Dignity: Leadership 

“Leadership is not for the faint of heart” Vernette Townsend RN

“It all comes down to Leadership” Laura Douglass RN

I keep these quotes in my goals statement. They remind me of the importance of leadership. These 2 quotes came from 2 leaders that mentored me when my leadership journey began. I do not know if they came up with those quotes but I will credit them as I heard it from them first.I do not believe I would be where I am without the opportunity they gave me to crawl, walk, run, fall, and stretch myself farther than I ever thought. Leadership is not about titles. A title does not mean you get an infusion of brains. Leadership is hard. It is a commitment to always strive to do what is right. You standup for those you lead. You are committed to lead by example, hold people accountable, and keep them safe. Our job is not a 9 to 5. 

One of the hardest parts of being a leader is our ability to have those difficult conversations. Most of us are great when it comes to praising those we lead but it is another story when we have to acknowledge that someone is not living up to the standards set and we have to speak with them. I cannot tell you how many difficult conversations I have had as a leader. Some of the hardest were when I had to terminate an employee. It was the right thing to do but broke my heart to do it.  

Another part of being a leader is keeping our employees safe. Safety is an important part of building an engaged work environment. I learned the hard way when I did not address an issue that was brought to my attention. Workplace bullying was happening in a department I was managing. It was brought to my attention but I addressed it as “You know how she is but she is a great nurse and her patients love her.” I did speak with this nurse but not in a way that told her this behavior was unacceptable. I failed the staff that came to me and I failed that nurse because I did not let her know that her behavior did not meet the standards set by our department. Eventually a group of nurses went to Human Resources this nurse left and I never fully regained the trust of the staff.  

When I relate this to dignity, I learned that I did not keep my staff safe, I did not acknowledge their concerns, I did not give them the benefit of the doubt, or understanding. If I had just spoken to that nurse maybe she could have changed and been able to right the wrong and create a stronger relationship with her peers. As a leader there is nothing worse than having the people you lead not trust you or say “Don’t bother telling Charles, he won’t do anything.”  

I learned from that experience and I am committed to never let it happen again.  

Stay Strong and continue to lead with dignity. 

Charles Redd RN 

Your Dignity Freedom Fighter