Developing Your Personal Leadership Philosophy

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

Committing your leadership beliefs, values and guiding principles to paper can be very powerful. It also holds you accountable to practice what you preach if you put your leadership philosophy out there – an internal compass. I was reminded of the power of this the other day when I read the leadership philosophy of Bob Dent. Bob Dent, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, CENP is the senior vice president, chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at Midland Memorial Hospital in Midland, Texas. Bob also serves on the AONE Board of Directors and the AONE Foundation Board of Directors. I am sharing his philosophy with his permission.

Bob Dent’s leadership philosophy:

I believe being a leader carries the responsibility of being a positive example in the workplace. To accomplish this, it is important for me to be accessible, approachable and highly visible with our people leading at every interaction. I schedule time each day to complete Leadership Rounds to our people and patients.
I believe leaders have the responsibility to Inspire a Shared Vision recognizing the current state and our future related to the mission, vision, core values and thekey priorities of our hospital.
I believe in Professional Governance where staff are empowered to challenge our current policies, procedures and practices making decisions important to improve the workplace environment and the patient’s experience of care. None of us is as smart as all of us.
I believe in Our People First. I have the responsibility to reward, recognize, and celebrate the contributions of individuals and teams. I believe our people will be and perform at their best with the tools they have. As leaders, we have to assure our people are well cared for and have the tools they need. People work for people, not organizations.
I believe in Safety Above All with our patients, visitors and each other. To accomplish this, it is important that I am approachable. People need to feel comfortable and safe reporting unsafe practices.
I believe in Our Mission Always. I use our mission to guide the actions and decision-making of our teams.
I believe in a Culture of Ownership. In the spirit of proceed until apprehended, I encourage people to be creative and innovative exceeding the basis of their roles and responsibilities. I do not tolerate a lack of ownership, indecision, or not being prepared.
I believe in Lifelong Learning. I take complete responsibility for my own growth and development by staying involved in professional organizations, maintaining appropriate certifications, and reading pertinent material staying ahead of impending changes to the healthcare environment.
I believe Communication is Key! I believe in open, honest, and ethical communication, and being completely transparent. I will be upfront, above board, and direct with courtesy, professionalism, and mutual respect. I do not tolerate open hostility, anger and a failure to treat people with courtesy and respect.
I believe in Excellence. I have the responsibility of working with our teams to establish SMART goals for measuring progress (not perfection) towards our key priorities. I believe results are very important.
I believe in Interprofessional Collaboration. I have the responsibility to assure we have adequate representation in an environment of inclusivity to accomplish our shared vision and goals.
I believe the most important role of a leader is in Relationship Management. A leader’s circle of influence is more important than authority or control. Leadership is about discipline and intelligence, not about who has the heavier hand.

Bob states that he openly shares his leadership philosophy with his team. “They know what to expect from me and how I respond to situations”.

He encourage you to reflect on your own personal leadership philosophy that clearly defines who you are as a nurse and nurse leader. The people working with you deserve to better understand your beliefs.