I found out today that in order to qualify for election, one must have been a "physical therapist member in good standing for at least five years immediately preceding their election or appointment..." Therefore, student physical therapist membership does not count. will have five years and one month of PT membership on the day of the election! How's that for a close call?!?
While relieved personally, it does bring to my attention, for the first time, the realization that New Professionals are explicitly prohibited from serving on the Nominating Committee, Board of Directors, or other high office. Seems a bit hypocritical from an organization perpetually at odds with "arbitrary limits" placed on us by the likes of CMS and others... This means pushing the New Professional envelope further will necessitate a bylaw amendment down the road. (Note to self)
So here I sit, formally, unequivocally able to be slated, with just nine or ten days before I'll know more and not bound by the rules and code of conduct for candidates. {I would post a link to that document but it's only accessible to Chapter and Component Delegates within APTA. odd.} Well, as the title of this post suggests, there are loads of things I would like to do before anyone can tell me "That's not allowed." Things I'd like to do while juggling a relatively new job and all the expectations and efficiencies expected therein. ... sleep when you're dead? ... meh. We can handle it. If we weren't good at juggling, we wouldn't have made it through school.
Here's what I think I should do. What else would you all suggest?
--Blog Daily on Move It
--Use the NP Facebook group for the evils of shameless self-promotion
--Post Blog link and thoughts to every other NP and PT blog I can think of (here's looking at you Bo)
--Invite other bloggers to comment on the process thus far
--Continue to contact past mentors of mine to solicit suggestions and feedback (3 of 3 are in support of an almost NP on the NomCom so far)
--Don't forget that the benefit to be had of the process, this pre-slate/might-not-ever-be-slated process, is in preparing other emerging leaders to improve upon my performance
Let's be honest, until a critical mass of nontraditionally thinking PTs & PTAs are calling the shots, be that at the House of Delegates level or within the Board of Directors, change will be gradual. I want to be one of the ones that helps to "plug the intersection" and let people through, to usher in new debate and renewed enthusiasm for big, blue sky thinking. To make even the slightest headway there is to succeed!
It's challenging for me to work in all the concepts I would like. Each blog post, much like the multitude of trajectories our career paths might take, could evolve in many different ways. I want to pace myself with the next ten or so days and not grow weary of, or boring with, the blog. Additionally, I want to be realistic about the probability of my being slated. I want to structure my experience to inform the emerging generation of leaders. And as much as all of these, I want to be engaging to all of you and to hear your thoughts, challenges, and the strength of our collective voice!
Cheers for now,
Ben
Ben, I think this is awesome! And I'll campaign for you in Chi-town! For what position are you consenting to serve? I'm biased from my NSA experience, but I do think Nominating Committee would be a great position for a NP (or just barely legal mid-professional). You have tons of contacts that are different from the rest of the leadership, which puts you in a great position for a role that is all about diversifying, identifying, and mentoring leadership! Or is there a Director position? This blog is a great example of your communication skills! The APTA Membership Development goals state that improving the active membership of NPs is on their agenda. I think everyone on ths blog knows they should slate you, but is there anything we can do to help convince them? If more people nominate you will htat make it more likely? Is it too late for that? If there is anything I can do, let me know!
ReplyDeleteMy only question is, what do we call you at the 5 year and 1 month, just a new-thinking professional?
Hi Miriam! It's great to hear from you! So, I actually consented to serve for either NomCom or the Board of Directors. It may come from way out in left field to the current Nominating Committee, but I decided to consent to both. (The other positions up for grabs, Treasurer and Speaker, were not really appropriate.)
ReplyDeleteMy contact on the NomCom seemed to be steering me pretty hard towards the Nominating Committee. My decision to consent to Board or NomCom was just to keep them guessing and give them a little more to think about. That's really what it's about for me. I want people to think! Especially the New Professionals, but I want to give everyone in the process something to think about. It's not that I'm trying to be inflammatory and consequently unelectable. I want to push this opportunity as far as it will go. I want to be a progressive voice in the debate about where physical therapy is going and how we are going to get there.
Thank you for the words of support Miriam! If you want to help, try to get some others reading the blog. I'll repost the survey that was up here once upon a time. I need to know what New Professionals want. Let me know what you want too.
The labels aren't important to me, the enthusiasm is. I think of us being the next generation of leaders, a 'name' doesn't so much matter.
Thanks everyone and have a fantastic weekend!
ben