Calling a New Generation of Leaders

Yesterday I read an interesting article in Addiction Professional: Calling a New Generation of Leaders. It's a good article on committing oneself to the field and gives you questions to answer:

Do I feel in my heart that service to this field is what I am personally destined to do with my life? I feel that counseling is and that I seem to do well in addiction counseling and issues related to addiction, such as trauma, co-dependency, etc.
Do I feel there are better ways to respond to the needs of the new generation of clients entering addiction treatment? Absolutely. I think as the field progresses we will be better able to identify what are the needs of clients and what are the underlying dynamics of addiction. I also think needs change with generations in terms of what constitutes health. What stresses a particular generation also changes as our cultures change.
Am I willing to committ myself to the future of this field at a level that transcends particular job roles and organizational affiliations? Yes, I already do this in my job roles. I have taken my position beyond the mere clinician/counselor to include program development, data and outcome tracking/reporting, advocacy, community education, etc.
What core values and core service technologies of the treatment field need to be protected from future dilution, corruption, or abandonment? Intensive and comprehensive case management for the indigent to include services beyond just addiction treatment: vocational services, housing services, transportation and childcare services to overcome obstacles to treatment, treatment in prison/jails or treatment in place of jail for misdemeaners and first time drug offenders, medicated assisted therapy, and more I just can't think of right now.
What unmet needs must the field address in the future? More comprehensive services for co-occurring MH/SA and awareness of MR/SA and the need for more specific treatment programs for MR with addiction.
How can the field best reach the next generation of clients entering addiction treatment? Through increased advocacy, education and training of professionals, and medicaid and other insurance billing.
What unique assets do I possess that can nurture the field's future development? Specialized training in alternative modalities (art therapy, auricular acupuncture, and spiritually based counseling) that have shown to be an asset in counseling. Experience in monitoring and developing specialized programs for specific cultures and environments.
What issues and activities energize me at the highest level? Developing new programs, working on new issues, solving treatment or advocacy problems, and outreaching new people/organizations.
What major contributions or lasting legacy would I like to leave in the field? Innovative programing and successful advocacy.

The article suggests reading about leaders and leadership outside of the field itself: Abraham Lincoln, Cesar Chavez, Frederick Douglass, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandala, Tatanka Yotanka.

more to follow