Session I: “Moving Up from Management to Leadership” and “Showing Up as a Leader"

The Academy begins with participants identifying the challenges and opportunities they are facing in their organizations and roles today. We then build a foundation of leadership thinking by exploring the differences in managing challenges and leading challenges. On this foundation we will launch a powerful exploration of today's EMS organization and the characteristics that make an organization thrive and attract and keep workers. We will address the following topics:

• The essential components of a thriving EMS organization
• The emerging EMS worker of the 21st century
• What people really want from their work experience
• Creating a culture where people want to belong
• Recruiting and keeping more of the right people
• Ensuring people are enthused, committed, loyal and willing to do more than required;
• The vital role of frontline supervisors
• The art of improving employees' performance
• Dealing with troublemakers
• Leading the new generations

With an understanding of the EMS organization and the workers of today, we will look at ourselves as leaders. Leader is not a term most people use to describe themselves, but using various tools, assessments and exercises, we will discover the leader within each of us. We will explore the psychology of stepping out to lead and what inspires people to follow. We will demonstrate that leading is much more than title, position or power. Leading is a courageous choice we make every day. Specifically, we will explore:

• The qualities and characteristics of effective leaders
• What makes one a leader in today's EMS organization
• How leadership shows up in our personal lives
• The connection between great leadership and a practice of deep listening
• Using time resources effectively
• Leading in spite of fear
• How to become a powerful influencer of people above, beside you and below you
• The leader's ethical use of politics and power
• Leading and the necessity of powerful storytelling

Session II: “Moving Your Organization Forward” and “Your Specific Role and Challenges”

Building on Session I, this session of the Academy tackles the work of leading change in a reactive EMS environment and moving the organization forward. We start by recognizing the importance of identifying and actually seeing the change you want to make. Then, using actual case studies, we explore the psychology and steps of leading change. Specifically, we will address:

• Getting clear about what really matters
• Using the imagination to see where we want to go
• How to effectively plan and identify strategic priorities
• Turning big change into small, doable steps
• Understanding the power of variables and small change
• Effectively working with the psychology of change
• Taking good care of yourself and finding joy amid the challenges

The final two days of the Academy are a facilitated leadership retreat. This is where the practicality and applicability of the learning is tested. With a foundation in leadership, the formation of a supportive cohort and a shared understanding and language, participants set the agenda. We utilize an "open space" format in a warm and relaxed environment, and encourage participants to bring their own topics to the group. Brief presentations are made on the topics, and the balance of the allotted time is used to workshop each topic with discussion, exercises and the sharing of best (and worst) practices. Participants leave the Academy with a full toolbox and a solid network of supportive leaders.

Questions? Contact Alli Burke
Michigan Center for Rural Health
EMS Programs Manager
269-380-6696
allison.burke@affiliate.msu.edu