Thanksgiving: It’s Not Just Another Day!

For anyone who knows me, it’s a well-known fact that Thanksgiving Day is my most favorite holiday. I love getting together with family and friends and of course eating great food (I cook!). But, most of all, I am always reminded that I have so much to be thankful for.

For one, I am thankful for you! I want you to know that I appreciate that you follow my blogs, continue to receive my newsletters and read my inspirational quotes. My goal all year is to bless you by giving some of what has been given to me.

I looked up the definition of thanksgiving and thought I would share it with you.

1. The act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God.
2. An expression of thanks, especially to God.
3. A public celebration in acknowledgment of divine favor or kindness.
4. A day set apart for giving thanks to God.

My prayer for you is that no matter what is going on in your life, you will be able to live the definitions above. It’s a matter of changing your mindset and refocusing your attention.

Philippians 4:8. Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,  think on these things.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

If you are interested in discovering ways of increasing your personal power, Let’s talk!   For a free 30 minute consultation click the link. www.LifeCoachRN.com

About Naomi

Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life & Leadership Success Coach, Mentor, Author and Inspirational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. Naomi specializes in burnout prevention and joy acquisition by helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!”  With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 20 years. You can also get my free mini-series “The Top 5 Ways to Leverage Your Leadership!” by clicking the link http://www.lifecoachrn.com/

How Deep Is Your Pain?

How deep is your pain? As human beings we feel pain from time to time. Sometimes the pain is physical, but we also feel emotional and spiritual pain. We experience pain when we don’t meet our goals, our dreams go unrealized or when we’re not living up to our best potential. Eventually physical pain will often bring people to seek medical attention but how do we handle our other types of pain?

There is a story about a dog howling day after day.  When the owner is questioned as to why the dog is howling, the owner answers, “It’s because he’s lying on a nail.”  “Why doesn’t he move?” the stranger asks. The owner states, “Because the pain is enough to make him howl but it isn’t enough to make him move.”  The dog’s mindset grew comfortable with the pain.

During the 19th century an experiment was performed with a frog and boiling water. The premise was, if you throw a frog into boiling water it will jump out. But if you put a frog in cool water and slowly raise the temperature, the frog will continue to stay in the water until it boils to death. It keeps readjusting its own body temperature to the rising heat. The frog’s mindset grew comfortable with the rising heat.

In contrast, a firewalker learns to walk on burning coals of fire without getting burned by mastering the mind-body connection. The firewalker does this by developing their mindset to the level where they get their body to act in accordance with what the mind wants it to do.  Fire walking relates to the seemingly impossible things we want to accomplish in our lives. Not getting burned represents the outcome we can have when we handle our pain. This mindset knows it’s capable of achieving more.

Are you the dog on the nail?  Are there some nails in your life and career causing you enough pain to cry out and yet you won’t move because you’re afraid of the possibility of the pain you MIGHT have to endure if you do move?  Or are you the frog?  The temperature has been rising slowly but surely.  You know it’s been getting hotter and hotter making you more uncomfortable. You know there’s something more for you in your life but you just continue readjusting to your present situation.

You ARE meant for more!  Your life has purpose!  Your leadership fits into your purpose. Here how to begin the process of transforming your life and career and stopping the pain.

First, decide what’s important to you.

1. What do you value? Integrity, loyalty, hard work? Take the time to really understand what makes you tick.
2. Begin the process of determining where you are in your life and career right now and if you are actively or passively promoting or hindering your journey to YOUR purpose.

There is more to life than the same old day after day pain of boredom and /or stresses.  There is joy and contentment when you refuse to remain the dog on the nail or the frog in boiling water.

If you are ready to have the mindset of a firewalker and you’re ready to stop being comfortable with the pain, let’s talk!   I would love to share my strategies on how to effectively enjoy your journey in leadership and stop the pain.

Please share an instance when you allowed yourself to be comfortable with the pain in a situation. What did you do to stop the pain?

If you are interested in discovering ways of increasing your personal power, Let’s talk!   For a free 30 minute consultation click the link. www.LifeCoachRN.com

About Naomi

Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life & Leadership Success Coach, Mentor, Author and Inspirational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. Naomi specializes in burnout prevention and joy acquisition by helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!”  With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 20 years. You can also get my free mini-series “The Top 5 Ways to Leverage Your Leadership!” by clicking the link http://www.lifecoachrn.com/

Help Me I’m Working for a Dummy!

