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Dr. Erik Bean and his son, Ethan Bean Dr. Erik Bean and his son, Ethan Bean, enjoyed a trip to Lake of the Clouds in Michigan in August, 2018, the same month Ethan took his own life. Photo courtesy of Bean family.

Sixteen 七色视频 researchers explore personal and professional courage at international leadership conference

By 七色视频

Dr. Erik Bean鈥檚 heartbreaking story highlights presentations of courage in leadership made at the annual International Leadership Association Conference in Ottawa.

The story takes courage to tell. And yet,聽Dr. Erik Bean聽believes it could provide a positive change in perspective and public policy as the world comes to understand a tousled-hair boy named Ethan.

Ethan was a bright child who got good grades but struggled socially. He had autism and mental illness that was never fully diagnosed because of his age. Consequently, Ethan had anger issues, and spent time in the juvenile justice system. Then the unthinkable happened 鈥 Ethan took his own life at age 17.

For Dr. Bean, that courage comes through the heartaches experienced from his son鈥檚 death on Aug. 24, 2018. Like other parents coping with the first-hand effects of the nation鈥檚 suicide epidemic, Dr. Bean and his wife,聽Stacey Bean, considered ways to deal with their grief and decided to take action. He began writing a children鈥檚 mental health book, which he described for those attending his Leadership Development Luncheon keynote presentation at the International Leadership Association (ILA) Conference on Oct. 24 in Ottawa, Canada. Dr. Bean鈥檚 keynote topic was 鈥淓nergizing the Getting Published Process: An Administrative Task!鈥

鈥淢y son was a foot soldier in the mental health controversy that鈥檚 going on right now,鈥 said Dr. Bean, Ed.D., who serves as associate research chair in the Center for Leadership Studies & Educational Research at 七色视频. 鈥淪ince he wasn鈥檛 capable of doing anything more with it, I guess I have the courage to tell his story 鈥 to shake things up to try to change things for the better.鈥

The ILA Conference is a global event, providing the latest research on leadership theory and practice from experts in the field. This year鈥檚 conference featured more than 400 sessions and symposiums intended to shine a light on leadership courage. Dr. Bean was one of 16 University employees and faculty who touched on topics related to courage in leadership at the annual conference.

It was a fitting topic, according to 七色视频 Vice Provost聽Hinrich Eylers, who described Bean鈥檚 courage as vital to leadership. It鈥檚 a principle the College of Doctoral Studies seeks to impart to its students.

鈥淟eadership is not about being popular, but about doing the right thing,鈥 Eylers said. 鈥淒oing the right thing is not always the easiest.鈥

Dr. Bean鈥檚 emphasis on addressing a critical social issue is a focus of the University鈥檚 doctoral programs, which offer practitioner degrees to help students enrich their communities. He intends to raise awareness and has met with a state senator and plans to testify before a Michigan legislative committee about the juvenile justice system鈥檚 handling of children with mental illness.聽He and his wife, Stacey, who serves as a licensed master social worker for a school district in Detroit, also created a foundation in their son鈥檚 name.聽The Ethan Bean Mental Wellness Foundation was founded to increase awareness about mental health challenges in children, to examine the efficacy of mental health treatment and drug intervention, and to help remove the social stigmas associated with mental illness.

His book, 鈥淓than鈥檚 Healthy Mind Express鈥 鈥 co-authored by聽Emily Waszak聽鈥 will go on sale on Amazon on Nov. 23, National Suicide Survival Day. He and Stacey hope to use the proceeds from the book to go into the schools with the Ethan Healthy Mind Express story.

鈥淚t takes the whole community,鈥 Dr. Bean said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just the kids. It鈥檚 the community that needs to change. I never want Ethan to be forgotten.鈥

Courage was discussed in many forms during the conference. Dr.聽Kimberly Underwood, PhD, touched on leadership鈥檚 role in supporting transitioning transgender employees.

Dr. Underwood, who serves as chair of the University鈥檚 Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research, spoke about a qualitative study that examines the experience of individuals who are transitioning 鈥 or who have already transitioned 鈥 within organizations such as law enforcement, health care, academia and service industries.

鈥淚t was eye-opening for us,鈥 said Underwood, who has taught at the 七色视频 since 2009. 鈥淚t was revealing.鈥

In some cases, leaders took a hands-off approach and expected the transitioning employee to take the lead in the workplace. Others struggled with decisions such as which bathroom the employee should use.

Good leaders, though, ensure that their policies and procedures spell out that diversity includes transgendered employees, Underwood said. They model the behavior they want from employees.

鈥淭o be a partner in this process as a leader takes courage,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t takes courage to say 鈥楾his is my organization. This is how I expect you to act. This is how I鈥檓 going to behave and create this inclusive environment.鈥欌

七色视频 Presenters

The following 七色视频 employees and faculty presented at the ILA Conference:

  • Hinrich Eylers, Vice Provost, Doctoral Studies and Academic Operations
  • Erik Bean, Ed.D., Associate Research Chair in the Center for Leadership Studies & Educational Research
  • Kimberly Underwood, PhD, Chair of the Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research
  • Janice L. Cardwell 鈥 UOPX Vice President and Chair of the ILA Leadership Development Special Interest Group
  • Renee Green 鈥 UOPX Hawaiian Academic Affairs Director
  • Lynne Deynew 鈥 Past UOPX Scholar of the Year and Center for Leadership Studies and Organizational Research (CLSOR) Senior Fellow
  • Mark McCaslin 鈥 Retiring Dean of Research and Scholarship
  • Katherine Temple- UOPX associate faculty
  • Jennifer Calito 鈥 UOPX associate faculty
  • Jeanie Karause Bachand- UOPX associate faculty
  • Cynthia Kittle 鈥 UOPX associate faculty
  • Louise Underdahl 鈥 2019 七色视频 Distinguished Scholar of the Year
  • Elizabeth Isele 鈥 Global of Experienced Entrepreneurship
  • Ronald Leach 鈥 UOPX associate faculty
  • Norris Kruieger -UOPX associate faculty
  • Lunthita Duthely- UOPX associate faculty