Imprinting leadership

Extract

I am an unusual Webb Lecture Award recipient. I am only the fifth recipient to be a woman. I am the fifth recipient west of the Great Plains—west of Kansas City or Dallas. And, importantly for my remarks, I have practiced clinically longer than most recipients. I have spent most of my career as a clinician. I confess I skipped reading many of the Webb Lectures along the way. Yet, I have the humble honor of opening the fourth decade of Webb Lectures.

“Imprinting leadership” is a strong image, implying lasting effect. It may remind you of baby ducks following their mother. But I also mean imprint in the sense of “to fix firmly on the mind or memory” and “to make an impression; have an effect.”¹ If you think of the pharmacist who had the biggest impact on you or your career, then that would be a strong imprint for you and give you a sense of what I mean.