Conference Reflections - 1st Posting

From: Anne Wharff
Email: anne.wharff@illinois.gov
Date: May 22, 2008

Comments

This was my third Leadership Connections conference. This year, as always, I found myself being nudged to learn, to connect with colleagues, and to take care of myself. All of which are important for leaders in any field.

The 2008 conference session that was most meaningful to me was "Friday Night at the ER" by Kathy McKeon. During this session, small groups of 4-5 participants served as the head of a hospital department. The objective was to work in collaboration with the other department heads to keep patients moving through the hospital and not get too stacked up in the ER. I learned that it is difficult for me to bend the rules, even the unwritten ones. I also found that no matter how carefully I listened to the directions, my comfort level was challenged by not being able to refer back to them. But most of all, I realized that while I may be able to think globally when it comes to statewide systems, thinking about a confined program with a confined goal was something else entirely. The session was a wonderful opportunity for self-discovery.