Applying a PBOD to Qualitative Researchers
Hello Qualitative Mind,
I know, I know…we’re not supposed to use acronyms in titles, and PBOD might not ring a bell for you. But, I wanted to catch your attention {and hopefully I did}!
I’m a volunteer board member of Emerging Health Leaders (EHL) Edmonton and on November 25th, 2020, we hosted a virtual event with Feisal Keshavjee. Feisal’s talk was Great Leaders Great Outcomes, and he started by introducing the LEADS framework as one that can support the development of leadership competencies among leaders in healthcare and beyond.
For those of you who are curious, here is what LEADS stands for:
L – Lead self
E – Engage others
A – Achieve results
D – Develop coalitions
S – Systems transformation
Feisal went into great detail about what it meant to lead self, engage others, etc. The presentation was equally enriching and inspiring, and he certainly saved the best for last. He asked attendees- what was one thing they would do if they were trying to become better leaders? It’s a great question, but let’s face it, it’s hard to answer it with just one thing because there are so many possibilities!
That’s when he introduced the concept of the Personal Board Of Directors (PBOD). In Feisal’s words, “you’re the CEO of your career” and should engage a PBOD in helping you build the competencies that matter for where you want to go (and grow) in your career. People invited to your PBOD should come from different levels within and outside of your institution/centre, and contribute to your career and life in diverse ways. Some people may be invited to your PBOD because they can help you become a more involved member of your community; while others may help you to better understand scientific data in a specific area.
I think the idea behind the PBOD nicely complements the REALIZE Path©, in particular Pillar Two which is Community of Practice (i.e., Relationships). I want all of you – readers – to think about the relationships you need to seek (and cultivate) to build a PBOD that supports your qualitative research growth. And remember that, in qualitative research, your academic/professional growth is tied to your personal growth so essentially a PBOD needs to integrate both.
The members of your diverse PBOD should be chosen strategically based on the areas of research and life skills you want to develop and, just as importantly, on your unique academic mission (something Cathy Mazak commonly mentions in her group and podcast). One thing Feisal mentioned that I want to emphasize here is that your research and academic success are defined not only by opportunities you embrace (and publications you produce), but also the people you choose to listen to along the way. Many people may give you advice, opinion(s) and their “two cents”; however, what they say should only matter if they are in your PBOD arena – a reference to Theodore Roosevelt’s 1910 speech known as “The Man in the Arena”:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of the deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena […]”
If you’re ready to build a PBOD to uplift your career as a qualitative researcher, I want to invite you to join the next Qualitative Research Blueprint (QRB) cohort starting on March 22nd, 2021 (enrollment opens on March 9th, 2021 – join the waitlist for a special bonus offer coming to you on March 5th, 2021). I want to be a member of your PBOD and, if possible, positively shape your qualitative journey and help you fulfill your potential. Inside QRB, we will have the opportunity to interact weekly during {live} CommuniQ Chats and be enriched by a diverse qualitative community.
QRB members from the Fall 2020 cohort loved the community-building aspect of QRB’s weekly live sessions (to the point that it become a “welcomed respite” in their week)! I know you’ll love them too!
Why wait? Join the waitlist today!
“The live Q&A sessions inside QRB were new to me. At first, I was worried that I would not be able to attend them all. However, they became a welcomed respite.”
Talk soon and, for some, see you inside QRB!!!
~ Maira