The Challenges of Young Nurse Leaders

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

As many of our seasoned nurse leaders begin to retire, younger nurses are stepping into leadership roles. Many tell me that they are being challenged by their more experienced staff about their age and abilities to step into these complex leadership roles. Instead of receiving support, they are getting pushback even when no other staff member on the unit had any interest in the role. While it is true that clinical experience is important for leadership credibility, it should not be viewed in isolation. The nurse’s leadership aptitude, interest, interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence must also be considered. As I often tell my students, the competencies needed to be a leader are different than those in a staff nurse role. The challenge for young leaders is how to respond when they are test. Here is some advice from the experts

1.Expect to be tested even from staff who have no interest in being leaders themselves.

I often tell young leaders to expect pushback and do a mental rehearsal of how you will manage it. Age-related skepticism is normal. The key is to not become defensive. Sometimes being self-effacing and acknowledging your youth can help to deflect the criticism.

2.Respect everyone’s skills and abilities by learning as much as you can about generational differences.

Staff want to be understood, recognized and respected by their leaders. There are differences between generations in what they expect and want from leaders. Take the time to learn how to tailor your leadership to different generations. Remember that at the end of the day, the key to being an effective leader is your ability to influence the behavior of others. Respect from your colleagues needs to be earned. The only thing a leadership title buys you is some time to earn that respect.

3.Tailor your communication to the needs of your staff.

If you are a young millennial nurse, you may feel very comfortable with text messages or sending twitter messages to your staff. Your more seasoned nurses may not appreciate or want to be communicated with in this way. The best strategy is to ask about preferred methods of communication.

4.Be inclusive – seek respect and not friendship.

While it may be natural to feel closer to some staff than others, managers need to work hard to be fair and make everyone feel valued. The biggest challenge that I see with younger manager is a desire to “be friends” with the staff. You will want to be inclusive and learn as much as you can about each staff member but avoid participating in social events that are limited to part but not all staff.

5. Be humble and ask for input and advice

The quickest way to gain the confidence of other is to be willing to acknowledge what you don’t know and seek out the expertise of others before enacting any major changes. Younger managers can really benefit from coaching and mentoring by other leaders in the organization. You will make mistakes so be sure to acknowledge them. If you were wrong – admit it and apologize. This will help you to earn trust.

6. Don’t allow yourself to be bullied

We often think of bullying as something that staff nurses do to one another but surprisingly, managers can also be the target of bullies. Establish a culture of zero tolerance on bullying. If you observe staff talking behind your back instead of resolving conflict directly with you, making belittling comments about you or snide remarks in response to your questions – don’t tolerate it and be direct with the staff member. This is where a good coach can help you in a dress rehearsal so you feel more confident in managing this crucial conversation.

Younger managers do have unique challenges but at some point you can be sure that staff will see beyond your age. The key is to open to learning and recognize that leadership is a journey.

Read to Lead

Sherman, R.O. (2013). Too young to be a nurse leader. American Nurse Today, 8(1), 34, 36-37.