Essential Leadership Skills, Part III: Fostering Change Through Collaboration

Lactation consultants and others working in this field are passionate about what they do. Sometimes that passion leads to frustration and a sense that the ultimate goals are not being achieved. Perhaps the vision is to achieve Baby-Friendly Hospital certification, and the assumption is that “my hospital will never get there” or “they will never give up the free formula.” Perhaps the perception by the hospital administration is that lactation consultants “will not compromise” and therefore are not invited to the table when decisions are made. Fostering the change needed to move toward your vision requires collaboration. To collaborate, you must “consider others and their journey.” It requires building relationships with mutual purpose, creating a partnership to achieve a win/win for everyone.