Well, this may not be a nice way to put it but how often do we find ourselves working for someone who doesn’t appear to have the skills needed to be in their position. What are some clues that you might be working for an incompetent leader?

•  When the staff doesn’t trust the information given by the leader or they don’t feel supported so they minimize the occasions they seek assistance from them.

•  When they are unable to be a resource due to lack of critical skills relevant to the job.

•  When the leader only uses or implements their own ideas with and/or without input from peers or staff.

•  When the leader takes credit for the ideas and work of their subordinates or peers.

•  When they do not have the ability to have vision. They live by the status quo. “We’ve always done it this way.”

•  When the leader becomes impotent when making decisions. Do they ask for everybody’s opinions, and then accept nothing or do they just make decisions in a vacuum?

How do you work around an incompetent leader?

Do a reality check for yourself. How do you know it’s not your personal biases? Are you biased because you just don’t like them on a personal level?

Are you operating on your highest level in your present position? Do you have sound ideas?

Is it possibly a lack of understanding of the leader’s job requirements?

Here’s a question. Is this boss impeding your progress with the organization? Do you have opportunities to bring ideas to the forefront? If so, you must be creative in getting your work seen by others within an organization.

If your boss is not impeding your ability to influence change and progress then “just let it go”. Be content in your ability to influence where you are.

But if you want to make a difference on a higher level on a bigger playing field then you need to be seen and heard. Volunteer for committees or special projects and network with other leaders within the organization so your work can be seen.

Don’t bad mouth your incompetent leader to others. If you’re seen as a backstabber others won’t be so quick to put you in a higher position of authority for fear that you may do the same to them. Let your work speak for itself. Be willing to take those risks and have a plan B. An exit strategy, if you will.

The truth is mediocre leaders exist on all levels. The “Peter Principle” is real. People are often promoted to the level of their incompetency. So sometimes, your boss may have an incompetent boss and so on. If the people above them are also mediocre leaders, you still may not be seen, heard, or recognized for your work. It could be that your next strategy will need to be that you work somewhere else where your talents might be appreciated.

Another strategy to be sure your ideas are heard and implemented is when you are your own boss! Entrepreneurship is the truest form of true leadership. It’s where you can line up your values with the strengths of your leadership abilities. You must be willing to take on the work. There’s no complaining about the boss in this line of work.

So how do you survive the incompetent boss? Work with them. Work around them, or best yet, work without them and be your own boss! Good luck!

For help becoming the leader you want to be contact Naomi for a free consultation and download “Living the Legacy of Leadership Day by Day”. www.lifecoachrn.com.

About Naomi

Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. For more information about coaching with Naomi, visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com

It’s all about you! But it’s not about you!

We are taught as children that we should not be self-absorbed. As nurses, we generally have an exaggerated sense of just the opposite. Nursing is the profession that encompasses patience, compassion, empathy and caring. We are judged by how these characteristics show up in our actions to our patients and each other. How often have you heard a patient or another nurse say, “Oh! She’s such a good nurse!” It’s usually when a nurse is exhibiting one or more of these qualities. If we as nurses believe these are good qualities to exhibit, why don’t we model them for ourselves?

As nurses, we came to this profession because we felt we have something to give to others. We want to help people live to their fullest potential. For example, we help our patients live to their fullest potential by helping them manage their health. As nurses, we live our highest potential by doing the work we do. But what about us as individuals? I can’t tell you how often I’ve had conversations with colleagues that end with, “I don’t have work life balance or time for myself.” Yet we take extra time we have and give it to other people.

This self-deprivation philosophy has to stop! Why are nurses burnt out? Because we are trying to give what we don’t have! We need to show ourselves patience, compassion, empathy, and kindness. Making yourself a priority is essential to preventing burnout. Here are three basic strategies for getting your whole life balanced.

1. Take inventory of what you are doing with your time. Are you running to and fro with increasing job requirements, deadlines, children’s activities and family obligations? STOP ! Take a moment and just list them on a piece of paper. Reflect on what you do over one week’s time. What do you see?

2. Begin introducing yourself to yourself! Write down the things you like to do (You may have to think back before children or the job). Write those things down, no matter how small they might be.

