Self Motivated Leaders
Are Self Aware
•Recognise their own biases and privileges
•To know when you need boundaries
Manage Themselves
•Recognize your own burden
•take responsibility for self care (& redefine self care)
Develop Themselves
•In a way that is shifts from gender and diversity aware —> transformative
Demonstrate Character
•Recognise the burden of the emotional work of your staff
•Be courageous
Leading an EDI-Informed Self
Ivy Lynn Bourgeault, University of Ottawa & Canadian Health Workforce Network
As described in this chapter, the first L in the LEADS Framework, Leads Self, focuses on developing self-motivated leaders. From an EDI-lens, we build on the four capabilities emphasizing how self-aware leaders must think more critically. This begins by recognizing: 1) we all have unconscious biases , including about what constitutes a leader; 2) we have privileges (or burdens) related to gender, racial, Indigenous, or disability identities as well as social class backgrounds; and 3) an EDI-informed leadership journey includes time and attention towards addressing and unlearning these often taken-for-granted assumptions. Their approach to managing themselves must explicitly recognize their unique sociocultural position, as well as those of others, and that their needs for self-care, for example, may differ. Recognizing and accommodating differences, e.g., diversity management, are key EDI skills but they require emotional labour. Including in their approach to develop themselves must include attention to supporting a shift first to being EDI-aware and ultimately to EDI-transformative. By demonstrating character, EDI-informed leaders would express their integrity by becoming more comfortable with being uncomfortable; that is, being comfortable with diversity and being less complacent about taken-for-granted assumptions about those with which they lead. Developing ally skills across all social dimensions of gender, racialization, Indigeneity, class and ability, is critical in an EDI leader.
Women health leaders tend to lead from who they are and where they are rather than the position they happen to occupy
In the quote by Graham Dickson, research advisor for the Canadian Health Leadership Network states that women lose interest because they are in a patriarchal system designed in a patriarchal way, and run only by men.
In the quote by Johny Van Aerde, executive medical director of the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders states that it is more difficult for women to obtain grants and publish papers. It is unacceptable in academia.
In the quote by Andre Picard, health columnist at The Globe & Mail states that despite the health care workers being dominantly women, the health care leaders are predomnantly men. This is due to cultural, social, and economic reasons.
In this quote by Jamie Lundine, PhD Student at University of Ottawa, Feminist and Gender Studies states the importance of support for female leaders.
In this quote by Dr. Ivy Bourgeault, University of Ottawa Research Chair in Gender, Diversity and the Professions states that supportive leaders need to get comfortable being uncomfortable to support equity.
In this quote by Candace Brunette-Debassige, Special Advisor of Indigenous Initiatives to the Provost at Western University states that interupting the status quo may lead to labels such as being difficult to work with.
In this quote by Dr. Josephine Etowa, Professor and Loyer-DaSilva Research Chair, at the University of Ottawa states the importance of having a mentor.
In this quote by Nancy Edwards, Professor Emeritus and Distinguished University, Professor at the University of Ottawa states that leadership does not stop rather it looks different.
In this quote by Dr. Mamta Gautam, Psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital and in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa, and President and CEO of PEAK MD states that women need to increase their confidence to match their competence.
Tweet: How do we create environments where people can be authentic?
Health and Care Women Leaders Network, tweeted on July 2, 2019 about how to create environments where people can be authentic
In this quote by Dr. Gillian Kernaghan, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health Care London states that leaders should lead with their heart grounded in their values.
In this quote by Anya Marion, RM, MHA at the University of Ottawa states the importance of embracing imperfections.
Tweet: Lesley Barron MC Mphil in response to tweet from YaleMedDEI
On May 25th, 2021 @YaleMedDEI tweeted how women had to learn leadership skills by themselves. Lesley Barron MD MPhil added that women are not given the chance to lead even with leadership training.
Tweet: Amy Diehl PhD in response to tweet from Amani Jambhekar MD, MBA
On Twitter on April 14, 2021, @AjvictoryMD tweeted her experience of not being seen as a surgeon because of her gender. Amy Diehl Ph.D added the term role incredulity.
Tweet: Daniel Colón Hidalgo
On February 21st, 2021 @dch1309 tweeted to stop calling something implicut bias when it is blantant discrimination.
