If
you want to be really effective in strategic leadership
you must grasp a variety of unique behaviors.
These are day to day characteristics you must grasp
to stay ahead of the leader pack. Rich leadership
occurs when we master a multitude of qualities that
support you and your team.
Objectivity
Objectivity
is a must if we want to be effective. We must know
what is subjective versus objective. We can’t
be so turned inward that we stifle our colleagues and
team members. As a nursing leader it is imperative
that we treat everyone with an open and objective mind.
We have no right to hinder another’s growth by our
pre-conceived and subjective beliefs about what is right
for everyone.
Objectivity
requires that we move past our biases, prejudices, values,
and preferences to let others be! We can set a standard
but we don’t have to be rigid, inflexible, and fixated
on only one way for individual nurse team members to perform.
If the end result works, doesn't offend, brings no complaints,
has an acceptable outcome and meets the overall standard...that
should be enough.
An
objective leader has an outcome in mind, shares it, sets
parameters and limitations and allows each person to excel
in their own way toward that standard or outcome.
How
objective are you as a manager? What grade do you
think you merit in this realm? Do you help or hinder
people by you objectivity or lack thereof? Let me
recommend that you let your objectivity shine and open
the way for individual excellence, growth, and selectivity.
This, though, brings me to another necessary trait of
phenomenal leaders - emotional stability.
Emotional
Stability
How
do you define emotional stability in the leader?
I believe the emotionally stable supervisor is at ease
with him or herself.
The
leader’s stability is grounded in a positive sense
of his or her own selfhood. The stable leader doesn’t
carry a chip on his or her shoulders, is not defensive,
paranoid, manipulative, angry, passive aggressive or mean
spirited. He or she instead is fully confident in
his or her strengths.
The
stable leader is known for his or her maturity.
That maturity is seen in the ability to let staff excel,
question felt areas of pressure, is open to other’s
ideas, trusts his/her team, peers and colleagues, and
allows others to grow, mature, challenge, take the lead,
and learn more and more.
If
you are mature, you won’t be concerned with pettiness,
trivia, and issues that don’t really matter.
You will be about being your best, asserting your strengths
and growing your team.
Emotional
stability will aid you in focusing outside of any petty
tendencies, defensiveness or growth hindering behavior
toward those in your work, home or community environment.
So...let
your leadership show in emotional maturity each and every
time, in all ways consistently.
Keep
in mind, however, that it is imperative in the emotionally
mature leader to be grounded in the knowledge of human
relations.
Kowledge
of Human Relations
To
be truly effective when leading any group, you and I must
have a strong knowledge of human relations. We have
to be hip to people from many circumstances, backgrounds,
walks of life and perspectives. Human nature varies
majorally. Cultures differ even in the same neighborhood
or region. Never doubt that.
If
you want to stay out of trouble, keep your mind and your
eyes wide open. Listen first, in other words to
get the lay of the land. Give yourself time to get
to know all of the people in your work, community and
home space - or any place you lead.
Trust
individuals you work with until they show you otherwise.
Never accept rumors or innuendo about people. Monitor
the situation first to understand it - always. Never
jump to any conclusion. Get input from both sides.
Think long and hard if time allows to let the human in
you focus on the whole picture.
Never
go off half cocked -short of knowledge and headed for
disaster.
•
Asking questions
• Listening
actively
• Mediating
objectively
• Avoiding
subjectivity
• Overcoming
defensiveness
• Avoiding
rushes to judgment
• Allowing
everyone to grow
• Standing
behind decisions
• Asking for
help
• Clarifying
positions
• Verifying
your perceptions
• Collaborating
resourcefully
• Setting clear
understanding
• Supervising
consistently
• Holding the
group accountable
• Making reasoned
choices
• Searching
for best solutions
• Studying
each situation
• Stopping
at nothing to show your humanness and
• Supporting
and encouraging consistently |
|
Table 1:
What can you do to get a better understanding
of group dynamics and human relations? |
And
you will find that a reasoned approach to human relations
is possible. Next remember to conserve your energy
- a great leader will always need it.
Energy
Yes,
energy is a cornerstone for leader effectiveness.
Conserve it. Find it. Maximize it. Sustain
it. How can you find energy on a day-to-day basis?
Take
care of yourself daily. Get enough rest. Exercise,
eat right. Keep your cool. Search out your daily
spirit builders. Keep stress down. Don’t
fight - encourage, support, collaborate, and cooperate.
Look
for resources to use to conserve your energy and resources.
Let others do. Delegate...then delegate some
more. Train others up to excel to higher tasks and functioning.
