According to Wikipedia, the definition of transformational leadership is ‘where the leader is charged with identifying the needed change, creating a vision to guide the change through inspiration, and executing the change in tandem with committed members of the group’. It adds that the mechanisms which enhance this type of leadership include connecting the group’s sense of identity to the charge, being a role model, encouraging ownership from each group member and aligning group members’ strengths with tasks at hand.
Personally, I find this type of leadership to be quite energizing. Creating a vision, identifying strengths and values, and ultimately inspiring the group through our actions are all things we talk about here on the Nursing from Within blog. I figured- why not take this a step further and look for opportunities for transformational leadership in nursing?
Well, I found that. Jackie Shaffer, a nurse entrepreneur and transformational leadership consultant, was recommended to me by a colleague for the Art of Nursing 2.0 program (you can read more about Ms. Shaffer by visiting the faculty page here). Now what’s interesting is we brought Jackie on as a speaker for the ‘leadership’ day. However, in speaking with her and doing more of my own research, I also have come to embrace transformational leadership in nursing as a means to cope with nurse burnout.
Let’s revisit some of the key points in the above definition:
- The leader is a role model
- The method requires ownership from all group members
- The group assesses its strengths and weaknesses and assigns work around these
Nothing in the definition above talks about working oneself to death, taking work home or stressing out over tasks that have not yet been completed. In fact, it sounds as though being a transformational leader in nursing equates very much to instilling work life balance in one’s life.
I would venture to say, and hope that you would agree, that one of the reasons we even have topics like nurse burnout and stress in the workplace is due to the fact that we see our own leaders practicing unbalanced habits. When our own nursing leadership does not breaks, skips meals, and works 60+ hour weeks- we feel pressured to do the same.
If nurse burnout is going to be eliminated it not only needs to come from within, but it also needs to come from the ‘top down’. Stress in the workplace can create a trickle down effect and, if we are not careful, our nursing leaders and their unhealthy habits can impact our own levels of stress and anxiety.
OK- now that we see it takes an entire village to eradicate stress in the workplace, let’s talk solutions. What can we do to reduce feelings of nurse burnout?
[Tweet “Here are three work life balance tips to get you started (and share with your nursing leadership). “]
Allow yourself to receive support. In nursing, we rarely work 100% alone. There are often intra-professional colleagues, support staff and nursing co-workers on our teams. You don’t have to do every single task all on your own. And the next time someone asks you if you need help, accept it. Receive support from colleagues so that your pressures at work can ease up some.- Leave work where it’s meant to be. At work. It is certainly tempting to take work home with you, however one of the best things you can do for your health (and those in relationship with you) is to use the commute time from work to home as a unwind and de-stress zone. I like to listen to self-help audio tapes, self-growth books, or New Age music in my car ride after work. Allow that buffer space to be a tool for inviting more work life balance in.
- Plan for fun with your colleagues. So being a nurse, you probably know what it’s like to be out on the town, socializing with friends and family and finding it hard from time-to-time to share what’s going on at work- right? A great way to reduce stress in the workplace AND have a social life that supports you, is by arranging some non-work outings with co-workers. Go bowling. Catch a movie. Plan a trip to the roller skating rink. I encourage you to find something active so that you don’t find you and your co-workers sitting around talking about work the entire time. But get up and get out with them and this is a sure-fire way to reduce nurse burnout.
So what did we miss? What other work life balance tips can you add to this list? I’d love to hear from you so please leave your comment below. As always, thanks for reading!
Ok, have fun! I like that, probably bc I need to do this. So easy to keep working intently. Today I will garden and check out the movies! Thanks, Elizabeth!
Hi Beth,
Glad to hear that you are giving yourself permission to have some fun! Gardening- I love that too, though there is snow on the ground… thinking spring. Enjoy yourself and thank you for sharing your comment.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth,
Your article highlights exactly what nurses do for others what they don’t do for themselves. With the majority of nurses working in the clinical, or bedside, setting we implement translational research to improve patient outcomes. Many times we may not realize this, but when our focus is evidence-based practice we are translational research nurses as we translate knowledge from research into clinical use at the bedside for our patients. Although we translate, or transform, knowledge to improve our patient outcomes, many times we fail to do the same for ourselves. As your writing so eloquently reminds us, research indicates to reduce work burnout or overload we need to have a support system, boundaries between work life and personal life, and actively participate in pleasurable activities that bring us health and happiness. Envisioning transformation in our work life begins in our personal life. Sometimes, we are so busy caring for others we forget to nurture ourselves. Reading your blog articles always nudges me to never forget it’s okay to take care of yourself, too!
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for coming by and sharing your comments. It is wonderful to hear that this post gently reminds you to put yourself first. As always, when we care for ourselves we give the best care to all of those around us who need us most. Thanks for reading and enjoy the day,
Elizabeth
Thank you for sharing this great post. I think the ability to function as a transformational leader also depends on the structure that is created to support the organization. I’ve been a nursing leader for a number of years at the mid-level. I completely agree that a transformational style promotes the best morale, and is the most effective in supporting an organization in carrying out their mission. Where the rub comes is from the top because it seems that once a leader moves beyond the mid-level they lose touch with those people that are carrying out the mission. Their disconnection and lack of understanding of what is causing the burnout to occur just exacerbates the problem further.
I believe that transformational leadership can occur when those at the helm see themselves as servants supporting the good work of that nurse at the bedside, and look for opportunities to better facilitate their ability to provide compassionate care to their populations. When they view their roles with a different perspective then they will more readily support keeping those crucial staff happy and healthy, so they can meet the needs of those they serve. The goal for those of us who believe that this style of leadership can make the difference should be to continue our upward mobility, so we can use the executive platform to drive healthy changes and reduce workplace burnout for the nurses we support. Best of luck to all.
Hello Dave,
Thank you for coming by and taking the time to share your thoughts on this important topic. I do agree with your thoughts and encourage each nurse continue to lead from within. As we set the example, no matter what level nursing we practice, our actions ripple out and will eventually effect all around us. Continue the great work, Dave and enjoy the day.
Elizabeth
Nicely written, Elizabeth. You bring key application issues forward in terms of transformative leadership in nursing. Role modeling a healthy work-life balance and encouraging ownership even requiring it will help ensure that the work gets done safely and as efficiently as possible and if there are not enough hours, it may be a sign to advocate for more resources. Sure, filling in the gaps occasionally may be necessary, but not all the time. And if more resources are needed then as a leader, one has a new priority.
Transformative leadership is a letting go, having faith in others, and sharing power. It helps to bring into balance the relationship part of complex adaptive systems!
Thank you, Beth. I love how you wrote that transformational leadership is a form of ‘letting go’. I was watching a program last night where a woman was still holding on to a hurt from over 20 years. When we hold onto things that long, the ‘things’ begin to hold us back. It no longer is about us holding onto a hurt; it becomes the hurt holding onto our progress. Thanks for sharing this insightful comment about the blog- and as always, thank you for reading!
I’m thinking that Babyboomers have a hard time with finding balance because of their work ethic beliefs. Taking care of self is critical to all nurses regardless of differing perspectives related to generational differences. Thanks for sharing this great article as to how important it is for leadership to be the torch barrier for staying in touch with nursing staff needs and promoting an environment that decreases stress and burnout.
Janice, Thanks for the comments. I appreciate you coming by and taking time to share your thoughts on the post. I am glad that you enjoyed the article and hope that you share it with your nursing colleagues. Enjoy the day! Elizabeth