Leadership 2000 for Nurses & Healthcare Providers ...
A Five Step Process


by Dr. Gloria Jo Floyd, The Nurses Coach

Are you a great or weak leader? My husband often reminds me that some lead and some follow. What about you? Elliott has often said to me as well, “The poor are always going to be amongst us.”  Whether we lead or follow we can all gain and profit from it. We do not have to be poor in leadership. Let me explain.

There are riches one gleans from following. You might say what riches? There are many especially if one works in a managed cost environment. These include:

In other words, you get the picture. And besides, everyone does not aspire to being the leader. Things that followers detest would make an energetic leader feel exuberant, fulfilled and challenged.

I think today the wealth in leadership is magnified when we lead in five, spectacular ways and realms. These include visionary, charismatic, authentic, courageous and resilient leadership. Let's explore the requirements of each as I have developed and
conceptualized them.

Charismatic Leadership Requires Me To Put My Best Foot Forward
Charismatic leadership is contingent upon me using the part of me that easily brings others into the fold. This type leader doesn't have to work quite as hard to get followship unfolding. The charismatic nurse leader, for example, looks and acts confident, brings a focused  sense of energy, and a ready smile. He or she  comes across as the Norman Schwartzkoff or Colin Powell or  Martin Luther King of leadership. The charismatic leader walks with authority, speaks with the flavor of accountability and expects no less
than one can easily give.

Charisma breeds magnetism, ready followers who hang on to the leaders words and trusts his or her direction, potency and power.

If you have the privilege of having been in the presence of or under the tutelage of such a leader you might have seen yourself or another:

Most leaders who search it out in themselves can pull up when needed their best charismatic self. We all have a layer of self that draws others to us. We just have to nurture it, believe in it and draw ourselves and others to it.

So rate yourself on these traits of charismatic leader- ship. This type leader is amongst other things:

Are you a charismatic director? Could you be? To be maximally successful you need to be charismatic and courageous amongst other things.

Courageous Leadership Can Save Lives, Jobs, and/or Institutions
Courageous leaders are just that ... courageous. At times even courageous to a fault. The courageous leader stands for what is right, will take risks and will speak the truth when the truth needs to be told.

Are you a courageous leader? Will you go the last mile for your team? Fight their fights courageously for them? Go to bat with anyone - no matter how high up the food chain they are? The courageous leader in nursing looks out for his or her healthcare team.
He or she does not hide from his or her duties. He or she will  step out on “right” versus “wrong”, “unfair”, and related each and every time.

Are you willing to do that in the leadership roles you face? Will you prepare yourself for the best leadership you can muster and stand behind it each and every time? Will you
keep promises that you have made? Will you disappoint no one when you can stand for right versus wrong? A courageous leader could.

What would it take for you to lead with courage? Would it take your toes to be finally stepped on for you to get courageous yourself and then step out courageously or get into the follower's line? Trust me, no one wants a non courageous leader.

Courageous Leaders:

Authentic Leadership Is Critical To An Organization's and Individual's Wealth
What is authentic leadership? I would answer that it is leadership that can’t be compromised or bought off. The authentic leader can be counted on to do what he or she says even if he or she suffers for it.  Can you bring your authentic leadership forward as you lead day by day while also employing charisma and courage? I think you can.

An authentic leader demonstrates consistently several relevant and necessary traits. He or she is:

Have you experienced this type leadership? I think we can all strive for it. One way is to decide before situations arise, who you are, what you believe and what you stand for? An authentic leader goes to the negotiation table with his or her mind made up, stands for the previously set rules and tenets and never compromise his or her integrity. The leader's word is his/her bond. The authentic leader will go down the long, often grueling road with his or her team members.

Another resounding trait you will see in the authentic leader is constructive confrontation of those above or below where integrity is flawed or compromised. The leader recognizes that in the long run “right” rules always over “might”.

The authentic leader is also revered by the team. He or she stands for and with them when they are right and chastises them when they are wrong. The authentic leader disciplines fairly, violates no one's rights and searches for the truth always.

Are you a charismatic, courageous and authentic leader? If not, could you or should you be?

Resilient Leadership Has Bounce Back Capability
Certainly a variety of leadership traits, including charisma, courage and authenticity stand out. Resiliency is another necessary trait for today's leader.

The resilient leader can withstand the knockout punch, the unexpected and the grossly unfair. This leader can carry out a variety of complex roles, responsibilities and goals and come back quickly for more.

When you are looking at a resilient administrator you see the characteristics of:

The resilient leader is primed like a well oiled fighting machine. He or she is prepared, on time, ready, flexible, self reliant and has a reputation for success. This leader is rambo like in his or her ability to get punched out but come back more prepared each and every time.

How resilient are you as you work?

Can you go one more round when knocked down by a supervisor, family member or friend? Do you bounce back in time to get prepared for the next round? Do you allow yourself no procrastination, excuse making or defensive realm when backed into
a life or work corner? If so, you will have even greater success and long term wealth as you master these leader traits of charisma, courage, authenticity, resilience, and vision.

Let's look at the final layer of leadership traits ... vision.

Maximal Leadership Requires Charisma, Courage, Authenticity, Resilience and Vision
The Visionary leader looks beyond the day, or year down the sighted future of the organization, its people and direction. A vision is a long range view. It doesn't stop with the first steps but seeks to take the organization down a path the rest may not see, aspire to, believe, or hope to reach.

The visionary isn't hindered by sight but rather is well versed in “Why do we need to see only brief glimpses?” He/She sees over the obstacles, past the resistance and can move straight ahead or take deadly curves as he or she drives the team to the goal line, the perceived path or the next dynamic phase or process.

Visionary leaders exude the traits of....

The visionary leader grasps the big initial, midway and final picture of the process.

When this ability is combined with the other 4 traits of charisma, authenticity, courage, and resilience, a truly phenomenal leader emerges. Ask yourself, “What do I need to be a magnificent, challenging, exceptional, and fulfilled leader.

Are you primed for your role as Administrator, Director, Manager, Supervisor, Department Head, Head Nurse, or Team Leader?
You are if your can put on the garments inherent in being charismatic, courageous, authentic, resilient, and visionary. Think much about these traits. How do you see yourself operationalizing each today?   Can you picture your leader duties at home, in the community and/or at work and how you might use each? Are you contemplating how you can grow others in your life and/or work world into these  same practices? I know this is possible because I have taught these concepts for years. Focus on how you can do the same to maximize all the success and wealth possible for you and your organization.

And just keep on leading.....

Until the next time -- Keep on Leading and Blessings!!

Dr. Gloria "Jo" Floyd, Ph.D., RN, The Nurses Coach is a nationally
recognized speaker, consultant, author and
survival strategist working throughout the united states who resides in
San Antonio. You may contact her by
email at DrGloriaJoFloyd@ncehs.com or visit her online at
www.DrGloriaJoFloyd.com.

© 2000, Dr. Gloria "Jo" Floyd, The Nurses Coach, NCEHS, 14439 N.W. Military highway, #108, PMB 615 San Antonio, TX 78231 78255,O=210-698-8700, F=210-698-8701