Self-Management in Leadership - Emerging Nurse Leader

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, FAAN

“Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power” Lao Tzu

I often ask nurse leaders to share their wisdom with emerging leaders. A recurring theme is to manage yourself before you try to manage anyone else. Most new leaders find that this really is their biggest challenge. In leadership development, we spend a great deal of time talking about leading and managing others. But leadership really begins when you are able to manage yourself. Self-management or personal mastery is sometimes described as emotional intelligence. It is the ability to understand and control what we feel (our emotions) and the way we act (our response to these emotions). Nurse leaders who develop skills in managing themselves know how their communication and actions impact others. They are also sensitive to watching the cues in an environment when things are not going well.

In 1999, Peter F. Drucker (whom many consider to be the father of modern management theory) wrote a now classic article for the Harvard Business Review titled Managing Oneself. He observed that there are few naturally great achievers in life, and that most of us will need to learn to manage ourselves to be successful. Here are five strategies to better manage yourself adapted from Drucker’s thinking on this subject:

1. Know you strengths

Drucker observed that most people are not that good at identifying their own strengths and weaknesses. He was an early proponent of the concept of strengths-based leadership. There are many ways of identifying our strengths. One of the most powerful is to seek feedback from those we work with on a regular basis and those who supervise us. This is sometimes called 360 Degree Feedback and many organizations periodically do this with their leadership teams. Another great resource has been put together by the Gallup corporation. If you purchase one their books such as Strengths Finder 2.0 or Strengths Based Leadership, you will receive an access code to take the strengths survey. After you complete the assessment, you will receive a personalized strengths-based leadership guide based on your top five strengths identified from the survey.

2. Identify how you get things done

In his article, Drucker makes the important observation that few people ever analyze how they get their work done. An important question that every leader needs to ask themselves is: Are you are a reader or a listener? Leaders need to understand how they best absorb information. Leaders also need to understand how they learn best. Do you need to write to gain clarity on a subject or do you want to talk through a problem? Understanding your personal work habits is also critical – do you work better alone or with others? Can you work under stress and do you really want to be the decision maker are also important considerations.

3. Understand your values

Drucker suggests that values should be the ultimate litmus test on whether a job is the right one for you or not. Does the organization culture, mission and strategic direction align with what you believe about your work? He suggests that they don’t need to be exactly the same but they do need to be close enough to co-exist. When your values are in conflict, it can be impossible to do your best work.

4. Figure out where you belong

Drucker acknowledged that figuring out where you really belong in the world can be a challenge. Successful careers, he maintained, are not planned but develop when people are prepared for opportunities and know their strengths. I have often had nurses come and talk with me because they realize that they are just not comfortable in formal leadership positions. Recognizing this to be true requires courage and insight.

5. Decide what you can contribute

A final question that leaders need to ask themselves is given their strengths, how they get things done and their values – where can they make the greatest contribution? There are many opportunities presented to us throughout our careers BUT they will not all be the right ones for us. When you do the work that you were meant to do, you will thrive.

There are many elements of our complex and often chaotic health care environment that are outside our control. But we can help to promote our own success as leaders if we start by managing ourselves.

Read to Lead

Drucker, P.F. (January 1999). Managing oneself. The Harvard Business Review.

Rath, T. (2007). Strengths Finder 2.0. Gallup Press.

Rath, T. & Conchie, B. (2009). Strengths-Based Leadership. Gallup Press.