Executive Director’s Corner
R & R: The Importance of Relevance and Resilience to 21st Century Organizations Theresa S. Gonzales, DMD, MS, MSS, FACD
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or most of my life as a career military officer, “R&R” meant rest and relaxation or, in the parlance of the Second World War, rest and recuperation. While the notion of “R&R” means different things to different people, the importance of R&R cannot be overstated. Organizational relevance tends to have a finite shelf life. Therefore, relevance must be continuously reevaluated and redefined. A fairly recent study on corporate longevity noted the 33-year average tenure of companies on the S&P 500 in 1964 fell to 24 years by 2016 and is forecast to shrink to just 12 years by 2027. After all, there is a reason that only one Blockbuster video store remains. A cursory review of the topic of organizational relevance from the archive of the Harvard Business Review reveals no fewer than 200 results in the last several years. Relevance is a function of organizational culture. Interestingly, organizational culture will develop even without stakeholder input, but in the absence of that guidance, it may not be healthy or productive. Remaining relevant requires delivering what your members want now while identifying what they will need years from now. This is what is commonly referred to as a future-state mission or the organization’s AIM—an acronym for “aspirational, inspirational and meaningful.” This approach motivates team members to play an active role in bringing the vision to life and in aligning their actions toward vision fulfillment. An organization with a solid culture is always iterating, improving, and adapting to change. 4 | ACD News | Spring 2022
Additionally, successful organizations need to focus on resilience to achieve long-term, enduring viability. It is generally agreed that resilience is a fundamental organizational ability that is directed toward organizational advancement. It enables associations to withstand stresses, continuously innovate, and quickly adapt to changes. Organizations adapting to the emerging world need leaders and colleagues to be more open, collaborative, and engaged. To this end, organizations need to invest in the development of leaders and encourage personal resilience. Many believe that organizational resilience is a function of the widespread growth of personal resilience. Building organizations based on how their members interact is an important construct in complex adaptive systems. Twenty-first century leaders must endeavor to shape the emergence of a clear, compelling purpose and vision that resonates throughout the organization and beyond. Leaders should work to break down boundaries. Boundaries inhibit the flow of information; they keep individuals and groups isolated and reinforce preconceptions. Opening up boundaries, with conferences, meetings, and project teams, empowers participants as ideas carry maximum impact when they are shared broadly rather than held in a few hands. Letting go of limiting assumptions and beliefs in order to allow new forms of organizational models to emerge is a hallmark of relevance and a requirement for resilience.
Twenty-first century leaders must endeavor to shape the emergence of a clear, compelling purpose and vision that resonates throughout the organization and beyond. Leaders should work to break down boundaries. Boundaries inhibit the flow of information; they keep individuals and groups isolated and reinforce preconceptions. Creating environments where it is comfortable to experiment fosters connections across the organization. For more than a century, the American College of Dentists has actively engaged in coaching, mentorship, education, training, and outreach. These are ways of improving, learning, adjusting, and delivering the things that we have agreed upon. Ultimately, by staying in tune with needs of the Fellowship and our obligations to the public, the College has adapted to changing environments and firmly delivered on our founding premise to “elevate the standards of dentistry” and to recognize those who aspire to serve the profession in our unique role as the conscience of dentistry. Opportunities abound for leader development and the American College of Dentists has the resources necessary to assist in your leadership journey. Take a look at the possibilities and see what is right for you. https://www.acd.org/scholarships/