Accept
offers for help. Ask for help. Find yourself
some problem solving buddies. Say “no”
often. Move past negativism, pessimism and “I
can’t”.
Don’t
trample your emotion. Choose carefully the fights
you want to get involved it. Seek the blessings
available to you. Get away. Find solitude.
Rest. Be still. Ask knock and seek to come
up with the best solutions. Don’t let life,
work or play get you down. Know where you and your
team are headed. Don’t get sidetracked.
Know always the lay of the land and the people you are
working with.
Don’t
let individuals drain your spirit or take away the zest
you have for living. Remember, that can only happen
if you let it. So don’t...Always remember you
can lead best when you maintain and sustain your energy.
•
Ask for needed help
• Find some
help extenders
• Eat right
• Explore rest
found in solitude
• Say no a
lot
• Take time
for you
• Secure the
best staff
• Delegate
• Build you
mental health
• Exercise
daily
• Rest your
mind often
• Supervising
consistently
• Allow others
to help
•Allow rest
during the day
• Train everyone
for self sufficiency
• Get some
problem-solving buddies
• Accept no
new duties without full reflection
• Explore the
energy boost of vitamins and minerals
• Hang out
with people who boost your energy |
|
Table 2:
How again can you stay energy-filled? |
Believe
that you have a right to energy sustaining activities
(like rest) but stay prepared to empathize with your team.
Empathy
Every
leader must be able to bring up empathy as needed to help
out people on short notice as the role requires.
When you empathize it means that you try to move over
into the other person’s shoes. You try
hard to see where he or she is coming from. You
try to be supportive, available and helpful as needed
in legitimate situations.
Our
team comes with a variety of attitudes, problems, and
circumstances. Many homes of these individuals are
flawed and dysfunctional. You must put this in perspective
and you must aid the worker in doing the same. Never
stereotype anyone. Do get to know each and every
person for who and what they are in the various realms
of their lives.
Don’t
assume. Validate everything. For example,
don’t assume that a person in a minimum wage job
is moneyless. This could be a big mistake.
Never think less of a person until you have explored his
or her best.
Ask
questions. Try to get to where the person wants
you to be. This can be done readily if we consistently
listen well.
Empathize
from a place of knowledge. Let no non-verbal clue
woe you into a false sense of security. What you
see may not be what you are getting.
•
Ask questions
• Listen well
• Request information
• Don’t
give away the store
• Avoid jumping
to conclusions
• Clarify perceptions
• Communicate
cautiously
• Make cautious
commitments
• Search for
sincerity
• Empathize
with a learned spirit
• Ask what
the individual wants or need you to do
• Offer to
help and ask how the person desires you to assist. |
|
Table 3:
To empathize safely: |
So
empathy is good...manipulation is not...know the difference.
Next
let me suggest that you do what it takes to stay personally
motivated.
Personal
Motivation
Leading
requires strong personal motivation. It is energy
depleting, tough often, and full of land mines.
Mines kill and can draw away motivation if you and I are
not careful. So as you lead, be sure your leading
motivates. How can you and I do that? Try
doing it in the way you love it. In other words,
do no leadership except as you enjoy it.
Don’t
play games with your leader behavior. If it doesn’t
feel right it probably isn’t. Set goals for
yourself like ending the day on time, taking morning and
afternoon breaks regardless of your schedule, eating a
mid day work meal in a relaxing place, and striving for
team harmony.
Figure
out ways to stay motivated for your entire day at work,
home or play Convince yourself that you deserve
life’s very best each and every day. Do something
nice for you in the course of your day, every day.
Keep your options open and set aside time for your motivation
activities (like reading a brief motivational piece) two
to three times a day.
Set
aside frequent vacations, a mini retreat and afternoon
off, getting a manicure, spending time with an energizing
person, eating chocolate with nuts (my favorite), taking
a brisk walk, taking a quick nap, and related.
Stay
in charge of your own personal motivation. Never
depend on others to motivate you. Remember that
if you are living a life you love at work or play, you
will be richly blessed and rewarded daily.
•
Take well deserved breaks
• Ask for help
• Move through
life goal-focused
• Believe in
what you do
• Delegate
• Accept offers
to help
• Take care
of yourself first
• Know what
it is that motivates you
• Use your
play and work time well
• Never work
in a job you do not like
• Ask for more
each time the time and circumstances are right
• Set your
own goals in every aspect of your life
• Consistently
communicate like a pro
• Grow your
energy and your motivating in a predefined daily
pattern |
|
Table 4:
To Keep That Richly Deserved Motivation
On Target: |
Communication
Skills
It
is hard to lead or follow for that matter, if you can’t
communicate well. So everyday at every opportunity,
communicate at your best. Center your interactions
to demonstrate who you are.
