Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has (Margaret Mead)

Transcription

1 1 Focus on Canada plenary: Living our leadership story Susan Summers, PhD, AVPT, MTA May 22, 2016 for the Canadian Association of Music Therapists conference Calgary, AB, Canada What is leadership? Studying leadership and change with Antioch University the past 5 years has made me question leadership in our profession. I conducted participatory action research project with the MTABC board a few years ago as part of one of my papers for the PhD program, I asked the MTABC board members about their perceptions of being a leader. For many of them, they acknowledged that they were leaders in their work sites with clients and groups, but few felt they were leaders in our community, even though they were on the MTABC board at the time. This got me thinking about why these MTABC leaders did not feel they were leaders. Exploring these questions encourages us to hear our emerging voice of our inner leader as we move forward with confidence to live our own unique leadership story. I would invite you to jot down your realizations and responses as you go, to build your leadership story book. Who am I as a leader? What does being a leader in music therapy mean? What leadership qualities do I have an dhow do I serve our profession using my leadership abilities? Discussion: Let s establish a database of what you believe and know about leadership. Talk with your neighbour about what you would say is your personal definition of leadership. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has (Margaret Mead)

2 2 The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born (Warren Bennis) Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other (John F. Kennedy) Whatever you are, be a good one (Abraham Lincoln) There is no passion to be found in playing small in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living (Nelson Mandela) I have consulted a very wise scholar and author to help me talk about leadership today. We are going to build a portfolio of your youerness your inner leader. Today you are YOU that is TRUER than true. There is NO ONE alive Who is YOUER than YOU! (Dr. Seuss) We are going to be learning from the good doctor: Dr. Seuss Theodor Seuss Geisel ( ) known to millions as Dr. Seuss wrote and illustrated over 60 children s books from 1937 to 1990 sold over 222 million copies translated into 15 languages he was one of the main children s authors I remember hearing my Mom read to me and my brothers as children, and when I hear his famous sing-song rhyme schemes, it brings back fond memories and a sense of knowing that strong connection we have to our creativity when we are kids he wrote children s books that taught us moral lessons, values and how to handle life My story: The family is our first experience of leadership (Amanda Sinclair, 2007)

3 3 Amanda Sinclair, Australian academic, consultant and researcher interested in leadership and ethics, organizational culture and change, gender and diversity She wrote my favourite leadership book called: Leadership for the disillusioned: moving beyond myths and heroes to leading that liberates The point is not that certain childhoods create leaders, but that all childhoods shape people s appetites for and vulnerabilities in leadership. Leadership has a childhood (Sinclair, 2007, p. 59) Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time in cold, rural Alberta I was born Born in the country to a farm; oldest child and only girl; no running water in our house; a father who worked hard and was away a lot; a lonely mother who was isolated alot; grandmother (loving, creative/painter, generous and flexible; always had time for us), kind, gentle, patient alone as a child so played with my animals and wandered far in the fields of grain and original natural prairie a feeling of freedom and autonomy; rode my horses and bicycle everywhere; had to be self reliant and yet community oriented in a rural area, you need to know your neighbours, reach out for help, pitch in when someone else needs it we networked or collaborated before the term was ever popular for survival, for friendship, for life fulfillment parents were leaders in the community; I was encouraged to take on leadership by having my 4-H calf, and having chores to do, school roles Who or what was my biggest influences and learning? Animals, Grandma, the land, the community What I learned: that no matter what happened, life went on; there would be a crop next year; spring would come again; life was born and life died; that community mattered and people were there for you when you needed them most (houses

4 4 burning down, deaths in the family, farm accidents); parents were leaders in the community; overcoming challenges; loyalty, that you could count on nature for support and my cats for friendship Discussion how has your family been influential in your life? What values or skills did they contribute that you embrace and live? What did your parents and family teach you about being a leader? We constantly construct and reconstruct our selves to meet the needs of the situations we encounter, and we do so with the guidance of our memories of the past and our hopes and fears for the future (psychologist Jerome Bruner, 2002, p. 64) My story continued my father was patriarchal and old school the father worked and the mother raised the family, roles that were especially embedded because both my parents came from farming families although my mother didn t agree, she didn t take action about it this was the 50 s. both were strong leaders in their own way: home and school association, cubs and scouts, music in the community and at church, roles in their professional associations, etc. I eventually had 3 brothers, started school when I was nearly 7 but accelerated in the first 3 years so that I was the youngest in the class throughout the rest of my schooling; loved school and learning; got involved with sports, 4-H, church, music lessons from my piano teacher, had strong family connections with other farm families and parent s friends they parented me positively Church was a positive influence socially, spiritually and emotionally being a farm kid; weather/harvest; my Dad was determined to have a better life for his family than he had had; grew up poor; my mother was determined to raise a family with music, church, and strong family values