3. Begin the reconciliation. In order for us to be our best and be complete, we must reconcile our mind, body, soul and spirit. Just like we reconcile medications, we need to match up our total being with life’s demands. Take a look at list #1 acknowledging all of the things you do for others. Then eliminate a task entirely, share the responsibility of it, or delegate it to someone else (possibly the person you are doing it for). Next, begin to transition one thing you enjoy from list #2 into your life on a regular basis. Continue this process until you achieve balance.

Patients look to nurses as their advocates. As nursing leaders, your staff looks to you for guidance and care. Your families look to you as a resource for everything that goes on in their lives. If you REALLY care about them, you absolutely must put yourself first. You will be able to improve patient care by improving your self-care. You will improve the quality of your life if you take the time to advocate and care for yourself. YOU ARE WORTH IT!

For more tips on how to put yourself first contact Naomi for a free consultation and download “Living the Legacy of Leadership Day by Day”. www.lifecoachrn.com.

About Naomi

Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. For more information about coaching with Naomi, visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com

Know Your Boundaries

Boundaries. Imagine if countries had no boundaries. We wouldn’t know who was ruling us. China, India, South America, and Russia could make rules for the United States. When we raise children, we teach them boundaries for their own good and the good of others. ie not touching/hitting others, not stealing. Psychologists have noted that people in general are much happier when they have boundaries. Why do some nursing leaders not have boundaries at work?

For the nurse leaders who started out as a staff nurses, changing their mindset to one of leadership requires new skills. Transitioning to leadership positions can be difficult because we have empathy with the bedside nurse. After all, we were just like them and most of us thought that “management was out of touch” with what goes on in the trenches.

Now you are the manager. To prove you’re still in touch, some leaders try to continue to do the tasks they used to do as a staff member while still trying to do their managerial work too. Now everyone, including you, feels that this is the way it’s supposed to be. So often nurses equate a “good manager” to one who works side by side with their staff. As a manager there is a whole new world of responsibility and new tasks that must be done. Because a lot of those tasks don’t include ‘hands on’ care, the perception of some may be that you are not ‘working’. When everyone else’s shift is over, now you have to start trying to get YOUR work done and wonder why your days are so long.

You haven’t set boundaries. You don’t recognize where one job starts and the other ends. You only have so much time and energy. The truth of the matter is you, as the manager, have become like a new country. Guidelines and boundaries need to be set up. Often staff expects you to be ‘like’ the previous manager. This can also present a problem especially if the previous manager was well liked. Remember you don’t have to run your country like the others did before you, but you do need to run it.

I once faced this very issue during an interview for a new managerial position. During the interview, I was informed that one of my duties would be to cover the nurses’ assignments when they were off.  That was what the previous manager had done. There was a staff of seven with 4 weeks’ vacation each. Doing a little quick math in my head, I figured I would be working as a staff nurse for 28 weeks out of the year not including sick time or other leave. Having been in management for several years by then and understanding my role as a manager (coordinating, educating, data collection) among other things, I knew that this would not be the best way to utilize my skills as a manager. After explaining this concept of time not being used to supervise and the dilemma this posed for really doing the job they were hiring me for, I was offered the position and needless to say I didn’t cover staff assignments. It was my job to make sure the work was done, not to necessarily do it. I set boundaries. It was respected and my work life balance was better for it.

Tips on How to Set Boundaries

1. The role of a manager/ leader requires special skillsets. Honor that and realize you will need to have a new mindset without negating your past.
2. Empathy is not sympathy. Use your knowledge of what it’s like to be a staff member and use your management skills to help find solutions.
3. Decide what your boundaries are in order to create and maintain work-life balance.
4. Work with your staff as part of the team with everyone having different contributions to the work of the team. Let them see how what you do contributes to the work they do.
5. Design a plan so you and your staff can focus on the priorities of each role.
6. Make your boundaries known up and down the chain of command.
7. Stick to them.

Remember boundaries are good for everyone. Believe me EVERYONE will be happier in the long run.

I would love to know how you set boundaries at work. Is it working for you? Let’s talk about it. Join my Facebook Group The Leaders Journey Network.

About Naomi
Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. For more information about coaching with Naomi, visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com

Category: Management, Nursing, Leadership, Uncategorized

 

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Own The Tone

My first position as a Director of Nursing in a home care agency had me ill equipped to manage staff. As a new person, I heard a lot of, “I don’t do that!” “That’s her job!” Others would pull me to the side to say, “They did that for the last director” or “The last director did this.” I learned quickly that I needed to set the tone for my own position and how I would handle issues. I learned that it is the most important factor for effective leadership that a leader sets the tone. This is true of new managers and seasoned managers who may be taking on new staff, or may just realize that what they’re doing just isn’t working.

