaders in health administration education. This month he interviews Dan Gentry, the CEO of AUPHA. The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is an accrediting body for programs in, you guessed it, health administration. Dan has several decades of experience as a healthcare educator and leader, and took over leadership of AUPHA just as the COVID pandemic was setting in. Zach talks with Dan about his transition from working in academic programs to a leadership role in an international body that provides standards for programs in the US and internationally. (this is a YouTube video, but it’s an audio-only recording)
Thanks for reading and see you next week! If you come across any interesting stories, won't you send them my way? I'd love to hear what you think of these suggestions, and I'd love to get suggestions from you. Feel free to drop me a line at mark.bonica@unh.edu , or you can tweet to me at @mbonica .
If you’re looking for a searchable archive, you can see my draft folder here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jwGLdjsb1WKtgH_2C-_3VvrYCtqLplFO?usp=sharing
Finally, if you find these links interesting, won’t you tell a friend? They can subscribe here: https://markbonica.substack.com/welcome
See you next Friday!
Mark
Mark J. Bonica, Ph.D., MBA, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Management and Policy
University of New Hampshire
(603) 862-0598
mark.bonica@unh.edu
Health Leader Forge Podcast: http://healthleaderforge.org
'It is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keep the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love.' - Gandalf (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)