Usually during my evening commute home, I think about the tasks I accomplished during the preceding hours. Unfortunately, many times it seems like all I've done is answer e-mails and address the crisis of the day. As nurse leaders, we're frustrated by times like these because we feel we haven't made a contribution.
We can move beyond the frustration by reframing the way we view our role as leaders. When it appears as though we haven't accomplished our goals, we may have unknowingly influenced others in ways not even imagined.
Lead by example
Your staff members constantly watch you, evaluating your performance. They observe your verbal and nonverbal cues while assessing your reaction to any given situation. If this sounds as though you're a character on the healthcare stage, it's because you are.
A nurse manager once told me, "I watch everything you do." At first her comment startled me, until I realized that her intention was to learn how I handle management situations so she could add evaluation and analysis to her own skills set. Through our discussions, I helped her take her daily practice to the next level.
Informal conversations are an integral part of role-modeling leadership skills. Maintaining an open door policy provides staff members with a vehicle through which they can receive sound advice in a welcome setting. These interactions have lasting effects on the style and approach that your staff members will use when confronting their own management situations.
Set the right tone
All of us report to someone. We're acutely aware of how our managers influence the culture of the department or organization. Some staff members can even describe their supervisor's mood without seeing him or her, because they can feel the change (positive or negative) in the department's culture based on the leader's interactions. Exceptional interpersonal communication skills are essential to ensure that staff members receive the correct message at the right time, manner, and place.
As leaders, we have the unique ability to influence others. Each day brings a new scene that will demonstrate our leadership effectiveness. Our "on-stage" presence dramatically influences staff, patients, and all others with whom we interact.
Which character are you? Are you the protagonist-the lead character who champions your staff members as they aim to provide high-quality healthcare? Hopefully, you're not an accidental antagonist-modeling negative behaviors for your staff members during times of high stress, when you're unaware of being watched. We should aim to always put our best foot forward in our interactions.