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Leaders Aren't Just Born
By LaTonya Kittles
The mammography debate had been raging for several years. Advocates,
politicians, the general public, and the cancer research community were all
looking for definitive answers. At the heart of the issue was whether it was
beneficial for women in their 40s to have mammograms. On one side was the
National Cancer Institute (NCI), which in 1993 withdrew its recommendation for
women to have mammograms beginning at age 40 because of a lack of clear
scientific evidence that it would actually reduce death rates. On the other side
were those who cited preliminary data from a 1996 Swedish study that showed that
women beginning regular mammograms in their 40s had a 23 percent decrease in
breast cancer deaths. Some felt that mammograms had too many limitations and did
little to improve a woman’s risk of dying from breast cancer, while others felt
that mammograms saved lives by finding cancers early enough to control them. And
everyone was looking to the government for answers.
In an effort to quell the debate, in March 1996 the NCI hosted a mammography
consensus conference where some of the greatest scientific minds from around the
world came together to discuss the critical science that would inform the
guidelines that would be provided to women. “It was literally my first few weeks
as an intern in the Office of Communications at the National Cancer Institute,”
said Anne Lubenow, currently the Special Assistant to the NCI Director. “I
played a major role in planning for what the organization would do after the
meeting. There was a great deal of uncertainty as to what was going to come of
this and how we were going to respond. After seeing all the news coverage and
hearing from women who wanted more information, I realized that I could actually
be involved in really important work that can make a difference in the lives of
the public.”
“I am not competing for a raise in my job or competing with others…I am
competing with myself to do my best in helping my organization achieve its
mission.”
--Anne
Lubenow
That experience, which exemplified the critical role of government, produced a
passion for government service which has lasted to the present day. “Over the
course of my years at NCI, there have been times of uncertainty and turmoil, but
I have been fortunate enough during those times to have been able to take the
leap,” said Lubenow. “My experiences have been that no matter how scary the
options may seem, they couldn’t be worse than doing nothing.” Her experiences
over the years have included: serving as Special Assistant to the Director of
the NCI; coordinating the development of a communications plan for the cancer
research community in response to the events of Hurricane Katrina; overseeing a
communications program to inform the public and health professionals about the
exposure of the American public to radiation during the Nevada bomb tests in the
1950s and 1960s; and leading national communications campaigns concerning breast
and cervical cancer.
“Throughout the years, regardless of my role in projects, I have come to realize
that an essential component in my leadership journey has been my commitment to
the core values of my organization,” said Lubenow. “Making sure that you and
your organization are in alignment will ultimately help both succeed.”
Without initially knowing where her journey would take her, Lubenow stumbled
upon her career in the government. After learning that her husband was going to
be stationed in the Bethesda, Maryland, area she needed to find a job that would
fulfill the requirements for her Masters of Public Health. “I didn’t come here
because of a strong desire to work with cancer and I certainly wasn’t looking
for a government job,” said Lubenow. “Circumstances led to my arrival as a
health communications intern, and the opportunities to lead from within have
made me stay.”
Working with the NCI’s Office of Communications Health Promotions Branch as an
intern, she saw that people were receptive to her feedback and, in her eyes, she
had nothing to lose. The environment was supportive of leading from within and
thanks to a boss who provided her the safety net she needed, she was able to do
what she was trained to do. “I learned a huge lesson from an incredible
boss—that people who work for you can do amazing things if you let them,” said
Lubenow. “That lesson on effectively leading people has stayed with me through
the years and I have had some great successes with my own staff by doing just
that.”
According to Lubenow, while it is critical for leaders to build the support of
their staff and guide them towards achieving a shared vision or mission, anyone
at any level of an organization should feel empowered to lead. “If you are
willing to take the chance, you have the opportunity you write your own story,”
said Lubenow. “This can be far easier to do at a mid-level management level
because you have a defined environment and you can decide where to put a stake
in the ground.” According to Lubenow, it can often be more difficult at a lower
level of an organization because you often don’t have resources and sometimes
even more difficult at higher levels because of a desire to not “rock the boat.”
“It’s really about taking advantage of opportunities that come your way,” said
Lubenow. “People should look beyond their grade level and realize that they can
always have a role in improving their environment—no matter where they sit in an
organization.”
The all too true realities of public vs. private leadership can often drive
people to the private sector or in some cases cause them to become even more
dedicated to the mission of their government organization. Many government
leaders often feel torn and Lubenow, herself saw the value in finding time to
reflect on her own leadership values through the Council for Excellence in
Government Fellowship in 2005. “I had honestly become disenchanted with my
organization and was having difficulty seeing the value in government,” said
Lubenow. During a group discussion, one of the other Fellows said, “If not us,
then who?” and according to Lubenow, that is when she decided that she “didn’t
want to leave our government to be led by people who don’t have options.” This
struck at her core and that discussion renewed her commitment to civil service.
Although she went to another part of the organization, she remained in
government service at NCI. “The journey is clear for me,” said Lubenow. “I am
not competing for a raise in my job or competing with others…I am competing with
myself to do my best in helping my organization achieve its mission.”
Although Lubenow finds much more satisfaction in her current job and is looking
forward to many more years of continued service she mentions the difficulty in
striking a balance between work and her family. As a mother of two young
children, she often has to make difficult decisions around priorities. “If you
do jump, you can overextend yourself because work doesn’t stop,” said Lubenow.
“I am still struggling with that.”
As NCI continues to do critical research, communicate the research, and build
the linkages necessary to meet the organization’s mission, leaders such as
Lubenow must also continue finding new ways to motivate others. “As you move
higher in an organization you have less involvement in the actual work so it can
be a struggle to keep connected while leading people,” said Lubenow. “My job now
is really about building and leveraging partnerships to connect people and build
teams—and I am finding that quite rewarding.”
©2008 GovLeaders.org