Operate
honestly. Speak truthfully. Maximize your
use of words. Become a great semanticist.
Say “thank you”, “please”, “you’ve
been a great help”, and “let me know how I can
assist.”
Save
time by the written word. Reply promptly and even
informally to give a quick reply. Send positive
thoughts, encouraging words or many thanks in frequent
written notes. This saves time but gets your communications
done.
When
possible, reply back with a handwritten note directly,
or an original communicae to you. Many people will
read a handwritten note quicker than a typed one.,
Let the person know you wanted to give them a quick reply.
They will, in turn, accept your informality. If
this becomes a frequent habit with the person, they become
quickly used to it. I communicate this way often.
Many times I add a P.S. that says “And please forgive
my informality - traveling.” I often write
these notes back as I travel. When I am at the next
destination, I often go to the business center and fax
back my handwritten reply or do so when I arrive at my
hotel. I works for me, keeps my correspondence current,
and takes away my sense of stress from too much to do.
I do try and keep copies of such correspondence whether
mailing or faxing. Occasionally, I also correspond in
a typewritten format to the same individuals to let them
know I am versatile.
This
type interaction works for me. It may not for you.
I get a lot done...to me that is the important key.
Remember some type of early reply is better than no reply.
I know most of these individuals well and it works for
me.
So
whether you are formal or informal, correspond with efficiency,
both timely and effectively. Honesty, truthfulness,
positiveness, and purposefulness work always.
Let
me also mention that a great leader is consistently teaching.
Teaching
Ability
Every
leader must be a great teacher. You must stay on
top of your leader role at all times. You must be
able to get the whole point across all the time.
Let
me, therefore, encourage you to know what you know like
an expert. Be able to teach, be humorous, go deep
and be technical when needed. Review the section
of this book that goes deeper into this role and lead
with teaching.
Remember
that, to be a great leader, we must:
•
Know our roles
• Keep ourselves
current
• Assure that
we teach from the simple to the complex
• Reward our
followers with a quick and learned direction
• Be able to
say “I don’t know” if that is the
truth
• Find the
correct answer and follow up quickly
• Set aside
time to do our homework
• Learn how
to say “I’ll have to get back to you on
that”
• Be prepared
to the best of our abilities to mentor and counsel
• Recognize
we're all right even if we don’t know everything
“right this minute” |
|
Table 5:
To Be A Great Leader, We Must: |
Mentoring
and Counseling Ability
Yep,
as a great leader you must be able to mentor and counsel.
Mentoring and counseling may take you a distance past
teaching. It may require you to be human, direct,
honest, encouraging, energizing and challenging.
Have
you ever had a mentor that kept you on your toes and a
counselor that made you see your strengths and weaknesses.
I have and I have grown every time Thus, you and
I must do the same. We must bring our mentees to
their best growth and desire for change. We must
be steadfast and honest counselors.
When
the time is right, we must move the individual to a sense
of “I want to be my best.” We must honestly
reflect when the statement needs to be “You can do
better than this.” or “You did your homework
on this.” or “Do you really want a mentor?”
“If not, let’s not waste your time or mine.”
Counselors and mentors don’t have time to beat around
the bush or play games. Too many others are waiting
to receive your expertise.
So...either
counsel and mentor well, honestly, and consistently or
don’t bother. Remember, our followers know
just as well when we have, or have not, done our own jobs.
They
may let us know by statements such as “Are you sure
your have time to help me with this?”, or “I
could ask someone else to help me as you haven’t
been able to keep any of our appointments in the last
four weeks.” Just remember, no one wants their
time wasted - even your mentees.
So
we should also take our duties very seriously. Let’s
counsel and mentor well and without fail. A great
leader demonstrates a good understanding of good social
skills and business etiquette.
Social
Skills and Business Etiquette
Leaders
do demonstrate, or should demonstrate, social skills and
business etiquette. This is demonstrated in many
ways including how we “talk” to people, “treat”
people, and “manage” people. First must
come dignity and respect. It does not matter the
level of the person on the organizational chart or social
scale, dignity and respect for the individual is basic.
How
leader-like are your socially? Do you arrive on
time? Do you make individuals cool their heels in
your office lobby? Do you say “Good morning”,
“Thank you” or “May I help you?” nicely
to all levels of people you encounter? If not, critique
yourself. You could be failing in other areas as
well. For example:
¨
Do you answer correspondence readily?
¨
Do you give credit where credit is due?
¨
Do you acknowledge greetings?
