Three Leadership Success Factors - Emerging Nurse Leader

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

Young nurse leaders often ask me how they can stand out among other high performers. The reality is that there is no secret sauce but there are certain leadership behaviors that do get noticed. Part of the reason is because many leaders don’t make the commitment or take the time to invest in these success factors.

Success Factor 1 – Do what you say you will do WHEN you say you will do it.

Many years ago, I asked Tim Porter-O’Grady for career advice. His advice was simple – keep your commitments. He observed that you are sure to stand out because so few people do this. This is so true – I see this every day in my own work. I always recommend to my students that when you are given a deadline – turn it in early. It makes such an impression. Too many leaders are full of excuses as to why something has not been done in a timely manner. The challenge with failing to be timely is that it can so easily become a habit that others notice. When possible – under commit and over deliver. You want to be the leader that others feel they can count on and trust.

Success Factor 2 – Be generous in giving others credit for work accomplished.

Leadership is always a team sport – you rarely accomplish anything that was exclusively a result of your own effort. People know who the leaders are in organizations and what they do. They don’t need constant reminders about how great you are. Leaders who shine the light on others and deflect it from themselves get noticed. Even small contributions make great work possible – so always say thank your staff. It will build tremendous loyalty and engagement which is critical to successful leadership.

Success Factor 3 – Coach others for performance and career success.

If there is one factor in today’s healthcare environment that could be pivotal in your career success, it is to develop a coaching mindset. Research indicates that staff highly value managers who adopt a coaching style of managing performance. Moving from being a manager to a nurse leader coach requires a different leadership mindset and skill set to add to your leadership toolbox. The key characteristics of a coaching leadership approach include partnership and collaboration versus command and control. It involves less time talking and more time listening.

One way to grow in your leadership is to carefully study the behaviors of leaders that you really admire. My guess is that these three success factors will be high on the list.