Lessons in Leadership at FABlogCon 2016

Lessons in leadership at FAblogcon2016

by Aleasa M. Word          Copyright 2016

I rarely write about companies on my personal blog as my thoughts are more in line with self-development, thinking pieces and motivation to help people start to reframe thinking for a better life.  There are a lot of bloggers who endorse products and companies and I’m not one of them so trust me this is not a stepping on your toes event. This time around though, I did want to do something a little differently. 

There are many things that leave a lasting impact on us and one of those things this year was an opportunity I had to go to the Food Allergy Bloggers Conference aka FABlogCon in Denver. Going as a speaker seemed like it would turn out like any normal event I’ve gone to over the years.  The other part that was a huge perk was I’d see food allergy advocate friends I hadn’t seen in a while but then, I met two people that helped me see it in a different light. I met Eric and Evan Edwards of Kaleo Pharmaceuticals. They will be bringing back the Auvi-Q injectable epinephrine device to market very shortly.

Besides the fact that this event founded by Jenny Sprague was an epic success, there was a lot more going on than some thought there was. As the conference went on for 3 days inclusive of a much a appreciated expo, we all had the chance to meet two men behind Kaleo who really get what patient focused leadership means. They also get that those of us living with or caring for family members who live with life threatening food allergies have a huge responsibility on our shoulders.

When I spoke with Eric and Evan, it seemed at first like a typical chat for the first 5 seconds. After that the gloves were off and we were in ring mixing it up.  What do I mean by that? I mean the perfect match for the current environment families like mine are facing had begun. These two gentlemen having lived with the same challenges as me and my own children have understood the space we were in.   And because they got it, they wanted me as well as others to know they really got it. They took the bull by the proverbial horn and made a point to be open to everyone as we all spent three days learning, speaking and certainly eating thanks to the leadership of Chef Keith Norman who made sure the hotel staff was on point.

When thinking about leadership, it has been my experience that the most successful leaders understand the concept of servant leadership. They also have a high level of emotional intelligence coupled with rational compassion. Another component great leaders have is the willingness to listen to hear instead of listening to respond. As a coach, I’ve come across many leaders looking to enhance their leadership skillset.  One of the first things I work on with those clients is figuring out HOW or IF they hear people they are working with or employing. It seemed pretty clear the Edwards brothers had this part down already so that was certainly a great plus for me.  Somewhere along the way, I’d imagine they had some great role models teaching them what it is they need to do to build relationships with the community they serve. Isn’t that what leadership really is though, a way to build relationships that create opportunities for all involved? And it certainly helps that those living with severe allergies have to be leaders to advocate for their health which gives these guys an edge others could learn from.

Their patient centered road bringing back a product to the market that millions living with potentially life threatening allergies need is already looking pretty good. No matter how this process pans out over the next year, one thing for sure is they did listen and they ARE listening.
In my own presentation I did with Caroline Moassessi of the Grateful Foodie, I used the mantra “if they’re not near us, they can’t hear us” several times. The Edwards brothers were near us and heard everything we said whether it was super positive or thought provoking for change. Inclusive of the stay at home parent, working parent, blogger or others in attendance, they made themselves available while enjoying the conference right along with us. They made a great effort to get to know us as well as they could during this portion of their professional journey that includes deciding on the most optimal ways they can try to help us while we continue to strive to keep our families as safe as we can during allergic emergencies and in everyday living.

On a final note, I’d be remiss if I didn’t take my hat to Jenny Sprague in the same vein as I do to the Edwards brothers.  Her vision whether she even realized it or not, was such a testament to my mantra that I will never forget it.  She cared enough to bring those in that we want so desperately to hear us. This opportunity gave them a chance to see us as families and not just patients, parents and not just people who pay co-pays and most importantly humans that live, breath, hurt, have joy , have fears, and get up every morning the same way they do as we all do the very best we can to make life happen leading own life journey.

Note: I was not paid or asked to write about or endorse any of the entities contained herein.

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