The way you dress, keep your office space, speak and handle yourself professionally are all involved in setting the atmosphere in which you work. You set the tone of how change is accepted by yourself and your staff. You set the tone of how you will be treated by your peers and co-workers. You set the tone on how your staff will treat each other.

Three tips to help you set the tone at your workplace:

1. Learn your job description and your staff’s job descriptions (if you have staff). If you don’t have staff know the job descriptions of the people you will work closely with. You really need to know what everyone does so you can see how the different positions interact to see the big picture.
2.  Survey – Speak with and observe your upper direct reports, other managers, staff and ancillary staff to understand the culture of the organization. Every organization has its own unique culture. Sometimes different units will have their own sub-cultures. This is to avoid being a “bull in a china shop” or be “run over” by some bulldozer type personalities.
3. Lead – Lead with confidence. Once you understand processes and culture, don’t be afraid to implement new things. You are the fresh eyes and with due diligence most likely have very good ideas because you haven’t been totally incorporated into the culture. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks or make mistakes. As long as you learn from them, you will continue to grow.

Let’s talk about it. Join my Facebook Group The Leaders Journey Network.

About Naomi
Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. For more information about coaching with Naomi, visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com

Don’t Throw the Baby Out With the Bath Water

Presently, the push is to have entry-level nursing be the Baccalaureate degree in Nursing; however, we must be careful not to “throw the baby out with the bath water.”

As I fly back from Colorado, I thought of the men and women who paved the way to today’s aviation system. Where it used to take months in covered wagons to get from the east coast to the west coast, I can fly that route now in less than 6 hours. Each journey has its own challenges, risks and successes. Our nursing history is full of struggle and growth. The latest trends really come out of the past. “There’s nothing new under the sun,” just different circumstances and situations.

Some nurses today are going straight through school, obtaining advanced degrees without ever working in any entry-level healthcare positions. Many of the concepts being promoted in the baccalaureate programs today are built on the same concepts we learned years ago. With changes in technology the circumstances have changed but the patient needing disease management remains the same – for example – electronic medical records versus copying the medication Kardex every Monday by hand.

My journey reflects what some might call the “covered wagon” approach. Originally, I became a Home Health Aide. To my surprise, I enjoyed being able to play a role in my patients’ healing and care. My journey from HHA to LPN, to RN, to Master’s degree took almost 25 years (covered wagon). I learned along the way, working in hospitals, homecare, hospice, school health, managed care and other healthcare facilities how to have a balanced, practical view of my formal education. My history became an asset to my nursing practice.

When specialties became Queen, advanced degrees in Community Heath, Health Administration, and Health Management were encouraged and sought after. So many seasoned nurses are now being told that our advanced degrees don’t matter because it isn’t the “right one” in nursing specifically. This is a recipe for disaster in the nursing profession as a whole. Is the nurse who obtained her baccalaureate in nursing without ever working in the field more of an asset to the profession than someone who built upon their nursing degree with continuing education and practical experience?

I am an advocate for education and for nurses. We must be very careful as we are forcing many nurses out of the profession by requiring that they return to school – some just prior to retirement. Asking them to incur expenses that could affect their very ability to retire is a big problem. We may be actually hurting the very patients and profession we are trying to help.

The truth is both nurses are of value to our profession. What was old has become new again. Florence Nightingale formalized education of nurses and laid the foundation for ‘evidenced based practice.’ Mentorship is one of the big things missing in our profession especially concerning Nurse Leaders. We are at risk of repeating the failures of the past when we decrease the value of our history. The people who pioneered this land in covered wagons paved the way for those who are flying now. The wise ones in nursing will look back, grab the baby and then throw out the bath water. We are responsible for the safe transitioning of our profession. Strategic grandfathering is one way to create a practical transference of nursing knowledge.

Have the changing requirements for nursing education affected you positively or negatively? Is it really the type of degree that makes a nurse a better practitioner?

Let’s talk about it. Join my Facebook Group The Leaders Journey Network.

About Naomi
Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. For more information about coaching with Naomi, visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com

2014 Resolutions – Really?

It seems like only yesterday we were anticipating 2014 as a New Year. We made resolutions and desired new beginnings like we always do. Well, March is here and I am here to remind you that your goals are NOT unreachable, and there’s no better time than the present to start transforming your life! Forget Resolutions! Make your New Year’s start today.

