A Pearl of a Leader

Abstract

Digital Object Identifi er: 10.1188/07.ONF.13 WWPD—or “What would Pearl do?”— became, I dare say, an automatic assessment for many of us as we worked on behalf of ONS. For many of us who have been longtime members of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), we are about to embark on a journey that we thought might never come. At the end of the month, Pearl Moore, RN, MN, FAAN, the only person ever to have held the position, will retire from her job as chief executive offi cer (CEO). Many of you will sadly never have had the opportunity to meet and work directly with Pearl, but for those of us who have, it will be diffi cult to conceive of our organization without her presence and steady leadership. WWPD—or “What would Pearl do?”—became, I dare say, an automatic assessment for many of us as we worked on behalf of ONS. Ironically, most of ONS’s 35,000 members will barely blink an eye at the transition. Of course, the National Offi ce staff will feel the loss rather strongly, as will the leadership structure of ONS and its affi liated corporations. But most oncology nurses will go right on enjoying all of the benefi ts of ONS membership without realizing that most of what we have today can be attributed to Pearl’s amazing tenure as our leader. The fact that the transition to a new CEO will likely be seamless is a refl ection of the amazingly functional, organized, and progressive organization that ONS has developed into throughout the years—all under the watchful eye and with the direct input of Pearl. I am pretty sure that no one but a nurse could have been as successful in the job of taking a fl edgling but promising organization of oncology nurses and helping make it the force we are today. We are one of the largest specialty nursing organizations, highly respected, fi nancially stable, and goal directed, with a seat at many important tables. We have taken a leadership role in nursing that is envied, one that produces results for our members and for our patients. Documenting those achievements is impossible without crediting the hard work, dedication, and personal savvy of Pearl. I urge you to read the interview with Pearl in the Leadership and Professional Development column in this issue (see p. 23). Not surprisingly, this wonderful description of Pearl’s leadership journey