Cheryl Rhodes, AUCD-CDC Fellow
I’m fortunate to have spent the past 2 ½
years as AUCD Fellow at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s been an exciting, productive and creative
time that will be ending soon. I’d like to share lessons learned about the
importance of effective communication, collaboration and professional
development.
Effective Communication.
Every day I am asked to communicate (verbally
or in writing) about complex issues to broad and varied audiences, in a limited amount
of time or space. I’ve learned that communicating
a message is more about understanding your role, the
intended audience and what you want to accomplish than deciding what to say and
that basic guidelines
- be clear, be brief, and engage the audience - apply whether giving a research
summary, a project update, or a wedding toast! Resources on the health
communication process and the Plain Writing Act of 2010 can be found at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerlibrary/pinkbook and www.plainlanguage.gov.
Collaboration.
Alexander
Graham Bell said “great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the
cooperation of many minds”. It may take a little adjustment in thinking or
practice and definitely some patience and time to trust the process, but the
end result can be exciting. Working collaboratively
has provided many opportunities to share resources, knowledge and expertise and
learn from others. Now, when tackling a
project, I immediately think of potential partners and resources, seeking as
broad representation as possible. I’m
convinced that as change agents, we have to work collaboratively. There’s too much to get done with very
limited resources to do otherwise.
Professional
Development
When
I began my fellowship, I was encouraged to take advantage of professional
development opportunities, especially those not
in my field or directly related to my project.
Some of the most interesting and memorable learning experiences were
gained through trainings and webinars, volunteering for exercises and planning committees
and attending national conferences that gave me deeper appreciation of the role
of public health. Wherever you are
professionally, take risks; challenge yourself.
Step out of your ‘comfort zone’, step up when presented with options for
new learning or leadership. You may
learn a little or a lot but your efforts will keep you engaged and energized
and your example will inspire others.
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