Leadership with a Little "L"

-
When we hear the word “Leader”, what comes to mind? Is it someone you envision on a pedestal with a loud speaker and rigid tone? Is it something you see as dramatic or flashy? Well Polly A. Fitz says leadership is quite the opposite of that glorifying imagine. Her discussion with the ADA House of Delegates explained that “Leadership in a modest sense-ie., leadership with a lower-case “l” is far more prevalent and far more important than most people realize”. What a humbling idea, I thought to myself. Leadership isn't about making the rules, but making things work. Leadership isn't all about curricular intelligence, but emotional intelligence, optimism, and the ability to adapt in different situations and environments. Leadership can be all the complex work that no one wants to claim, but you take with no hesitation. Polly continues her statement and adds that the most effective leaders were not focused on micromanaging others. Effective leaders were encouraging, empathetic, and always had futuristic thinking. To a great leader, it was never about the “I”, but a magnification on the “we”. While some people may seem to be “born leaders’, don't be discouraged! Leaders are born and made. The beauty of the little “l” in leader really signifies that there is not just one individual with all of the responsibility, but a shared responsibility of a group. Each containing their strengths and weaknesses building one another to be the greatest leaders they can be. 



Escott-Stump, Sylvia A. (2014). Leadership with a Little “L”. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , 114 (5), S6.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.02.020

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are All Sugars Created Equal?

-
Image
Are All Sugars Created Equal?  I think one of the most confusing nutrition topics for people is sugar. With so many conflicting stories out there, it’s difficult to separate the facts from the fiction. Not to mention, the types of sugars are endless. How do we know what’s best for our bodies? White or brown sugar? Cane or raw? Should we just go with Stevia instead? Is it even okay to consume artificial sweeteners? Should we avoid foods with high amounts of natural sugar in them? Each answer only seems to lead to another question!  Let’s start off with distinguishing the purpose of sugar in the first place. Do our bodies even need it? The short answer is yes! Sugars are carbohydrates (what we commonly call “carbs”), one of the three main macronutrients that our bodies need for fuel to function and survive. One of the major ways to categorize sugar is by separating the “natural” sugars from the “added” sugars. Natural sugars are, well, naturally found in foods. They give us the energy th
Read more

Milk Mythbusters

-
Image
Just like with any nutrition topic, the facts about milk can become convoluted pretty quickly. Whether you drink milk for the protein, the nutrients, the flavor, or just like to switch it up, there are pros and cons to every kind. Here are some quick nutritional facts about each type to help you decide which is best for you. Animal-Based Milks  Whole Milk: The original diary drink. It gets a bad rap, but what whole milk has going for it, is that it’s in its proper nutritional form. Whole milk contains all of its original fat-soluble vitamins, A, E, D, & K, along with the fat to help you absorb them all. It also has the proper concentrations and ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or your omega-3s and omega-6s, so that they are metabolized as they should be. The downside is that whole milk is calorically dense, meaning that a little goes a long way. You don’t need much to get what you need, so just don’t overdo it!  2% Milk: The fat content of 2% milk is about half of that in who
Read more