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Leadership Development and Elections Committee - Region 6 Candidate

Dawn MacMullen Jennifer Williams-Cook
BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, CFRN, CTRN, NRP, TCRN
Mississippi
rnmedic73@hughes.net

 

 

 

Why do you seek a position on the Leadership Development and Elections Committee?

I am seeking a position on the ENA Leadership Development and Elections Committee (LDEC) because I would like to be involved in the future of our organization and the shape it takes. I have a desire to help find fellow leaders that share the goal of wanting our organization to grow. It is important to bring the voice of stretcher side nurses to the table and that is a group of members I represent. Part of the work of the LDEC Committee is to find qualified candidates for positions but also help develop potential leaders, as reflected in the Leadership Development portion of the name and I hope to do that looking at the national level but also at the state and local levels. Being a leader involves developing other leaders, not just holding a title and I hope to help discover leaders who are dedicated to our fellow members.

How does your academic, professional background and experience within ENA make you a qualified Leadership Development and Elections Committee Candidate?

Experiences from many avenues is something I would bring to the Leadership Development and Elections Committee (LDEC). I have served in a formal supervisor role but also as my second term as ENA State Council President and worked to help our state grow. Being a leader is not just a person in charge but someone who leads through example. Opportunities to participate in national committees, as well as being part of a smaller state, I have developed the ability to reach out to others and find those who are interested but unsure how or where to start. I bring the perspective of an active stretcher side provider and hope to help develop leaders that represent all emergency nurses because of the many forms we take. In my role as a flight nurse, it is part of my job to identify skills in others, assist them in developing these skills and recognizing their strengths. In developing these skills, it also includes identifying areas for growth and providing resources for that. With our emergency departments filled with nurses new to the profession, this is a daily challenge, and I find myself in situations that are always opportunities for others to grow.

Outline the specific skills you bring, or contributions you hope to make to the ENA Leadership Development and Elections Committee.

With my participation, I bring the skill of identifying non-traditional leadership qualities. I have the ability to ask difficult questions of others and also be able to consider other points of view. Creating an environment that creates mentoring relationships and fostering them is something else I would bring to the committee. I hope to be part of a group that creates a more diverse slate of candidates as well as giving the members a solid choice of candidates for their votes and changing the impression that their votes do not matter because of the rumor that it has already been decided. This also includes educating the membership about what the board and positions represent and who they are voting for, so we have a strong group of leaders to move us forward. I also have the ability to appreciate various backgrounds and differences we bring to the table but also identify common connections we share and use this information to our advantage. I am also a person who will present an idea or thought that challenges others to look at something from an alternative point of view enhancing our discussion.

Provide a narrative that exemplifies how you demonstrate the Leadership Development and Elections Committee Competencies.

There are many connections between all competencies for the LDEC and feel I bring strengths in all of them. Through my ENA history, I am well versed in knowledge of our organization, its structure, what we do and where we hope to move and grow. When it comes to decision making, I am able to see the big picture, and although it may affect a few individuals, communicate why a decision is best for the larger organization as a whole. I encounter this frequently in my professional role because our department is important to us, we are one part of a large corporation. Communication is also an important skill, and being able to use different forms is vital, as well as knowing what the appropriate method should be is something I feel strength with. In developing leaders, not only am I able to identify strengths and areas for growth in others, often using self-reflection to improve my own skill set. Being a part of this committee is also a group effort and I am able to work well with others while also completing my individual assignments to increase our success as a group.