Last week, current ACC leadership and incoming leaders came together in Washington, DC to gain the knowledge and tools needed to be effective leaders in transforming cardiovascular care and improving health. In addition to getting up to speed on ACC basics and strategic priorities, attendees of the annual Leadership Forum had a chance to network and hone skills for communication and collaboration, running effective meetings in a digital world, and decision making. As the pace of life continues to increase and we juggle competing priorities, revisiting the foundations of leadership is crucial for all of us.

Everyone has their own definition of leadership. In my option, a successful leader is someone who not only has a strong vision and strategic plan, but can also inspire and guide others.  As cardiovascular professionals, we have all dedicated ourselves to continuous education in various corners of cardiology. However, our obligations to professional development as well as our practices and hospitals often leave a gap in leadership opportunities. Taking an active leadership role in the College allows us to identify shared aspirations, enlist others in a common vision, and ultimately help shape the future of cardiology.

One of the highlights of the Forum was the keynote speaker during Friday’s dinner. In front of a packed house of 180 ACC leaders, speaker Vincent Covello, PhD, offered strategies for communicating effectively about high stress, high concern or controversial issues, something we’re all familiar with given our choice of career paths. “High concern situations change the rules of communication,” Covello noted. “The key to risk communication success is anticipation, preparation and practice.” His closing remarks caught my attention. A quote from Mark Twain: “It takes me an average of two weeks to prepare an impromptu speech.” Now that’s something for all of us to ponder.

I truly enjoy this conference more and more every year. It’s an opportunity to bridge veteran leadership with fresh ideas from promising new leaders and promises to have a transformational impact on the College and cardiology in 2013 and beyond.

Check out a video from my colleague David May, MD, FACC, incoming chair of the BOG on the important roles leaders play at the ACC:

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