The Capacity for Change

For Michael J. Fox, Fullan's (2005) leadership capacities are very evident. Moral purpose is clearly the guiding principal for his work with his Parkinson’s Foundation and his advocacy of stem cell research. However, the positive reaction he receives for making a difference in the lives of millions of Parkinson’s patients has sometimes been overshadowed by his vehement quest for stem cell research. Many people are religiously and morally opposed to the stem cell research that Fox advocates for, but he contends that this research can be handled responsibly. Fox rejoiced when President Obama lifted the ban on federally funded stem cell research because he spent a lot of time and effort on the campaign trail focusing on that particular outcome and he remains optimistic that this is one of the answers he has been seeking. “Michael believes President Obama's decision is a step in the right direction. ‘It was absolutely crucial that this research be unfettered and allowed today to go forward in a responsible way,’ [Fox] says. ‘People's concerns, I understand, and I just have faith in our scientists and the research community that they'll do this ethically and to good purpose’.” (Oz, 2009). Regardless of other people's perceptions, Michael J. Fox is convinced of his moral purpose and he allows it to drive him toward success.

Fox is often quoted when speaking about the relationships he has cultivated in his quest for a cure. These relationships range from his family members to business gurus to other advocates with a similar mission like Lance Armstrong, and Fox’s networking strategy has proved the importance of developing good relationships. Fox told a leadership forum about this by saying, “So I suppose that is lesson number one: surround yourself with smart, dedicated people…hire the smartest people you can find. I must say, I continue to be amazed at the intelligence, commitment and dedication of our advisors, our Board and our staff, many of whom devote considerable time and resources, even though they have no connection to the disease” (Fox, 2005). Aside from cultivating important business relationships, Fox has also strengthened his bond with wife, Tracey Pollan, and their four children and he uses their support to increase his drive and determination as well.

Fox also understands the necessity for change and this ties into the prior characteristics of moral purpose and relationship building because he has become a catalyst for change because of his strong moral goals and the relationships he has forged as a result. For Fox, the most crucial change is in the form of a cure to Parkinson’s Disease. Since there is currently no cure, he strives to change the way the research is conducted and, in doing so, he has changed the function of his non-profit organization and he has been successful so far. About his goals for change he said, “The timeframe was ambitious: find a cure within the decade, which scientists believe is possible. We wanted to create a tipping point, a critical mass of discovery so that a cure becomes inevitable. This is a "moon shot" goal and we didn't know realistically whether it could happen. But we share this hope and sense of urgency with six million Parkinson's patients around the world. So the second lesson would be to aim high, focus your energies and color everything you do with a sense of urgency. You may not reach the moon, but you could end up on top of the mountain” (Fox, 2005). Fox’s goals for change with a sense of urgency coupled with his theory of the importance of optimism has truly changed the way that scientists and patients are viewing Parkinson’s Disease.

Of course, change would not be possible without knowledge, and Fox admits that he started off deficient in regard to his scientific knowledge base, “When we began, I didn't know a whole lot about science or the brain. I'm still no expert, by any means. But scientists make it clear. Among all the neurological disorders, Parkinson's is the best understood and likely the first to be solved. And advances in the field promise to benefit Alzheimer's, ALS, MS and other diseases…Since we began, we've funded more than $55 million in science, supporting more than 200 research projects in 18 countries around the world” (Fox, 2005). Not only did Fox need to increase his knowledge of science, he also had to increase his knowledge about people and about business in order to revolutionize an approach that could do what past efforts had failed to do. He explains, “We also wanted a new standard for accountability. We ask scientists to focus on outcomes, not just experiments, and report to us periodically on their progress. Increasingly, we are asking for specific milestones and some are go/no-go points for additional funding” (Fox, 2005). These new standards represent the building and sharing of knowledge as they become a catalyst for change and also help to build relationships between the funding sources and the scientists to further embody the significance of Fox’s leadership.

Since Fox is such a significant leader in the field of Parkinson’s research, he has done a phenomenal job at making things coherent. In his book, Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist, he brings together four key facets of his life – work, politics, faith, and family, and he brings the same four facets together in his everyday life. Fox is successfully combining his family, his celebrity persona, his tragic diagnosis, his political beliefs and his personal beliefs into a crusade that no one could have prophesied and he is changing the world in the process. As he points out, “That is perhaps the most important lesson: take risks, look for the gaps and do what no one else is doing” (Fox, 2005).

References:

Fullan, M., Cuttress, C., & Kilcher A. (2005). 8 Forces for leaders of change. Retrieved from http://michaelfullan.ca/Articles_06/8ForcesforLeaders.pdf

Fox, M. J. (2009). Always looking up: The adventures of an incurable optimist.
New York: Hyperion.

