{ from the editor } by Douglas Wyckoff, DDS • Editor


Leading Us Into the Future L


eader. When you read that word, who or what did you think of? There is not a facet of our life that doesn’t have some type of leader in


it. Our family, church, workplace, communi- ties and organizations all have leaders. There are all types of leaders in those places and luckily most do an excellent job in their posi- tions. The success or failure of an entity can be directly correlated to the leadership that has navigated its course.


What is a leader? A great leader in their posi- tion is exemplified by the ability to motivate its entity toward accomplishing a single or set of goals. A leader develops a plan or strategy to direct those involved to do what is necessary to meet the goals. A leader must be effective and able to inspire those in their setting with ideas, and then communicate to the participants in ways that, in turn, inspire them to be effective in carrying out a plan. “Followship” happens when a good leader sets a plan and gets those around them to carry it out. Those who carry out the plan and work to meet the goals “follow” the ideas set by the leader and truly believe in what they are doing.


In my years of serving in many different capacities on different types of boards, I have had the ability to witness and experience sev- eral different types of leadership. Most have been positive experiences, but occasionally you run into a situation when leadership can be detrimental to the success of accomplish- ing goals. Being a good leader is not easy and just doesn’t happen without a lot of work. Leaders who exemplify success start working on their plans long before they come into their positions. They work hard to develop their strategies and see they have the right personnel in place to help carry out their mission. Being able to communicate in a way that everyone understands is essential for success and the leader knows critical think- ing skills must be used continuously.


6 focus | JUL/AUG 2022 | ISSUE 4


The greater part of my involvement over the years has been in the organized dentistry realm of my local dental society, the MDA and the ADA. As I just stated, I have seen all types of leadership. Most were very success- ful, but some had flaws. Fortunately, overall, the end results for all these entities have ended in success. They have all learned from their successes and failures because of the leadership they have.


So why am I bringing this topic up? Well, mostly because you don’t just wake up one day and say, “I am going to be a leader today!” Great leaders and the leadership they display come about through a process. They are cul- tivated from the very organizations they par- ticipate in. They gain their knowledge from previous leaders and are put into positions to garner the knowledge it takes to be effective. They “rise” to the top like cream on milk. It is process that takes time. If they are put into a position too early or beyond their time, the end results most likely will not fare well.


As members of our dental organizations, we must be seeking to build these leaders and make sure we are getting them the knowl- edge and learning they need to ensure the successful pathways of our organization.


I am currently seeing this, especially on the MDA Board of Trustees. I really feel right now, one of the best boards the MDA has had is in place, and they are working hard for the organization’s success.


Each component elects representatives on this board to guide the plan for accomplish- ing the goals for the association. They are developing plans for future goals and doing what is in the best interest of the organiza- tion. That doesn’t mean 100 percent of the members are going to agree with the direc- tions it will take, but it’s the current board’s responsibility to ensure it does what is best for the majority of its membership. There are several monumental issues the current board is going to have to act on. Trust me; they will not make any decisions that haven’t been well thought out and planned. “Off the cuff” ideas and subsequent actions will not happen.


You have put these members in the position of being your leaders. Let them lead. Let them communicate their ideas, plans and goals to you. Let them help you to build the “followship” it takes to make our associa- tion successful. I really believe you can rest assured our association is in excellent hands with those you have put into their respec- tive positions. The future is bright, and we all need to let OUR leaders direct us into the future. I can’t wait to look back in a couple years and count OUR successes.


Contact Dr. Wyckoff at editor@ modental.org.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32