An interesting session to be offered by Rockhurst University faculty during the assessment conference here in April highlights the leadership aspects of their physical therapy program. Leadership is a tricky thing to define and measure because leadership requires both someone to take the lead and someone to follow the lead. Much has been written on the topic of leadership, going back centuries. Some view leadership as the person who charges the hill, while others view leadership as convincing followers to charge the hill for you.
Look at any book on business published in the last 20 years and you will find a dozen or more quotes about leadership, probably in the first chapter. Personally, I like this perspective on leadership offered by Wendell Willkie, American lawyer, corporate executive, and 1940 candidate for president:
“Education is the mother of leadership.”
I think the faculty at Rockhurst University would agree with Mr. Willkie since one of the goals for their Doctor of Physical Therapy program is “developing leaders.” Easy to say, much harder to measure! In their breakout session, Assessment of Leadership across the Doctor of Physical Therapy Curriculum, Dr. Catherine Thompson and Dr. Christina Wisdom will share their journey to develop both quantitative and qualitative assessment measures that are both cost effective and efficacious.
Please join me to hear how our colleagues approached this daunting task. Perhaps you will find some practical ideas on how to assess leadership or other equally challenging outcomes in your own programs.
Sheri H. Barrett, Ed.D.