Rebecca AxsonAuthored by 2023-2024 Leader Academy member & Awards Vice Chairperson Gloria Cheng, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, APh
Back in September of 2023, I signed up for Leader Academy with a bit of hesitation. Leader Academy is a formal Phi Lambda Sigma leadership offering that provides GiANT tools in a structured curriculum over about 3 months.
With juggling a demanding season for work and personal commitments with my kids, I did not want Leader Academy to be just “another thing” on my list of to-dos. Looking back now, I am incredibly glad that I participated in this academy because I learned some very valuable lessons about myself and my leadership style.
The academy was organized and efficient, and I truly enjoyed the genuine interactions within my group. Brandon Jennings, our group facilitator, was amazing and helped guide our Faculty/Alumni group through vulnerable discussions and challenging conversations.
One of my favorite GiANT toolsis Leader Mirror. This tool poses the question: What is it like to be on the other side of me? It is a straightforward tool that forces you to look outside of yourself and imagine what it would be like to be the person sitting across the table from you in various circles of influence.
As someone with a “Nurturer” voice, one thing I have learned is that I need to turn up the volume of my “voice” in order to communicate challenging messages to others. So often we are working with teammates that are different than ourselve. Learning more about their perceptions and thought processes will only help us to become more intentional and proactive leaders.
The GiANT Column is a new publication offering for the Phi Lambda Sigma membership to reflect on how the GiANT tools positively influence our day-to-day. Members are invited to attend our free monthly offerings of this curriculum.
To learn more about our annual Leader Academy offerings, please visit our website. To publish in the GiANT Column, please email haley@philambdasigma.org.
