I ran for APA president on the theme of “learn … lead … change.” It’s the process by which psychologists become what I call learning leaders—influential participants who bring to bear the power of our profession, applied areas and science of psychology to any challenge. The foundation of being a learning leader is based on the psychological science of learning, leadership and change. We simply need to take that knowledge base and own it so we can shape the future positively for our field and the public.
How does that work? First, we need to accelerate our own learning about new ways of doing things. For example, two major trends affecting the psychology field are team science and integrated care. There is readily available psychological science in both areas, so how can we use and expand on this knowledge to enhance our influence in integrated care and improve the performance of research teams?
Leading means defining our roles more clearly within organizations, institutions and communities so that we are recognized as the go-to experts for facilitating or providing innovative behavioral options, strategies and policies at all levels. We have all of the tools necessary to help individuals and organizations build their capacities in flexible, compassionate and productive ways—we just need to ensure that these entities are aware of our skills and be willing to put ourselves forward, both formally and informally, to influence and enhance their success.
The third component of learning leadership is an active commitment to producing positive change in the world—using our significant expertise in behavior change to influence the most pressing problems of our time. APA’s sponsorship of the first International Summit on Psychology and Global Health—where psychologists from more than 40 countries met in Lisbon, Portugal, to address climate change—is a great start.
Historically, psychologists have tended to be reflective observers rather than active agents of change. We’ve often been slow to join forces with other disciplines and partners to effect such change. The time is ripe to become more actively interdisciplinary and to proactively envision and create a better future for ourselves, our clients and the public. It’s an agenda supported by APA’s strategic priorities and advocacy strategy. Let’s be the change that we want to see, and enhance our impact together.