Barbara Brunt, MA, MN, RN-BC, NE-BC is an Education Consultant and past ANPD President.
Leadership is not a title - anyone can be a
leader. All NPD specialists, regardless
of our role, can continue to develop leadership skills. I have used the letters of the word leadership
to outline some of the characteristics of a leader.
Learning is
critical to leadership – learning and competence matter. We need to be lifelong learners and constantly
seek out new knowledge. We learn by
making mistakes – they help us grow and are NOT failures. Thomas Edison said “I have not failed, I just
found 10,000 ways that will not work”, and “our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way
to succeed is always to try just one more time.” There are multiple resources for your
professional development, such as webinars, books, online courses, etc,
available through ANPD.
Empowering others
is important. Webster defines
empowerment as “giving power or authority to or give ability to”. We need to help our coworkers and others feel
significant, showing concern and caring.
Pierre de Chardin said, “The most empowering relationships are
those in which each partner lifts the other to a higher possession of their own
being.” We need to lift others up to
fully develop our own leadership skills.
Accountability and aspiring for
excellence are other characteristics of leadership. Leaders take accountability for their
decisions, and constantly aspire to be the best they can be. We need to continually strive for excellence,
even though we realize we may not get there.
Driving innovation
is another component of leadership. Webster
defines innovation as introducing new methods or devices. All of us need to question why – because we
have always done it that way is not an acceptable answer. There is an increasing amount of literature
providing the best evidence for our care – leaders need to constantly look for
better ways of doing things. Consider
applying for a research grant, if you want to validate an innovative approach
to teaching or NPD practice.
Embracing change
is a critical skill in today’s ever-changing health care environment. Change is a constant, and we need to accept
that fact. John F. Kennedy said,
“Change is the law of life. And those
who only look to the past or present are sure to miss the future.” Not only do we need to accept change, but we
need to serve as change agents to help others cope with change. A few of my favorite quotes about change are:
Gandi – Be the change you
wish to see in the world
Socrates – The secret of
change is to focus all of your energy not into fighting the old but on building
the new
Norm Brodsky (Entrepreneur)
– Either you are an agent of change or you are destined to become a victim of
change. You simply can’t survive over
the long haul by standing still.
I think these quotes
emphasize the importance of your reaction to change.
Resolving conflicts
is essential to success when applying leadership skills. Conflict is inevitable and we need to deal
with it rather than letting it fester.
Resolving conflicts is often not pleasant and we tend to procrastinate
when there is something we don’t want to do; however, that will not make the
conflicts go away. The first step to
conflict resolution is to recognize what factors contribute to conflict. Some of these are: differences in values, fear,
miscommunication, treatment of others, honesty, and attitudes. Four basic strategies for resolving conflicts
are accommodation, assertion, avoidance, and negotiation.
Serving others and
seeking out a mentor are two other leadership characteristics. Servant leadership can be helpful in getting
others to work towards a common goal. Servant
leadership is
both a leadership philosophy and set of leadership practices. Traditional
leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at
the “top of the pyramid.” By comparison, the servant-leader shares power, puts
the needs of others first, and helps people develop and perform as highly as
possible. People love to follow
servant leaders
A mentor can open doors and present opportunities for your
personal and professional growth. A
mentor is different from a preceptor. Mentors
do not have to work in the same facility or even be in the same state. Belinda Puetz is one of my mentors. When I was actively involved in the National
Nursing Staff Development Organization, she was the Executive Director of that
group. The American University of Beirut
in Lebanon was looking for a staff development consultant to do an on-site
visit, and she suggested they contact me.
I went there back in 1999 and helped them further develop their staff
development program. Gladys Mouro, who
was the CNO at that time, became a board member of STTI later. I believe her letter of support helped me
receive one of the STTI Founders awards, because of the emphasis on global
impact.
Honing collaboration
and teamwork skills are critical skills for leaders. With the focus on interprofessional education
and teamwork, we need to work closely with other members of the healthcare
team. With the complexity of health care
today, it takes a village with multiple skill sets to most effectively care for
our patients. Research has long
suggested that interprofessional collaboration improves coordination,
communication and, ultimately, the quality and safety of patient care. It
utilizes both the individual and collective skills and experience of team
members, allowing them to function more effectively and deliver a higher level
of services than each would working alone.
Inspiring others and
getting involved is important.
Providing a clear vision can motivate others to become more involved. Great leaders inspire others. John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions
inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a
leader.” ANPD has a lot of opportunities
for you to get involved in whatever activities resonate with you. You can become involved by being a part of a
committee, or volunteering for a task force or specific task, such as reviewing
chapters in ANPD publications.
Providing feedback
is the last leadership characteristic. The
important of clear and frequent communication, both written and verbal, can’t
be overemphasized. You need to let your
coworkers know what they are doing well, or if there are things they could be
doing better. My background as an
English teacher has served me well throughout my career – I love to write, and
my initial education provided me with the tools to communicate clearly both
verbally and in writing.
You never know what difference you will make in someone’s
life. I challenge all of you to
develop your leadership skills and make a difference.
