Tuesdays with mentors: an ALFP experience.

Mentoring, considered the primary method by which adults gain new knowledge and skills, has been recognized as a significant influence in faculty development. Although many pharmacy organizations are beginning to realize the importance of mentoring leaders or preparing individuals to become leaders, this seems to occur less often in academia. What is usually witnessed in academia is the "take action and cross your fingers" approach--throwing individuals into academic leadership positions and then waiting to see if they sink, float, or (miraculously) swim. To help foster leadership in academic pharmacy, AACP established the Academic Leadership Fellowship Program (ALFP), with the first class of ALFP Fellows graduating in 2005. I entered the ALFP in July 2007, during my first year as Department Head of Pharmacy Practice and Science at The University of Arizona (UA). The ALFP experience was extremely valuable to my leadership development, and this Viewpoint advocates that many emerging pharmacy faculty leaders may also benefit from structured leadership mentoring. Furthermore, the age-old tradition of placing individuals in academic leadership positions with little to no support should be abandoned, and a new template of vigorous preparation and support, where mentoring is the norm rather than the exception, should be implemented. With increased demand for qualified leaders and an escalation in the volume of leadership positions available, this leadership paradigm recommendation comes at a critical time in academic pharmacy. As part of the ALFP program, I selected 3 mentors at the UA and participated in a leadership-centered curriculum developed in partnership with these individuals. Each mentor's curriculum was delivered in his/her own distinctive manner, and the blended mentoring facilitated a transformational experience--one that expanded my vision, perception, and interpretation of leadership. Each mentor met with me separately-although ironically, most mentoring sessions took place on Tuesdays. Here I share the top 10 leadership lessons reviewed during my ALFP experience with my 3 institutional mentors: Lesson 1. Be courageous. According to Ambrose Redmoon, "courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." (1) Leading and being an agent of change requires significant courage in the face of decisions that may engender fear. Actions of a courageous leader include setting high standards and goals that others may perceive as unachievable. Sometimes the risk of failure may discourage one from making the attempt, and the "safe" choice prevails; however, this choice prevents growth and stifles potential. A courageous leader must be willing to go out on a limb and take chances that may involve not being safe to accomplish goals. Also, courageous leaders must remain steady in the wake of disappointment, while taking responsibility for their actions and holding others to these same standards. Lesson 2. Develop a vision and translate this vision into reality. Vision is seeing a future state with the mind's eye. (2) A leader's vision should be clear, consistent, simple, memorable, transformative, and communicated often. It should be timeless and inspirational, as well as provide the foundation for transparent decision-making. It has been stated that "vision without action is a dream; action without vision is simply passing the time; and action with vision is making a positive difference". (2)(p70) Thus, great leaders have vision and translate that vision into action and positive results. There should be a direct correlation between a leader's vision and the organization's brand, that is, the image, symbol, or philosophy by which an organization such as a college or school of pharmacy is known (identified by) and which reflects the organization's fundamental values. The challenges of establishing a vision for any organization lie in: (a) creating a single vision out of the multiplicity of visions held by numerous individuals/groups within the organization (3); (b) effectively communicating that single vision; and (c) engaging support. …