Spring 1996, Vol. 5, No. 1

President's letter: Spring 1996

By Brian L. Grant, M.D.

This is my first opportunity to address the members of the AOOP in writing as President. It is an honor to be elected as the newest president of our young organization. I wish to thank Jeff Kahn for his fine service. I follow a man who has worked hard to solidify our base of members and create a cohesive organization. Thanks are also due to the many other members who have contributed their time and expertise to making AOOP relevant and valuable to our members, profession and society. Our January 1996 annual meeting in Tucson was the finest I have attended. The speakers drawn from our membership and others were first rate, knowledgeable about their fields, and interesting to hear. Both the novice and experienced members found value in the conference. The speakers and the program chair Dave Holmes deserve our special thanks.

The AOOP is not unlike the organizations and businesses that many of us work with or study. It has a life cycle and needs. I would like to see one of my goals as helping us move from an entrepreneurial to a managerial culture. The former is the typical pattern of a start-up enterprise, where decisions are made quickly by one or a few founders. A managerial culture on the other hand is more complex, and involves more planning, and recognition of complexity.

Typically, various roles are defined to meet the many needs of the organization. The president in such an organization typically works with the managers but focuses more on delegation and leadership than on self-initiated action.

A non-profit, professional organization such as ours has the additional challenge of dealing with the need for continuity and management expertise, while addressing the needs of a voluntary board and dues-paying membership. Each of your officers brings forth unique skills and energy, but to the degree that we function well as managers, that is as much by accident as by design, since management expertise is not a prerequisite for our roles, commitment is!

We are fortunate to have professional management through Degnon and Associates. The skills and experience that George Degnon brings to the AOOP are designed to help the organization grow and bring further value to the members.

The AOOP also needs your involvement and commitment. We want to provide opportunity for participation on all levels of time and interest. Recruit new members, attend our meetings, help us find sponsors, speakers, and other resources. Share your ideas, or write articles for this publication. Let's work together to provide an increasingly valuable resource for psychiatrists who serve or wish to serve organizations and businesses. Thank you.

 
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