Leadership role of NRA.

Introduction

"Leadership: The Gateway to the Future" was the 1994 program theme for the National Rehabilitation Association (NRA). This theme evolved from the belief that the Association had reached a major crossroad, one in which the membership and elected leadership needed to focus on the future roles of the Association and effectiveness of its leadership.

History

Clearly, the founding fathers of NRA intended the organization to assume a leadership role in the field of rehabilitation with a specific emphasis on the state/federal vocational rehabilitation program. The purpose of the organization, then called the National Civilian Rehabilitation Conference, as stated in the original NCRC Constitution was:

a. to provide through its meetings a forum in which all

phases of vocational rehabilitation of disabled civilians

and problems incidental thereto may be discussed.

b. to conduct a campaign of education to bring the general

public to an adequate understanding of the importance of

the civilian rehabilitation movement.

c. to further so far as possible and desirable agreement upon

principles and practices in the field of civilian rehabilitation

and to promote comity between the various agencies.

to set up a medium through which expression may be

given to the views of the membership upon pending legislation

and public policies affecting the civilian rehabilitation

movement. (NCRC, 1925)

During the 1970s, new Federal legislation, such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Public Law 94-142, the Education of All Handicapped Children's Act of 1974 caused the field of rehabilitation to change and concomitantly new organizations to form, thereby effecting the leadership role of NRA. An example is found in the decision of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) members to leave NRA and establish a separate organization to advocate specifically for the state/federal vocational rehabilitation program. (Duncan, 1986) A multitude of disability advocacy organizations, with specific interests, also established roots during this period.

At this same time, NRA was undergoing change while seeking a revised leadership role. The 1976 Constitution and Bylaws for NRA state the following purposes:

1. Exercising leadership in identifying the needs of handicapped individuals, interpreting these needs to society, planning and promoting programs designed to meet these needs, and translating such programs into services at the community level.

2. Identifying the essential elements in the practice of rehabilitation and fostering the development and application of standards which will help to assure effective services to handicapped people.

3. Exercising leadership in developing concepts and practices which will foster interagency and inter-professional activity directed toward helping handicapped individuals increase their ability to function.

4. Encouraging the entry of competent and humanitarian individuals to the rehabilitation professions and fostering training opportunities required to make them effective practitioners.

5. Encouraging the search for improved methods and techniques in the organization, administration and practice of rehabilitation, and fostering the dissemination and evaluation of such findings.

6. Exercising leadership in removing environmental and legal barriers and overcoming discrimination which keeps handicapped individuals from living normal lives and enjoying the rights and benefits that should be the heritage of every American citizen. (NRA, 1976)

With only slight alteration to change "handicapped individuals" to "individuals with disabilities," the constitutional purpose remains the same to this date. (NRA, 1992)

Altering the Course

Realizing that an organization, although maintaining strong ties to its 1925 and 1976 purposes, must make significant changes to survive in the modern era, the 1993 and 1994 NRA Boards initiated a three-step process to evaluate NRA. That attempt was designed to thoroughly ascertain NRA's basis, structure and future. By consensus the 1993 Board agreed on a guiding set of seven values. They agreed that the association values advocacy, professions in rehabilitation, relationships built on trust and integrity, personal and professional enrichment, all people, responsible resource management and visionary leadership. The 1994 Board presented a mission statement which it believed will be the basis for NRA leadership into the next decade. It states: "The National Rehabilitation Association is a member organization whose mission is providing opportunities through knowledge and diversity to professionals in the fields of rehabilitation." The third step, strategy development on how to accomplish the mission, was initiated in 1994 and carried forward for final development by the 1995 Board. While this exercise has been excruciatingly slow, it is one of leadership. Ultimately, this process is expected to refocus the Association to a purpose required for the close of this decade and into the next century. In 1986, William C. Emner said "My overriding concern is that while the field of rehabilitation has expanded, grown and changed, NRA has appeared to become more bureaucratized, focused and resistant to change. As we move toward 1990, NRA should re-think its mission, its purpose, its structure and its ability to remain viable, proactive and organizationally dynamic." (Emner, 1986)

Leadership Development

Concurrent with the apparent need to lead the Association in changed directions was a necessity for leadership development within the organization. Structural fragmentation and lack of common direction has prevented NRA and all its component parts from maximizing well-founded efforts. Consequently, 1994 saw the initiation of two efforts designed to improve elected leaders' perception of what they are elected to do and how they are to get it done. First, was initiation of an annual Leadership Development Conference and second, was establishment of an NRA Leadership Development Fund. Through these two ongoing efforts, future Association leaders will have the opportunity to prepare themselves for the positions to which they are elected. As stated by John F. Schlegel (1994), "future leaders will need to know and understand that bureaucracies are dead; they will possess a global perspective, create and communicate a vision, promote change, employ strategic thinking, deploy and disperse power; they will embrace and value diversity, know how to manage technology, inspire and motivate others and above all value people. Further expansion and full participation can only enhance NRA's potential."

Conclusion

Leadership is preparation for an ever-changing future. Consequently, it is encumbant upon NRA's future leaders to constantly prepare the organization, its elected leadership and, most importantly, its membership for evolution in the rehabilitation environment.

References

Constitution and Bylaws, National Rehabilitation Association Press, Alexandria, Virginia, 1976

Constitution and Bylaws, National Rehabilitation Association Press, Alexandria, Virginia, 1992

Duncan, Jack G. (1986), NRA General Counsel, Journal of Rehabilitation, 52(3), 24.

Emner, W. G. (1986), Futuristic Perspectives and Recommendations for the National Rehabilitation Association, Journal of Rehabilitation 52(3), 69.

Proceedings of Business Session, Third Annual Meeting National Civilian Rehabilitation Conference, Cleveland, Ohio, 1925

Schlegel, John F. (1994), The 21st Century Leadership, Williamsburg, 1994 Leadership Conference of the National Rehabilitation Association.

Tommy H. Allen is an assistant Regional Director with the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, having previously served in Rehabilitation Counselor and District Supervisor positions. He is immediate Past President of NRA with service to the association as NRA Board Member-at-Large, Southeast Region President, NCRA (state chapter) President two times and has participated on numerous commissions and committees at all levels. Allen is a recipient of the 1989 Southeast Region H.B. Cummins Award and was a Switzer Scholar in 1994. His undergraduate degree is from Atlantic Christian College and he holds an M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University.