Innovation Leadership ... Creating the Landscape of Health Care, Tim Porter O'Grady and Kathy Malloch, editors. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2010. Softcover, 366 pages, $69.95.
"The Leadership of innovation in complex adaptive systems requires a whole new leadership skill set in an emergent notion of leadership itself" (p 28).
Innovation has become more than a buzz word in this era of health care reform. It is a necessity. Nursing has had to be creative by nature, just to meet the goals of patient care in an ever-shortening time span with even sicker patients. The innovation this book addresses is organizational (culture, systems, groups/teams, etc) and a whole new set of leadership competencies is required to create and implement new designs. Nursing, the core of patient care, needs to be a part of this new shift and in some areas drive it. It is not surprising that the same authors of The Quantum Leader (Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2005) would provide guidance for the era of innovation. They understand the complexity of health care and the forces of change descending upon us. Malloch tells us: "As the acceleration of change continues (warp speed), it is possible that less time will be required for traditional operations and more resources required to manage innovations and transition the selected work into operations" (p 56).
The book is supported by 16 contributors, the editor/authors, and 10 chapters. Many of the chapters, particularly the ones about actual innovations, have photographs, giving visual images to the changes. The editors/authors, in chapters 1 and 2, lay a foundation for truly understanding what occurs in real change. Although this new leadership model is emerging, some of the capacities emphasized in this book are as follows:
In general (pp 28-29)
* Ability to transform the character and culture of systems and organizations
* Build appropriate connections and linkages of major and small networks, internal and external environments, and relationships
For architectural redesign (p 56)
* Art of articulation-to all levels of stakeholders
* Build interdisciplinary teams that work with designers
* Financial, not just traditional business or healthcare finance but in construction and design and cost-to-benefit analysis to the board
This book is not a quick and easy read. There are extensive discussions around leadership models, complexity, and definitions of innovation. If you have heard the authors speak, you ask your friend, what was meant by complexity theory? The same is true for this book. With the book, you have the opportunity to read, reflect, and reread. This book will definitely serve as a textbook for students of leadership and innovation. And just as we read Peter Senge (The Fifth Discipline, Double Currency, 1990) a few times until we "self-mastered" systems thinking, we will find ourselves reading Innovation Leadership a few times. This emerging style is neither horizontal nor linear. It is in itself complex. To assist us in this new way of thinking, the authors invited other contributors to bring some practical, systemic thinking to innovation itself. These contributors share innovation models and tools along with innovative projects at their institutions. There are strategy maps, spaghetti maps, and process maps, along with creative ideas of using photography to visualize what you are working on. There are floor plans, photos of patient rooms, and architectural designs. We are treated to chapters on the intuitive leader, how to generate new ideas, and creating healing spaces. Educators, facilitators, and leaders of innovation, along with members of an innovation team, will enjoy this book. Many of us have enhanced our own learning journey with quality through Deming, Juran, and Crosby. We even survived Hammer's Reengineering. Some are incorporating Lean and Six Sigma as this review is being written. Innovation leadership takes us to the next level of learning, which will be so important in adapting to the health care reform facing us.
Why Retire ... Career Strategies for Third Age Nurses, Fay Bower and William A. Sadler. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International; 2009. Softcover, 191 pages, $25.95.
B Is for Balance ... A Nurses Guide for Enjoying Life at Work and Home, Sharon M. Weinstein. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International; 2009. Softcover, 175 pages, $21.95.
Nurse Fit ... Your Total Plan for Getting Fit and Living Well, Gary Scholar. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International; 2010. Soft cover, 252 pages, $24.95.
I bring you these 3 books because I think it is important for nurses to focus on their own self-care. We need nurses, and only nurses can care for us if we care for them, or at least give them the tools to do so. The first book focuses on Third Age Nurses (ages 50-75 years) and strategies for them to continue in the workforce while staying healthy. Nurse leaders will find this helpful if they want to call on the wisdom of our retiring nurses. I do not think nurses who have put in 30, 40, or 50 years owe us anything but it behooves us and them to think about how we can keep them as a part of our team should they want to.
The second book is about balance. Whether you prefer the term harmony or balance, this book offers strategies for the many nurses who are asking, "how can I give to my job and grow in my profession and maintain balance." This would be a great book to start building your personal self-care library as the author draws on other people in the field, such as Covey, to help achieve balance.
The third book is about fitness written by a wellness guru. There are some interesting insights into nursing personalities and how the work of nursing affects our bodies and our health. The author not only provides good fitness tips but also relates the tips to nurses and their world (such as those who work in nightshifts). The author draws on a number of sources for tips rarely heard of such as eliminating nightshades from your diet. If you are like most of us, we have more than 1 fitness book in our library. This book would make a nice addition to anyone's library.
Take time to take care for yourself. We appreciate what you are doing for our well-being and that of our country. Self-care is not selfish. It is mandatory. If you have not already done so, start building your library of books for what works for you.
President, Falter & Associates Inc, Georgetown, Delaware Tucson, Arizona
Elizabeth (Betty) Falter, MS, RN, CNAA, BC