Should I Take This Leadership Role?

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

A former graduate student called me to discuss a potential job opportunity. She described the opportunity as a “dream job” in a Magnet organization with a hefty salary increase. It would involve relocation to another part of the country. So what is stopping you? I asked. She related the following story:

I went to the interview excited about the possibilities of working for what I believed to be a great organization. As the round of interviews progressed, I began to feel uncomfortable. The interviews with the managers who would be my direct reports went well, and I was impressed with the group. But the interviews with the executive team planted seeds of doubt.  My predecessor in the role had left abruptly. No one would directly answer why she resigned or seemed willing to discuss it. The team, who would be my director-level peers, seemed guarded and often deferred questions to the Chief Nursing Officer. I left the interview deflated. I am sure they will offer me the position, but there are too many red flags. I don’t know if I am overreacting or whether I should trust my intuition.  I need a second opinion. They will think I am nuts if I turn it down.

This leader was wise in listening to her gut before she jumped at the opportunity. We talked about the importance of psychological safety in environments.  Working on a leadership team, by its nature, involves interpersonal risks. Because healthcare delivery is rarely scripted and many unexpected things happen, the leadership team must be able to ask questions, offer ideas and coordinate their actions in real time. The uneasy feeling was her brain quickly assessing the degree of psychological safety in a new environment and the team interactions.

Dr. Amy Edmondson is an expert on psychological safety in the workplace.  She states, “psychological safety describes the individuals’ perceptions about the consequences of interpersonal risk in their work environment.” It consists of taken-for-granted beliefs about how others will respond when you put yourself on the line, such as asking a question, seeking feedback, reporting a mistake, or proposing a new idea. We weigh each potential action against a particular interpersonal climate, as in, “If I do this here, will I be hurt, embarrassed, or criticized?” An action that might be unthinkable in one workgroup can be readily taken in another due to different beliefs about probable interpersonal consequences.

To be effective in a new leadership role, you must feel psychologically safe in the environment. While she may not have been entitled to full disclosure about what led to her predecessor’s resignation, some details are necessary to decide. She needs to feel confident that this is the next best career move. The nonverbal interactions she observed between the CNO and the rest of her leadership team are potential cues about challenges she might face. Never take a role I advised unless you feel confident you can succeed and will have the support you need.

Ultimately, she decided to pass on the job when the executive recruiter offered it. She did share some of her thoughts with the recruiter who told her she appreciated the candor.

Read to Lead

Edmondson AC. Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate and Compete in the Knowledge Economy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 2012.