As I reflect on my career path, the constructive feedback received from my peers, learners, mentors and loved ones, and the personal and professional challenges I had to overcome, nothing summarizes my leadership style better than the famous quote by Theodore Roosevelt, 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 deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
When I first immigrated to the United States as a refugee from Iraq, I was only thirteen years old. I knew in the back of my mind that the journey ahead was going to be difficult. At thirteen, I was in a new world where everything was foreign to me. The United States soon became a new home far away from the home in which I was born and raised. The challenges in this new home were far too many: learning a new language, mastering a new culture, and getting accustomed to a new set of standards, all while also navigating life as a teenager. I knew early on that failure was not an option. In other words, I had no choice but to be in the arena, to get my face marred with dust, sweat and blood to achieve my dreams. I have lived in the arena and know the challenges that come with it intimately. I know what it means to show up and have the courage to be seen every step of the way.
In my journey of becoming a trauma-informed pharmacist, a mentor to others, a world traveler, a sweaty creative, and an author, there were many fears I had to overcome; the fear of uncertainty, the fear of the unknown, the fear of not knowing what I did not know. There was self-doubt, insecurity, and anxiety, but there was also growth and opportunity.
My journey of living in the arena has taught me four life lessons:
1. Being in the arena is never about winning or losing. It is about having the courage to show up and be seen.
2. Being in the arena is about being the “sweaty creative,” the original thinker and having the courage to be the first to walk an uncharted path.
3. Being in the arena means your face will be marred with dust, sweat and blood. It is not easy. There will be setbacks, failures, and obstacles.
4. Being in the arena affords you a level of growth, influence, and impact unreachable to those on the sidelines.
Many doubted my presence in the arena because of my background and the way I looked. For far too long, I cared about those critics. I used to think the best way to be original and to show up in the arena was when the critics were not among the audience. But I was wrong! When we show up in the arena, we have no control over the audience. I knew if I let the critics own my creativity, I was not going to get far in my career. The best thing I did for myself was befriend my critics and reserve seats for them in the arena. When you befriend your critics, you own your creative power because you decide if their words lead to improvement or are ignored.
Five things are needed to show up in the arena:
1. Know your “Why”: If we want to live a life of success, happiness, and fulfillment, we must find our “why”. Having a “why” means knowing your purpose in life. The same purpose that gets us up in the morning is what will help us look forward to showing up in the arena. When we don’t have a “why,” we will not be motivated to be in the arena and survive the challenges that come along with being in the arena. If we are not inspired to be in the arena how can we expect others to show up in the arena with us? When people know our why and see a consistency in our motivation, they are more willing to follow us into the unknown.
2. Have a Trusted Network. Nothing is ever accomplished alone. We need a network of people who have earned our trust, know our vulnerabilities, and understand our dreams. They believe in us not despite our vulnerabilities and flaws but because of them. They know we belong in the heart of the arena. When we fall, they pick us up, clean the dust off our face and get us back in the arena.
3. Have a Worthy Rival: We all need an admirable opponent The reason we hate our competitors is because their strength reveals our weaknesses. It is easier to direct our negative energy at them than to have a hard look at ourselves. Business is an infinite game. There will be no final winner or loser. Instead of focusing on trying to win, our focus should be on mastering the game through learning and developing. Instead of trying to beat our competitors, we should perceive them as another player in the game who can help us improve. Having a worthy rival is an asset in advancing our cause and becoming a better version of ourselves.
4. Have the Capacity for Existential Flexibility: “Existential flexibility” is a term used by Simon Sinek, which determines how long we can last in the arena. Existential flexibility is determined by our quickness in responding to the ever-changing market demand. It is our willingness to find a better path to advancing our cause because if we stay on the same path, we will eventually become outdated and irrelevant. In other words, if we don’t blow up our business to advance our cause, the market will blow it up for us.
5. Have the Courage to Lead: Having the courage to lead is one of the hardest things to do in the arena. Being a leader is being the first to show up in the arena essentially putting a target on your back. A leader puts their needs and interests aside to invest in the team. A leader gives credit to the team when things go well and accepts responsibility when they don’t.
As your next Chief Executive Officer, I have chosen a life of service to you. Meeting your needs and helping you achieve your aspirations are my “Why.” I promise to show up in the arena everyday, but I will need your help to stay in the arena. I need each one of you to join me in protecting and advancing the cause of every pharmacist, student pharmacist, and technician in South Carolina. Together we can make the profession of pharmacy and SCPhA shine on a national platform. Thank you!
