I’ve read a number of articles on the Iceberg of Ignorance, originally published in 1989 by Sidney Yoshida, reporting that top leaders only understand about 4% of what is going on in their companies. Does this sound right to you? If you are a CEO, you may not believe it, but do we really know? If you are a manager or supervisor, you may believe this about your bosses, but not yourselves. If you aren’t a manager or supervisor, but report to one, you may completely agree with this statistic!

While no leader in a large organization can truly know everything that happens on the front line, what are the best practices we can employ to ensure that we stay in touch with our staff? With our busy meeting schedules, how do we get in touch with what is really happening in our organizations?

I have used a few tactics over the years. Besides rounding on patients and staff, which I truly enjoy, I love to be present at as many recognition events as possible - quarterly leadership awards, patient experience milestones, annual tributes to Nurses, Doctors, Allied Health, etc. “Lunch with Lee Ann” is monthly event that I started years ago with both managers and staff.

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Over 145 million patients come to US Emergency Departments every year; it takes over 167,000 emergency nurses to provide compassionate care to these patients: whether a child with a fever or a senior struggling to breathe, they are America’s frontline for care.

Many people outside of emergency medicine may not realize that our nation’s EDs provide an accurate and unfiltered view of society. This slice of reality shows humanity at its best and worst. In addition to the joy of saving a life, the occasional thank you and smile that an ED nurse will receive, they may be yelled at, unappreciated, subjected to unpleasant comments, and even assaulted…. by people they are just trying to help.

Yet, 24/7, 365 days per year - days, nights, weekends, holidays, sunny days, stormy days, natural disasters— these dedicated professionals put their personal needs and those of their families aside and dedicate themselves to caring for all types of strangers.

As an emergency physician, I can personally affirm that I could not do my job without them: they are my right hand (and my left), my eyes, my ears, my conscience, and sometimes even my kinder, gentler voice!

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What would it take to build your career strategically?

Nursing Leaders think strategically about the work they do, often considering the needs of their organizations, their staffs, and the patients they care for as their primary focus of their careers. Rarely, however, do they spend much time thinking about a personal strategy for their own careers.

Have you considered what you want for the next chapter of your career?

If you are in the middle of your leadership career or heading to the end of traditional employment, making the next phase of your career the most intentional and thoughtful of your life is within your reach. At Wiederhold and Associates, we have witnessed the tremendous outreach nursing leaders can have when they take their careers to the next level. Be it within the same position, or a new direction, the strategic career does not wait for opportunities to come along.

Strategic careers are often designed and created by individuals who have developed shifts in thinking that utilize an increased awareness of themselves to confidently self-determine their offerings and value. Learning to communicate that value to others is a key part of the strategy.

A personal career strategy is not a selfish endeavor. When a nursing leader combines passions, talents (or potential talents) with intention, many lives and careers can be changed for the better. It could be the most important work of your life.

Taking stock of new or unrealized potential is the work of our organization as we expertly coach leaders to understand their career trajectory and make self-determination strategic goals for the most optimal work experiences. We have been honored to work with great leaders and assisting them to achieve their potential is some of the most important work we do.

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Everyone recognizes nursing plays a huge and vital role in our hospitals and healthcare systems today. Nursing, like any other area of healthcare, needs experienced coaches and mentors.

Please remember the optimum word here is experienced.

Here are some of my observations from my 27 years of healthcare experience:

• The aging of America will create more need for nurses and nursing leadership.
• Nurses don't seem to be very well represented in the CEO role.
• Because of their training, they seem to struggle with their assimilation into that role.
• Nurses move up into management roles within the nursing department because they were good nurses which doesn't always guarantee they'll be good managers.
• Like many others who are promoted into management roles, nurses are generally not offered a great deal of assistance as they move into these new and challenging positions.
• The chief nursing officer role is not attractive to younger nurses developing their careers.

Wiederhold & Associates believes that Nurse Leadership is an important area to invest in. We know that the very skills that make effective nurses (great communicators, creative problem-solving abilities and leadership acumen) are also the skills that make great leaders. With proper guidance, the transition into a senior leadership role can be very successful.

To maximize the success of our nursing clients, we have partnered with Nursing Leadership Coach Diane Scott. With her strong clinical background, Diane has a deep understanding of the nurse executive role.

Diane explains, "Senior nursing leaders usually are in charge of the majority of theworkforce of any healthcare organization. They are often promoted through the ranks and experience challenges with increasing their ability to critically think at their new leadership level. However, once they reach that level, the new challenge is the overwhelming desire to meet the mission of patient care and balance a seemingly polar opposite of managing the numbers, especially financials. They also struggle with developing a self-strategy for their career, finding it too self-serving and not patient driven.

The most successful senior nursing leaders learn that by increasing their own abilities, they can achieve their own potential, develop their managers as well as provide excellent patient care. In this way, everyone benefits under leadership that understands needs from the ground up."

At Wiederhold & Associates, we know an organization can optimally increase a nursing leaders’ capacity for successful outcomes through professional Nursing Leadership Coaching. It is the single most powerful way for a leader to achieve their potential for superior leadership, strategic thinking, and measurable results.

If you would like to learn more about our Nursing Leadership Program, download a tri-fold brochure here

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As the health care system confronts the need to change and adapt in the new era, leadership is required throughout the entire organization.

Nursing Leaders are the centerpiece of care delivery and are extraordinarily vital and influential in carrying out the mission and vision of any healthcare organization. As a result, their leadership has a direct effect on the quality and fiscal outcomes that are of vital importance to an organization.

At Wiederhold & Associates, we know an organization can optimally increase a nursing leaders’ capacity for successful outcomes through professional Nursing Leadership Coaching. It is the single most powerful way for a leader to achieve their potential for superior leadership, strategic thinking, and measurable results.

Coaching is customized to every situation and organization, with outcomes driven models implemented to ensure success.

Who can benefit?

• Senior Nursing Executives
• Nursing Directors and Managers
• Newly hired Nursing Executives who wish to position themselves out of the gate for great success
• High potential Nurse Executives who can benefit from expanding their strategic thinking
• Nurse Executives who want to continue to provide optimal leadership for the patients and the people who care for them

Team Coaching is different from training in that it specifically targets the needs of a group, while providing direction to challenge them to meet a targeted outcome. Teams that can benefit from our approach include:

• High functioning teams wishing to expand their capacities
• Teams experiencing significant changes or challenges
• Newly formed Nursing Leadership Teams

Want to move your organization forward?

Invest in your core: Nursing Leadership.

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