As a doctor of leadership I have seen, read and observed many definitions of the term nurse leader. My own simple definition of leadership is “one who inspires and grows people.” In other words, a leader is concerned for the wellbeing of others at the expense of themselves.
Good leaders are selfless, with the goal of allowing everyone around them to be successful and noticed for what they do. Think back to some leaders that you have worked with in the past. Identify the behaviors that you observed in them that made you feel good about yourself when you were around them.
I have the privilege of teaching a one-week doctoral leadership immersion class for amazing nurse executives from across the country. Over the course of 3 years, in an exercise about important leadership behaviors, here are their observations which are consistent from class to class.
A good nurse leader:
1. Cares about others before themselves.
2. Makes you feel important and good about yourself
3. Supports you in all that you do and fights for what’s right.
4. Has emotional intelligence and looks for all sides of the story before judging you.
5. Is fair, treating everyone with the same degree of respect.
6. Is consistent and never has a “bad hair day.” You can trust that they will lead the same way every day.
7. Has no ego.
8. Is innovative and looks for ideas from the staff.
9. Has a high degree of energy and a contagious spirit.
10. Has a great deal of charisma and presence about themselves.
11. Is very confident and strong when needed.
12. Is cool under pressure, never complaining or whining.
13. Is a good nurse role model, always walking the talk.
As nurses, we are trained to be leaders in our work environment. We lead our teams, students, new orients, committees and the unit. We are leaders that will be judged by others based on our style and leadership success.
It is then important for us to understand our own personal nursing leadership style and to improve on it. Effective leadership, whether it is in our organizational setting or in our personal life, can be the key to future success. Think back to those wonderful nurse leaders you have had experience in the past and model those behaviors. People will come to respect and appreciate you, and will enjoy following you.