Riverside, Calif. (Nov. 18, 2015) – "Power and influence are not the same. Leadership and influence are functions, not a position," Dr. Craig Jackson said at the California Baptist University College of Health Science's Distinguished Lecture Series on Nov. 16.

Jackson is the dean of the School of Allied Health Professions at Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) and a global health educator. He has been instrumental in helping establish new allied health programs including a one-of-a-kind rehabilitation technician program in Haiti. He was also instrumental in establishing respiratory care education in Saudi Arabia and remains involved in health and mental health education in countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  

Jackson highlighted the differences between power and influence.

"Influence comes from you. Power may be granted to you in terms of a position, but influence is from you," Jackson said.

He then challenged the audience members to consider what their influence may be.

"It's not a matter of whether or not we have influence. The question is whether or not it is positive. It is part of the integrity you develop as you think about leadership," Jackson said.

Jackson also talked about how he and other department leaders at LLUH integrate faith into their work.

"When we have our meetings, we talk about the ideas of our spiritual gifts. We also talk about how we must lead by example and to us Christ is the best example of selfless, serving leadership," Jackson said. "We always go back to this and I integrate it into my teachings."