¨
Do you treat all individuals consistently the same?
¨
Do you have favorites?
¨
Do you issue out discipline equally?
¨
Do you break your own rules and expect others to follow
them?
You
get the picture. If you have been inconsistent in
the above social or business ways - get busy and read
up on social and business etiquette.
Remember
the basics:
•
Reward jobs well done
• Don’t
play favorites
• Share accolades
• Give credit
where credit is due
• Be respectful
of all
• Reply quickly
• Pat all on
the back |
|
Table 6:
Remember The Basics: |
Address
individuals appropriately as Mr. or Mrs. if you want the
same, and you will be much applauded.
Gear
up next to take calculated risks like very great leader
must.
Calculated
Risk Taking
You
haven’t led if you are not taking calculated risks.
Every leader must, at some point, study to make him or
herself knowledgeable and capable - so that he or she
can delve into qualified risk exploration. Risk
taking is not hard if you know what you are doing, have
identified the land mines, are poised for the outcome,
and are primed and prepared.
Risk
taking should be done only after thorough study, exploration
of the pros and cons, facing all the positives and the
negatives, and preparing to deal with any and all fall
out. If we are not well prepared, we should delay
the risk. It is the smart thing to do.
You
are not expected to go half-cocked into a quagmire.
So don’t. Study to make yourself ready for
any projected risk you must face. Don’t be
ashamed to admit you are not ready to fight any battle
requiring a lion’s strength when you are at a kitten
level. It’s okay to be there but not if you
carry out some dumb risk.
•
Assess every aspect of the risk
• Ascertain
all the cost
• Calculate
the probably outcomes
• Find all
the resources available
• Analyze all
the options
• Measure value
of taking the risk
• Get some
help from seasoned risk takers
• Formulate
all the weak spots in your risk
• Figure out
what’s next in case of a backfire and
• Ask yourself
if you are ready to succeed or feel better or back
off |
|
Table 7:
How Do You Prepare For A Big Risk? |
Are
you technically competent in the arena you face?
Technical
Competence
Competent?
Technical? Substance Driven? Meat, not fluff?
All of these have a little to do with technical competence
as a leader. The key is, am I able to do my stuff
when technical competence is the measure?
A
registered nurse who can’t start an intravenous shouldn’t
be caught, for example, trying to teach the process -
unless he or she is prepared to possibly be called to
task. In all situations we should try to be technically
competent in any area we teach, supervise, counsel or
mentor in.
So
whatever our role is as leader, we should learn as much
as possible about it. We shouldn’t take for
granted that if someone hired us to do the task, that
is the end all and be all. Haven’t you seen
the Peter principle at work? Have your seen someone
who gets a job - often that no one else really wants,
go off half-cocked thinking he or she is ready to play
with the big guys? I have and it is not, as you
know, a pretty sight.
Therefore,
let us strive to be the best technician we can be related
to our craft, regardless of what it is.
We
can take courses, do self study, practice, seek out help
research, view tapes, each books and anything else that
will boost our knowledge and/or skill level. The
key is to be valid, respected, and genuine in our duty
area. If we don’t know how to do “it”
- let’s figure out how - and the sooner, the
better. No followers will respect us otherwise.
Remember,
just because you or I may be called leader, doesn’t
necessarily make it so.
Thus,
get technical, hands on, competence as the route you and
I need to consistently go - courageously!!
Courage
Now
courage is a phenomenally, magnificent word necessary
to you, me and every other person who leads.
What
is courage? Stop and think for a moment how you
would define it? Are you by your own definition...courageous?
How
do we know that we are courageous leaders? I think
a few traits stand out. We are:
•
Fervent in our defense of right
• Aware of
all the facts
• Poised to
take and defend a stance
• Willing to
do what it takes for our team
• Strong and
fervent in dialogue unless verifiable new knowledge
comes forth
• Ready to
admit when we are right or when we are wrong
• Focused to
stay the courageous course
• Can ask,
or answer, the hard questions
• Consistent
in our stance regardless to whether interacting
with a subordinate, supervisor, peer or CEO |
|
Table 8:
How Do We Know That We Are Courageous
Leaders?
Here Are A Few Traits I Think Stand
Out. |
Stand
ready to handle the consequences and we are so courageous
that we can survive in faith, belief and persistence.
Faith,
Belief and Persistence
If
you really want to be rich in your position, you must
cultivate in yourself faith, belief and persistence.
Your faith will be at a level it can help you persist.
You must believe your own talk. You can’t shy
away from the least challenge.
