By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, FAAN
What should you do if you directed to launch a new program during COVID-19, and the timing seems entirely off? It is an interesting question posed by a frustrated nurse leader whose CEO won’t take no for an answer. The staff scheduled to work in the program feel stretched and exhausted. There are questions about a COVID resurgence in her community. She doubts she can meet any of the projections that she put together more than seven months ago. Yet, her CEO is concerned about a need to improve volumes and is quite persistent. He feels she is too pessimistic.
In his, TED talk on The Single Biggest Reason Why Startups Succeed Bill Gross, the CEO of Idea Lab, discusses the key variables. Earlier in his career, he had wondered why some startups succeed, and others failed. Could it be predicted? So he analyzed the companies that were incubated in Idea Lab as well as others like Uber and YouTube. He identified five key components that mattered to success, including the idea, the plan or execution, funding, the team, and timing. All were important, but in his analysis, Gross found that 42% of the success of a startup could be attributed to timing. Some of the companies in his Idea Lab had great ideas, funding, and execution, but the market was just not ready for it. This same principle extends to any initiative that you plan to implement. Sometimes the timing is perfect, and the effort soars. Likewise, most of us have had the experience of launching a great initiative with a great plan, but the organization was just not ready for it. Sadly, many senior leaders like the CEO in this story underestimate the role of timing and fail to consider the following five questions:
1. Do I have a good grasp of the organizational climate?
Sometimes the organizational climate may not be ready for new initiatives or change. Astute leaders carefully study their organizational cultures and are not tone-deaf to what is happening in their environment.
2. What are the competing factors that could influence success?
Sometimes great ideas cannot gain traction in organizations because there are too many competing factors in the environment. While a new initiative might have made sense pre-COVID, significant changes have happened in the healthcare environment that might make the investment less wise at this time.
3. Do I have the experience to launch this initiative and the confidence of those who will be impacted?
It said that the right action at the right time by the right leader could result in incredible success. Winston Churchill was a classic example of this type of leadership during World War 2. In describing his leadership during that time, he is quoted as saying that “there comes a special moment in everyone’s life, a moment for which that person was born. That special opportunity when he seizes it will fulfill his mission – a mission for which he is uniquely qualified. At that moment, he finds his greatness. It is his finest hour.” Leaders need to have the wisdom to know when the time is right for their leadership and if their staff has confidence that it will be successful.
4. Have I created the conditions for success?
Projects sometimes fail because of inadequate preparation. As a leader, you may need to delay an initiative until you are sure that you have set your team up for success. An exhausted and burned out staff may lack the energy and enthusiasm to make the program a success. Others in the organization may question whether it is a wise use of resources at this time.
5. Have I carefully listened to my intuition about timing?
Leaders are often very excited about their initiatives but sometimes know in their gut that there are problems. While she was initially very enthusiastic about the new program, this nurse leader’s current intuition is that it is not a wise strategic move.
John Maxwell observed that “the wrong action at the wrong time can lead to disaster. The right action at the wrong time can bring resistance. The wrong action at the right time is a mistake. The right action at the right time leads to success.” Timing matters in our leadership practice, and it is a fine art. Yes, this leader could be wrong, but she may also be right.
Read to Lead
Maxwell, J.C. (2007). The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Don’t let nurse leaders in your organization go without development in 2020. Schedule your customized Nuts and Bolts of Nursing Leadership Virtual Workshop taught by experts for either new or experienced leaders. Nuts and Bolts Flyer
Read Rose Sherman’s book available now – The Nurse Leader Coach: Become the Boss No One Wants to Leave
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