5 5 Family generations and Community Discussion: who outside your family was influential in your life? How was your community influential? What was your experience of collaboration or teamwork? TEAMWORK My story: part 3 my music therapy story (or for others in the room, what is your next step of your leadership story) Leadership and collaboration: I think I learned that leadership was a good thing to do; that people contributed to their community by saying yes to helping others, to taking on roles and things that needed to be done, by offering their strengths; I also learned that I got positive attention at school for taking on leadership and for helping others and it felt good to help others and to use my strengths and develop my skills; I enjoyed learning and saw leadership as a way to learn. I liked being on sports teams and working together with people more new ideas came out, the work was shared and the whole felt more than the sum of its parts My music therapy story: Prior to MT, had organized events, was on teams and committees, said yes to being on a board, said yes to being involved When I moved to Vancouver and started music therapy, I was the MTSA president in my fourth year. This was a pivotal decision having said yes to that gave me the opportunity to be on the CAMT conference committee that year (1988 CAMT conference) and there I met 12 other working music therapists on the committee and many more who attended the conference from all over Canada and the US. All of a sudden, I knew my practicum supervisors (2) and a minimum of 12 more music therapists in the Lower Mainland. My internship grew out of my geriatric practicum and many of my first jobs (casual and otherwise) were from those 12 music therapists who had met me on the conference committee. They

6 6 didn t see me work but they knew who I was and how I presented myself and that I had said yes to help organize fundraisers for the conference, and getting students involved. From there, I said yes to joining the MTABC board and the CAMT board, organized the 1994 CAMT conference here, have been CAMT VP and held other roles; MTABC pres for 3 years and then 6 years among other roles; I offered my leadership, my vision, my energy and time in service of my profession but I also gained back skills, knowledge, and a huge network of music therapists across Canada and around the world, and other professionals who can refer to me (go-to person) private practice, presentations, writing book chapters, attending conferences, offering keynotes Boards: Arts Health Network, Music Heals, Arts Health BC Task group for counsellor regulation I said yes in 1998 and hold the vision for us becoming regulated in BC - FACTBC 10 of us women said yes to doing a Masters of Music therapy degree with Carolyn Kenny from without it being approved till It was a fantastic experience. In all seriousness, I have had consistent clinical work have never wanted for work much of it has come from word of mouth because I knew people other professionals, family members who recommended me to another facility, volunteers, - because I believed in myself and committed to this profession One of my greatest learnings and challenges. Why fit in when you were born to stand out? Who am I as a leader? Teacher, music therapist, vocal psychotherapist, neurologist music therapist, supervisor, musician, singer, piano player, guitar player, improviser, organizer, union member, choir director, board member (all responsible for leadership in some capacity) all involving collaboration in some way Personal leadership: daughter, sister, cat Mom, friend, client/patient, folk fest goer, sponsor of a foster child in Africa; neighbour, theatre and arts events goer and supporter; Shakespeare goer and supporter; a healer, activist

7 7 Discussion: What is your music therapy story? what have been pivotal moments or decisions you ve made or people that you ve met that has impacted your career what you have said yes to during your life that built a foundation for you as a music therapist how does leadership and collaboration play out in your life and career As I have studied leadership over the past 5 years, I discovered that leadership and change or leading change is an industry that has been around for almost 50 years. Like music therapy, there are leadership and change pioneers, conferences, books, journals, models and theories. I have found any number of the following styles of leadership that I think would suit music therapists. Models and styles of leadership Mindful organizational relational authentic genuine servant creative positive spiritual transformational cultural leading change adaptive team I want to share some of my favourite singer s perspectives: Harmonize! This is what musicians can teach politicians. Not everyone has to sing the melody. (Pete Seeger) My job is to show folks there s a lot of good music in this world, and if used right it may help to save the planet. (Pete Seeger and Joan Baez) As a singer, I tried on all these hats, these voices, these clothes, and eventually out came me. (Carly Simon) For every person must know that there is no other voice like his, and if that peculiarity belonging to the voice of each soul is lost, then nothing is left to it.

8 8 every person is an instrument in the orchestra that is the whole universe, and every voice is the music that comes from one of its instruments each instrument being made distinct and particular so that no other voice can take the place of that particular voice. If, then, with the instrument that God has made and the music that God intended to be played in the world, one does not allow that music to be played and develops a voice that is not one s own, this is naturally a great loss to oneself and to others. (Khan, 1983, p. 97) Last thoughts to contemplate: Leaders must encourage their organizations to dance to forms of music yet to be heard (Warren Bennis) References Be a rainbow in someone else s cloud (Maya Angelou) Your leadership story continues to unfold. What kind of leader are you? Bruner, J.(2002). Making stories: Law, literature, life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Dr. Seuss: Oh, the Places you ll go (1990);The Lorax (1971) Khan, H. (1983). The music of life. New Lebanon: Omega Press. Sinclair, A. (2007). Leadership for the disillusioned: Moving beyond myths and heroes to leading that liberates. Crows Nest, NSW, Australia: Allen & Unwin.