For more than a century, the AUA has been committed to providing clinical education for the urological community. In the past several years, the AUA recognized an emerging need for leadership and business training among urologists—at all stages of their career. To meet this need, the AUA officially launched its Institute for Leadership & Business (ILB) in 2022 with the goal of providing education, training and resources that support leadership development and business acumen within the urology community. One of the first programs launched under the ILB was the Global Residents Leadership Retreat, which took place on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at the AUA Annual Meeting in Chicago. The AUA prides itself on being a global leader in urology and with global outreach and education steadfast priorities of the organization, it’s no surprise the AUA took a global approach when developing its first leadership program for residents. The Retreat’s mission was to provide leadership development training for residents, but the AUA also wanted to create an opportunity for residents around the world to forge strong connections that would carry forward well beyond their time in Chicago.

To assemble an engaged group of residents from around the world, the AUA partnered with its 8 domestic Sections, which selected half of the participants, and our international partner societies from the AUA International Membership Committee (IMC) selected the other half. In total, the Retreat included 38 residents representing all AUA Sections (including Canada and Mexico) as well as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Peru, Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Though the attendees were geographically diverse, the program was designed to be universal and spoke to the core fundamentals of leadership, which transcends geographic borders. Sessions explored the role of a strong leader and effective communication skills. Participants also participated in a DISC Assessment, which allowed them to understand their own personality type and how to adapt and work with other personality types. Navigating challenging and changing environments are critical for today’s leaders, so we included a session on leadership agility and how to assess and manage uncertainty.

One of the most unique features of the program was its highly interactive format. Dana Hamer, AUA’s Director of Marketing & Member Engagement, noted, “We were very intentional about building a program that got participants out of their seats and engaged with one another. We know there is value in the didactic content, but there is often greater value in the connections.” The day’s most interactive, and highly praised, program was the Journey for Jewels Simulation, a swashbuckling strategy session where participants worked in teams to successfully navigate an ocean, mine diamonds, and return home, all while facing time constraints, challenges, and unexpected changes—some of the very pressures facing today’s leaders.

The day came to a close with Drs Margaret Pearle, Brant Thrasher, and Stephen Nakada, all established leaders in urology, joining me for a panel discussion on leadership. Margaret Pearle, Professor and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs and Past-president of the Endourological Society, explored the differences between mentorship and sponsorship, and encouraged residents to invest in relationships and take on challenging tasks. Brant Thrasher, Executive Director of the American Board of Urology, spoke passionately on exemplifying leadership, reminding residents that “leadership is character in action.” Stephen Nakada, Urology Chairman at University of Wisconsin and now AUA President-elect, spoke on learning to lead boldly, inspiring residents to be consistent, productive, and relevant over time. As my tenure as AUA Secretary came to a close just a few days after this event, the panel discussion allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my decades in global leadership—the extraordinary relationships, the indelible opportunities, the lessons learned, and the lasting impact, both on me and the organizations I have had the privilege to serve.

We surveyed attendees after the program, and the event received universal praise. One hundred percent of respondents said the retreat enhanced their understanding of leadership. One hundred percent of respondents said the retreat helped them to develop their own personal leadership skills. One hundred percent of respondents said they would recommend the program to other residents. Nine out of 10 respondents said that they anticipate using the skills and concepts they learned often or every day. The one change they recommended was more time to connect. They were having such a good time, several recommended we extend the program with an organized happy hour. We’ll be sure to make note of that for the next Global Residents Leadership Retreat in 2025.

We were inspired by the extraordinary group of residents who joined us for our inaugural event—the future of our specialty looks very bright indeed! We hope the connections they made will endure and spark future collaborations all around the world. When I think back on the day in its entirety, it started in a quiet room, many residents shy, cautious, and curious about the day ahead. The day ended in a room filled with energy, laughter, and camaraderie. Mission accomplished.