Developing Others, Emotional Intelligence, and the Lifelong Colleague Commitment

At one time or another, you may have known someone who hoarded information with the self-centered notion that if no one else knows what he or she knows, or can do what he or she can do, job security is assured. While this egoistic perspective may, for a time, protect a personal agenda, in an institution the only thing it assures is reduced efficiency, diminished morale, and stifled progress. The reluctance to share information, or purposely withholding information, is evidence of having a Silo Mentality.

The Silo Mentality is anti-proactive and is in opposition to the Emotional Intelligence principle of Developing Others that is such an integral part of Roseman University’s Lifelong Colleague Commitment. Developing Others begins by setting aside selfishness and having a sincere desire to see others succeed. Developing Others requires having a conversation, asking questions to identify goals and aspirations, and then creating an action plan to achieve those goals. Developing Others includes recognizing individual strengths and then sharing information to develop those strengths. It also includes identifying weaknesses and using the workplace as a laboratory for steady improvement. Developing Others involves providing honest and constructive feedback and recognizing that individual growth and institutional betterment are inseparably connected.

The most effective development processes take place in a culture where shared learning is encouraged. Roseman University of Health Sciences is such a place. Faculty, staff, and students work together to identify their visionary selves, (who they want to be), their real selves, (who they currently are), and then formulate plans to close the gap between the two selves. This kind of caring requires colleagues who take a sincere interest in one other, who strive to make every interaction reflect a sincere desire to develop each other, and who willingly share the mantle of mentor. As long as the Emotional Intelligence principle of Developing Others is consciously encouraged and actively implemented at Roseman University, Roseman University will continue to be an innovative and transforming force in healthcare education.

Author
L. Kris Munk, DDS, MS
Roseman University Associate Dean of Graduate Education