You
who are blessed with these three characteristics make
strong leaders because you have a wealth of richness to
fall back on. You make a great candidate anytime
you can value your own rhetoric. So try hard to
believe in that for which you stand. Maintain your
faith so that you can richly persist.
Remember
that faith, belief and persistence are best demonstrated
by those who employ and impart:
•
Confidence
• Studied perceptions
• Magnificent
attention to detail
• Great communication
skills
• Great judgment
• Well defined
logic
• Objectivity
• A strong
spiritual countenance
• Real ability
to counsel and mentor
• A true sense
of overall competence
• A focused
perspective of their strengths and weaknesses |
|
Table 9:
Faith, Belief and Persistence are
Best Demonstrated by Those Who Employ
and Impart: |
Knowledge
of One’s Own Strength and Weaknesses
None
of the above leader traits, behaviors and attitudes can
work well if the leader doesn’t have a good sense
of who he or she really is.
Do
you know what your strengths and weaknesses are in al
the realms of your life. How are you physically,
socially, educationally, psychologically, and spiritually?
Do you impart true financial savvy? Clinically
or technically how do you measure up? Are you courageous,
caring, objective, empathic, and socially?
Do
you mentor well? Are you great in the area of business
etiquette? What do you believe, have faith in or
courageously defend?
Is
it enough? Write down 10 things that verify your
leader qualifications.
Answer
these questions:
|
Question |
Yes |
No |
Unsure |
Are you resilient? |
|
|
|
Are you courageous? |
|
|
|
Do you have
vision? |
|
|
|
Are you authentic? |
|
|
|
Are you charismatic? |
|
|
|
Are you objective? |
|
|
|
Are you emotionally
stable? |
|
|
|
Do you have
good knowledge of human relations? |
|
|
|
Do you have
energy for leadership? |
|
|
|
Are you personally
motivated? |
|
|
|
Are your
social skills and business etiquette adequate? |
|
|
|
Do you have
good communication skills? |
|
|
|
Are you able
to teach? |
|
|
|
Are you able
to counsel? |
|
|
|
Are you able
to mentor? |
|
|
|
Will you
take calculated risks? |
|
|
|
Are
you technically competent? |
|
|
|
Do you know
your own strengths? |
|
|
|
Are you aware
of your weaknesses? |
|
|
|
If
you can truthfully answer yes to all of the above and
can give one example to support your stance you just might
be ready for...or have been for the rich rewards of leadership.
If so...keep on leading...I’ll catch up to you...as
will others...if we keep on striving!!
Great
and rich leadership to you now, and forevermore.
Amen, Amen and Amen!
MORE
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Dr.
Gloria "Jo" Floyd, a recognized author, speaker,
consultant and survival strategist has produced and/or
presented over 1,000 workshops and seminars attended by
thousands nationwide. For over 31 years, Jo has been the
heartbeat for program participants leading them in common
sense survival approaches to a variety of challenges.
Since she founded NCEHS in 1978, she has prided herself
on customizing her programs to assure participant empowerment
and realistic survival. Dr. Floyd earned the Doctor of
Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Texas Woman's University in Denton,
Texas. She has been a consultant to over 250 agencies,
schools, businesses, associations, universities, hospitals,
home care agencies and related facilities throughout the
U.S. Never idle for long, Jo is published in numerous
professional journals and is the author of Survival Strategies
for Managing Life, Stress, Obstacles, Challenge and Change.
She is also featured in/on over 60 other nationally distributed
audio-visuals and educational materials including: On
Leaders and Leadership, Communicating Effectively, Improved
Productivity through Stress Management, Documenting Patient
Care Legally and Effectively, Legalities of Documentation,
Recording Clinical Actions, and On Being The Effective
Teacher/Educator/Presenter. Jo is constantly reading,
analyzing, networking and researching to continue to bring
up to the minute options to her clients nationwide via
educational materials, workshops, seminars, keynote addresses
and consultation. Dr. Floyd is, also, nationally recognized
as a medical-legal expert in the area of legal and documentation
issues. She assists in review and analysis of simple to
complex medical and legal cases. Jo has received numerous
awards, citations and recognitions from a variety of groups.
She has held positions as Administrator, Director of Nursing,
Education, Surgery and Central Services, Inservice Education
Coordinator, Professor, Television and Radio Host, Health
Writer, and Staff Nurse. Dr. Floyd has, also owned four
businesses. She has been successfully married for over
35 years to Elliott and is the mother of 5 children. Dr.
Floyd is an inductee into the Leadership Texas Hall of
Fame and the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame. Dr.
Floyd has taught numerous school nursing courses throughout
the United States. She is also a licensed child and school
health care administrator.