2014 is the year of Transcendence. This is the year to take your life and career to the next level. To transcend is to rise above, outdo or exceed in excellence.

Before you can transcend you need to begin with transformation.  As you transform (undergo a change in form, appearance or character) and grow internally, you must value that change.  Allow it to motivate and inspire you to take your game to the next level. As we take this time to reflect on 2013 and plan for new things to come, let me share with you how to identify and reach your goals for 2014.

Mind, body, soul and spirit. The four aspects that direct every phase of our lives. Everything begins with a thought. Mindfulness is the place to begin your transformation. Think about your future.  I mean really THINK about it.  Take time to look at how, who, what and where you spend your time.  This will allow you to assess and understand how certain things fit into your life purpose and what doesn’t.  Taking an assessment of your life is the first step in developing the mindfulness necessary to begin the process of transformation.

As a life coach, I help many nursing leaders begin their transformation and begin to reach their goals by asking these few questions.

• Where have I been?

Many times we don’t ask this question. Sometimes we want to forget our past. If you don’t know and understand your past, you will repeat it over and over again.  This may be okay for the good things you’ve done, although there is no benefit in repeating those choices that have a negative impact in our lives. Insanity is repeating things that have a proven negative outcome and expecting a positive result.

• Where am I at in my life right now?

Are you growing in your career or as an individual? Are you experiencing satisfaction, fulfillment? Do you even think it is possible? Assessing your potential for fulfillment will help propel you toward your purpose.  Change isn’t easy; it may even be scary or painful and, believe me, it’s rarely comfortable. If you are very comfortable where you are, it may be an indication that it’s time to make a change.

• Who is in my life right now?

We need to look at the people in our lives. Are they promoting or hindering our goals? When we are growing personally and/or professionally, everyone will not, or cannot, support you. In order to move forward you may have to leave some people behind. By letting go, you make room for new relationships and experiences. The saying goes: “if you are the smartest person in the room you need to change the room.”

• Why am I doing what I’m doing?

What challenges you? What motivates you, inspires you or brings you joy (an inside job)? These are very deep questions and you really need some time to focus on them.

• Do I have a specific goal?

This is actually a question that will begin to lead you on the path toward your purpose. Without specific goals we wander aimlessly. There are so many paths to choose in life and our careers.  Sometimes we don’t make a choice for fear of choosing the wrong thing.  Without purposeful decision-making, you open the door for others to decide for you.  Your children, spouses, parents, bosses and peers will choose for you according to their own agendas or else outside circumstances will dictate your path.  “A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.” *

As nursing leaders we often feel we are last on the list of priorities.  I believe this leads to frustration, overwhelm and disappointment in our careers and personal lives. When will you begin to implement an assessment on your life?  Here are a few tips to get you started:

In order to transform your mind, you must make time to spend with yourself.  Put the children to bed early for a few evenings. Take yourself to dinner alone.

Have a spa day. For those who can’t see themselves doing this, you can think about it before work or after work on the bus or in your car before you go home.

If you really want something bad enough, you WILL make time for it.

Transcendence. 2014 is the year of transcendence. The year to take action and have your life and career exceed your expectations. Transform, then Transcend! Aligning your mind, body, soul and spirit to discover your purpose. It’s about your legacy.

What will you do to make 2014 your year of transformation into transcendence?

*― Hunter S. Thompson, The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern

Gentleman, 1955-1967

About Naomi

Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. For more information about coaching with Naomi, visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com

I’m Banking on Nursing Leaders

Recently I went to a bank to make some changes to my accounts. My banker, Jonathan, set out to help me. It was such a pleasure to be able to explain my needs and have him translate the vision of what I wanted my money to do for me. What was really obvious to me was that Jonathan knew what he was doing. He was well versed in the products that the bank offered. He used some critical thinking to determine what products would work for me and he was adept in applying that knowledge. He helped me set up my phone so I could bank by phone. He even went the extra mile to test the apps to make sure they worked before I left the bank.

This experience had me think about healthcare and nursing today. Many nurses, especially the “boomer” nurses, don’t like it, but healthcare is changing to a customer satisfaction, cost containment driven business.

Hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and home cares are now going to have their patient satisfaction surveys published. Poor scores will no doubt lead to difficulty developing healthcare partner relationships and may lead to decreased reimbursement and loss of revenue.

