Showing Grace During a Turbulent Time

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Our current healthcare environment is difficult for staff and their leaders. The pandemic has taken a toll on our lives, and many of us are not at our personal best. I recently asked a leader what she had changed about her leadership during COVID – she told me that I show more grace. Before COVID, I was a really aggressive leader who focused on metrics. I did not focus too much on the human side of leadership. All of that changed during this year.

Merriam-Webster describes graciousness as being marked by kindness and courtesy, tact and delicacy, all very polite in a way that shows respect and generosity of spirit. When a leader acts with grace, they navigate the challenges of life with ease and flexibility. Graciousness is characterized by maturity, class, compassion, integrity, respect, and consistency. It is a willingness to look at the context of situations and decide when to lean in and when to back off.

Kevin Baum wrote about grace in leadership for Inc. Magazine. Some of his suggestions for leaders who want to show more grace included the following:

Be disciplined but show humanity – Serious, focused discipline gets most jobs done efficiently and effectively. But not everyone can go nonstop like a robot. This is especially true at this time. Let people be people. They need to relax and recharge. They need to be able to grieve if necessary.
Be confident but show empathy – As you lead through change, remember that not everyone sees it your way or can travel at your pace. For some staff, the pandemic has been a massive life-quake experience. See the road from their perspective and help them find the path.
Be direct but show consideration – You’re successful because you know how to drive your own success. But people need to follow because they believe, and simply telling them your way is the right way is not always enough for them to buy-in. Lead by example.
Be a listener and show consideration – Thoughtful listening is important even when the viewpoints expressed are not included in the final decision. Sometimes the answer is still no. But artful leaders can make followers feel appreciated for simply having the opportunity to share their point of view. Nurses feel frustrated about staffing, and leaders cannot always give them what they need, but you can listen with empathy.
Be generous and show gratitude – Nurse leaders are expected to give of themselves constantly. They know that the more they give, the more success the team will achieve, and often they do so selflessly. But followers give as well. To feel worthwhile, the team needs to know the leader appreciates how the team has gone above and beyond. A grateful leader has a loyal following.
Know when to lead and when to follow – the most gracious and powerful leaders are the ones who understand when to step back as a follower and let the most appropriate person lead.

We all have the capability to lead with grace. It is developed by reflecting on our experiences and using them to become a better person. David Brooks described it as turning the awareness of your own frailty into sympathy for others’ frailty. Life cannot always be viewed as a battlefield. Parting of showing grace knows when to release control. Wise words for the time we are in.

Read to Lead

Daum, K. (nd Inc Magazine Blog) Be a more gracious leader: 12 ways.

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