Fox, M. J. (2005, October 19). Michel J Fox addresses the Benjamin Franklin
Leadership Symposium at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social
Policy and Practice. Address presented at Benjamin Franklin Leadership
Symposium, The University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved from: http://www.michaeljfox.org /newsEvents_michaelInTheNews_article.cfm?ID=15

Oz, M. (2009, March 19). Michael J. Fox's life with Parkinson's - Stem cells,
optimism, and more! Retrieved February 24, 2010, from Oprah.com website:
http://www.oprah.com/health/
Michael-J-Foxs-Life-with-Parkinsons-Stem-Cells-Optimism-and-More/1

The Qualities of an Incurable Optimist

Although Michael J. Fox is known for acting more than he is known for leading, he embodies many qualities of leadership. After reading his memoirs and watching various interviews and television specials, I have observed Fox being optimistic, passionate, persuasive, thorough, ambitious, creative, insightful, enthusiastic, persistent, and friendly. Consequently, he embodies qualities of a variety of leaders, but his dominant characteristics seem to indicate that he is primarily a "promoter" because he has proven that he likes to get involved and he has much enthusiasm for his career, his family, and his cause. Since "promoter" does not sum up all of his attributes, Fox's secondary categorization would be "controller" because he is also very competitive and likes logical solutions.

Clearly, the main turning point in Fox's life was his Parkinson's diagnosis, but he also encountered other more subtle battles with his career, his beliefs, and Rush Limbaugh. The Parkinson's Disease diagnosis changed the course of Fox's life, but in many ways it made his life better. Fox laments the end of his successful career by saying, "Ironic that in order to do my life's work, I had to quit my day job" (Fox, 2009, p. 29). However, his initial acceptance of his diagnosis and his subsequent conquest for a cure was not always easy for him to wrap his head around. Fox writes, "I found myself struggling with a strange new dynamic: the shifting of public and private personas. I had been Mike the actor, then Mike the actor with PD. Now was I just Mike with PD? Parkinson's had consumed my career and, in a sense, had become my career. But where did all of this leave me?...The answer had very little to do with 'protection' and everything to do with perspective" (Fox, 2009, p. 5). Clearly, Michael J. Fox's unique "perspective" is the key to his success as a leader in every facet of his life.

For Michael J. Fox, failure has actually fueled his optimism and made him a better leader. I'm not sure if his health can be considered a failure, but it was definitely a setback physically and mentally. He also faced many setbacks in regard to his acting career and on the campaign trail as he advocated for stem cell research. Parkinson's was the main factor that ended his acting career as well as the main catalyst for his career as advocate and inspirational leader. Parkinson's could have caused more problems for him personally, but in true optimist fashion, he describes how the setbacks became moments of growth. About his successful marriage, Fox writes, "Much of what has gone so right in the last twenty years has had to do with how what has gone wrong has been mitigated by our partnership, our friendship, and in the broader sense, the possibility of a marriage done right" (Fox, 2009, p. 213). He also shared a similar optimistic sentiment after campaigning for stem cell legislation that was ultimately vetoed by George W. Bush, "I was disappointed, but I still thought, Better than nothing, lets wait and see" (Fox, 2009, p. 98). For Fox, it seems that failure does not exist as long as one has the attitude to deal with adversity and grow as result.

Fox, M. J. (2009). Always looking up: The adventures of an incurable
optimist. New York: Hyperion.

From Teen Wolf to Great Leader

I chose Michael J. Fox as my blog-worthy leader because I have been studying his memoir Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist with my students. After reading and rereading his second book and watching his various interviews and television specials, I am impressed by his ability to be a leader on screen, at home, and in the scientific and political arenas. Most people have difficulty making a difference in one realm, but Michael J. Fox has proved that he is a great husband and father, an accomplished actor, a formidable political activist, and a guru of hope and optimism.

Michael J. Fox is best known for his breakout role on the 80's sitcom Family Ties and Spin City, for his blockbuster roles in movies like the Back to the Future trilogy, Teen Wolf, and Doc Hollywood, and most recently for his role on ABC's Spin City. However, Fox's acting career took a backseat to a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. "Despite Spin City's incredible success and a showering of Emmy and Golden Globe awards, Fox announced in early 2000 that he would leave the show, which he also executive produced, to spend time with his family, and to concentrate on raising money and awareness for Parkinson's disease...Fox won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his final season on Spin City, along with the respect and support of the entire Hollywood community"(Michael J. Fox, 2010). Fox's decision to quit acting and focus on finding a cure solidified his transformation into a great leader.


Although most people know Michael J. Fox for his extensive and successful career in film and television, he has spent the more recent portion of his life proving himself as a great leader and advocate for Parkinson's Disease, the degenerative disease he was diagnosed with at age 30. Although it took him some time to come to terms with his diagnosis and find his voice in regard to advocacy, the Michael J. Fox Foundation has set some serious precedents. "What makes the story of the Michael J. Fox Foundation different - nay, what makes it important - is that it doesn't just dole out money to scientists and hope for the best. It has used its money to take control of Parkinson's research like few other foundation have ever done" (Nocera, 2008). Not only has Fox created one of the most successful research foundations in history, he has also worked hard for scientific advances and he has become a beacon of hope and optimism for people suffering setbacks around the world. In his most recent memoir, Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist, Fox has broken up his world into four main components - Work, Politics, Faith, and Family - in order to explain how his optimistic outlook, fostered by his experience with Parkinson's, has made a huge difference and ensured his continued success (Fox, 2009).




Fox, M. J. (2009). Always looking up: The adventures of an incurable
optimist. New York: Hyperion.

Michael J. Fox. (2010). Biography.com. Retrieved 08:54, Feb 16 2010 from
http://www.biography.com/articles/Michael-J.-Fox-9542279

Nocera, J. (2008, November 11). Taking Science Personally. The New York Times, giving. Retrieved from http://www.michaeljfox.org/news_pdfs/18107-NYT-MJFox1.pdf