As nursing leaders, today we have to accept that things are changing. As leaders within healthcare organizations, we are becoming responsible for those patient satisfaction surveys along with patient outcomes. First, we need to understand what’s happening in healthcare today and what the trends are. Secondly, we need to understand the products. Affordable Care Act, Medicare/Medicaid/ insurance regulations, evidence based practice and your Nurse Practice Act, to name a few.

Lastly, like my banker Jonathan, nursing leaders need to be adept in applying the knowledge they have. Some long for the days when “Nursing was Nursing” but those times had their challenges also. I remember medications had to be copied each week by hand onto a Kardex (dating myself), now we have electronic medical records that can be shared across the continuum.

Nostalgia has its place. Today we need to operate in the style of servant leadership, where you are the facilitator and translator of the vision.

Mastering balance between your mind, body, soul and spirit is the key to effective leadership. Get the tools, understand the mindset of the big picture, and apply the knowledge with confidence and finesse. This will allow you to do your job well. Your staff, patients and organizations will experience the best nursing has to offer, YOU, the nursing leader. To remain successful and find joy in your work you must secure resources, find a mentor and have a safe place where you can be renewed and find support. This is essential in mastering your legacy of leadership. After all, you can’t give what you don’t have!

How are you navigating the changing world of managing staff in the quickly changing healthcare scene?

About Naomi

Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. For more information about coaching with Naomi visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com

Does The End Justify The Means?

As parents, we can often become defined by our children and family life. Empty nest syndrome is when some parents go into depression after their kids leave home. At some point those parents identified the tasks associated with raising a family and related those tasks to who they were as individuals.

As nurse’s leaders, at times, we see our jobs as sets of tasks. We begin to believe we are not just judged by our tasks but feel we personally defined by the  outcomes of those tasks. Some even say they don’t want to retire because they feel they’ll die if they’re not working – mostly because they don’t have anything to look forward to (Empty nest working syndrome).

Nursing leaders are sometimes  fooled into thinking they are defined by the outcomes of certain tasks. In nursing management, we are expected to “produce” good patient outcomes, keep staff motivated and focused on the mission of the organization. What we often don’t remember, is that we are dealing with a variable product… People.

People come in all shapes, sizes, colors, backgrounds cultures and issues. This is true of our patients, our staff and yes, even you. This is why you can’t be defined by the outcomes. I am not talking about accountability. For instance, Mr. A needs a certain medication. It’s your job to see that he takes that medication. If you are tied to that outcome, that he MUST take that medication, you may consider forcing him to take it (before you say “unbelievable”, look at the history before patient’s rights came into being). The belief becomes, “It will reflect badly on me if he doesn’t take the pill.” Whose decision and whose outcome is it really?

If as a nursing leader you are tasked with productivity of staff (and you are tied to the outcome), you may inadvertently put them in a position of working under dangerous conditions. The leader that needs to exert high levels of control and does not allow much input from anyone else is a leader who is trying to control the outcome. These leaders usually feel the need to penalize when errors are made instead of teaching because they feel defined by the outcome. They see problems and solutions as their own. These leaders perpetuate the mantra, “nurses eat their young.”

Your priority, as a nursing leader, needs to focus on the process not the outcome. As a leader, we are responsible to define the process. The process is what anyone with the basic skills could follow and keep them on the path to be successful. If you focus on the process, you won’t focus so much on the individual tasks at hand. You can help find the solution and embrace the outcome. It doesn’t become all about you.

An effective leader will strive for the expected positive outcome always keeping the variables in mind, “the people factor” and the process. Learning and growing is a process. Mistakes are inevitable. We can teach other how to minimize mistakes and learn from them through analyzing, implementing and adhering to processes. On the practical level, when things go wrong, following the process will help you identify gaps in learning and practice of your staff. It will eliminate the need for you to be right.

When nursing leaders remain personally detached from the outcome and focus on the process they become better able to help other nurses without being emotional or reactive. When we do this we will all be less judgmental and provide consistency for those we lead.

What situations have you dealt with where the means did or did not justify the end result?

About Naomi

Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. Her nursing practice includes bedside nursing, Hospital, SNF, Homecare and other areas of healthcare. Credentials include a Master’s Degree in Health Services Administration, several certifications, military service and work with several community and professional organizations. For more information about coaching with Naomi visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com