The 7 Habits of Effective Nurse Managers and Leaders

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Habits of effectiveness ar timeless principles that are in harmony with our natural laws.  People who live by these habits are guided by their own missions that they have set for themselves in their lives, and manage their lives according to principles.  Ineffective people follow other individuals'agendas and they manage their life around pressing matters, otherwise known as crisis management.  As upcoming nurse leaders, we must learn skills in being effective, not only with time, but with other elements as well.  Nurse managers who are effective can become effective nurse leaders.  Keep in mind as we move through this class, if leadership is seen as the ability to influence whatever qualities a leader must possess to be effective, then we must develop the qualities and behaviors that will make us become that effective nurse leader and manager (Whitehead, Weiss & Tappen, 2011)..

Effective people are:

1. Proactive: Be proactive in that, do more than just take the initiative.  Recognize that we are responsible for our own choices and be accountable to them.  Proactive people are agents of change.  Life does not just happen, but rather it is carefully chosen so that every moment and every situation, there is a new choice.  Proactive people say, "I can, I will, I prefer..."
2. Beginners with the End in Mind:  Shape the future by creating mental visions and purposes and commit to those principles and purposes in what matters the most to  you.  Effective people begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of the direction f and continue to make things happen.  Just like the Kevein Costner Field of Dreams movie, "If you build it, it will come."
3. Good at putting first things first: Recognize that in order to have a balance life, it is ok not to do everything that demands your attention.  Be clear about who you are and what you want.  Focus on the highest priorities.  Highly effective people do not manage time, rather they manage themselves and complete tasks according to one's priorties.  Prioritize is the main work and delegation is utilized frequently.
4. Win-win:  Think in terms of trusting relationships and seek mutual benefit and respect in all interactions.  To be win win, think in terms of abundance and opportunity, where there is an exhibition of integrity, maturity and abundance mentality.
5. Seekers, in that they seek to understand, then be understood: Listen with the intent to understand others rather than the intent to reply.  Have the courage, the consideration and the opportunity to understand others.  If you do not remember much of these principles as we go through them, at least remember one important fact.  COMMUNICATION is the MOST IMPORTANT skill in Life, no matter where you are and whom you are with.  If you would remember a bit of Maslow's that we have talked about in the past, next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is to be appreciated and UNDERSTOOD.  We truly underestimate the importance of communication skills in our personal life as well as in our nursing life.
6. Synergizers:  A third alternative is always out there.  In other words, It is not my way or your way but a third way which would work better.  Think cooperation.  Create new alternatives to solutions .  This habit is the essence of leadership. This principle centered leadership celebrates teamwork, open mindedness and creating alternative solutions to issues that arise.
7. Saw sharpeners:  No, not pencil sharpeners.(LOL).   Effective people constantlty renew themselves in four basic areas of life: physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional.  By becoming self aware, effective people increase their capacity to become more effective in the day to day challenges that are faced, not only in the healthcare environment, but in the personal lives as well.  Becoming self aware, the direction and focus is into a meaningful progress through life (Covey, 2003).

Take some time this weekend and ponder these 7 habits of effective people, and see how you fit with the principles.  Remember as you read and evaluate yourself with the principles, that nurse managers have complex, responsible positions in healthcare today, and it is usually the effective nurse manager that can guide the staff to providing the higher quality of care to their patients.

We will continue tomorrow with what not to do, in other words, how to be ineffective as a nurse manager and leader.

References

Covey, S. (2003). The 7 habits of highly effective people.  New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Robinson, P. A. (Director). (1989).  Field of dreams. USA: Gordon.

Whitehead, D. K., Weiss, S. A., & Tappen, R. M. (2010).  Essentials of nursing leadership and management, (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.