During his ascent in Leadership of the American College of Surgeons, James Elsey was named President of the Georgia State Chapter. A post of high visibility and performance at this level would be used as an important metric in his entry and future success in national leadership posts within the organization.
At the time of James’ election, the organization was in complete disarray. Organizational chaos, disgruntled members, declining membership and ineffective programs resulted in another state leadership program rising to fill the void.
James K. Elsey,
President | Board Member
“During the first few weeks of my tenure, I spent a great deal of time analyzing the situation by speaking to past and current members, as well as past leadership and members of the competing new society. The problem, as in all problems of failing organizations, was internal. The organization had become stale, producing old time-honored programs that were no longer effective. The organization had not kept up with the significant changes in surgical care, delivery modalities, technologies, threats to the guild and changes in the demographics of the new surgical workforce. In essence, the organization was rapidly losing relevancy and paying the price in membership, financial strength, and the ability to lead in the surgical world,” James said.
After serious contemplation, James initiated a plan for rehabilitation. First, he hired a new executive director with a seasoned history of membership societal turnarounds. To secure longevity, her salary was incentivized by membership development. “I knew that the future viability of the organization lay in attracting and building the interest of younger members. I implemented a series of organizational changes and new programs to attract medical students, residents and new surgeons, as well as their families,” Elsey said.
Elsey met with area medical schools and training programs, gaining their support of the new society. In recognition of the evolution of the surgical sub-specialist, James created new programs that were of interest and practical value to these groups. As it became more important to have a voice the State Legislature, he utilized his political skills to launch a popular and successful State Pac and advocacy program, so the concerns of members could be heard at the State legislative level. Finally, as the society became more relevant and the membership grew, James connected with the competing society and invited them into the existing organization, to create a strong, organized, and effective force for surgery in Georgia.
With these changes, the State society has become the strongest in the country, and the story of the rehabilitative leadership is now the national model for other struggling groups.
Watch full video interview below.
Contact James Elsey via LinkedIn or his Career WebFolio.
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