Volume 39 Number 1 | February 2025
Pat Tille, PhD, MLS(ASCP), AHI(AMT), FACSc, ASCLS President
What does it take to be a good leader? In looking back at my career up until this point, there are many individuals who have influenced my journey. However, when you consider the historic context of leadership theory, there is not one model that stands out above the rest. Originally, leadership theory was focused on those who were “born leaders.” Somehow you were born with all the traits to become a natural leader. That community of thought evolved into the idea that “leadership can be learned.” One can learn the skills and develop the necessary traits to be a good leader.
It is also important to realize that a leader cannot be evaluated without considering the context of the followers, or those who work closely with the individual in their role to support a vision or idea. Even more concretely, some believe a good leader is measured by their productivity. This does not consider the complex nature of leadership in any role in an organization such as ASCLS, in a laboratory, or in healthcare.
Any complex organization requires one to consider their own actions and approaches and continue to learn from those experiences while at the same time consider the followers—whether those are members of a professional society or healthcare system—and consider the organizational goals or mission, vision, and values. When considering the members or employees within an organization, it is often easy to judge a leader based on performance or quantitative productivity. One way to view this is like an iceberg—this is an analogy that has been used by many experts to understand the complex nature of leadership.
When viewing an iceberg, everyone can easily see the tip. That is where all the action is taking place. However, when you look below the surface of the iceberg, below the waterline, that is where all the real work is taking place. An iceberg essentially forms from the bottom up, as does an organization such as ASCLS. Identifying the mindset of the membership and all the interactions below the surface are what make the tip of the iceberg grow. To do so, a leader must embrace the ideas, knowledge, and abilities of everything that occurs below the surface. And often, not everyone can see all of the moving pieces below the surface of the iceberg.
This approach to leadership essentially means a leader must appreciate the actions, thoughts, and influences of others. A leader must be thankful and engage with others to create a successful future and ensure a common vision. This is the true nature of embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion as a leader. It is important to constantly ask questions of others; a leader is not magically aware or knowledgeable about everything. A good leader must have the courage to not only allow others to take the lead, but to allow them to be innovative and inspire them to feel confident in their choices. The tip of the iceberg needs to allow the molecules below the surface to create energy and grow.
As we move into 2025, the year promises to be full of challenges and uncertainties. As medical laboratory professionals, we must remain focused on building on our strengths rather than focusing on the problems. As we have these past few months, it is essential that our membership and our organization continues to create energy and make things happen that support access to quality healthcare for ALL patients through our advocacy efforts, to continue to build a strong community supported by the diversity and inclusion of our membership, and to educate others to ensure the information and knowledge that is being presented is truly accurate, evidence-based medicine. Everyone in this profession and every member in this organization influences the directions we are taking and should be commended for their commitment to quality healthcare. The leadership that makes a difference is the leadership that realizes that while the tip of the iceberg is the most visible, everything else that is happening below the water line is what drives the forward movement. Together we are all leaders and must continue to have a positive influence in 2025 in the complex challenges facing the laboratory and healthcare.
Pat Tille is the Graduate Program Director and Professor at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio.