Dignity: Leadership, Taking a Stand

“The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stands in the moments of comfort, but where They stand at times of challenge and controversy.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil rights Leader and Minister

When we accept the title of leader, we all know that there will come a time when our leadership is challenged. There will come a time when we will be challenged to go further than we ever thought we could, and we will ask those who we lead to do the same. We are at that time and have been for the last two years.

I wish there were magic words that I could say that would make things easier but there are none. We are at a time that is unprecedented, and it is something none of us has ever experienced before. We are asked to move forward and do more. We are told this is what you signed up for when you chose this profession, but that does not help when you just work 60 hours this week and you were short staffed, and the respect people once had for you when they held up the sign that said “Hero” is now screaming at you because you asked them to put on a mask. How do we lead our people and tell them about being resilient in the face of all they have dealt with?

I have talked about what Dr. Donna Hicks describes in her book “Leading with Dignity” as the “me” and the “I” way of thinking. Our “me” is our biological response to stress and we will either “fight”, “flight”, or “flee”. Our “I” allows us to see the world in a different way. It does not allow the “me” to dictate our responses and actions. Our “I” is our connection to the dignity of ourselves, the connection to the dignity of others, and the dignity of something higher. The “I” helps us to do what is right. We make our decision not to please others in order to get approval but to do what is right even if it means we stand alone.

There have been times in my career as a leader that I have reached my breaking point and I want to run because I have had enough. Sometimes “me” won and I walked out by the back stairs but most of the time “I” would turn around and help my team bail water so the ship would stay upright for a little while longer. We have a responsibility as leaders to not only take care of ourselves but to let our team know that when we ask for more from them we will be right there beside them. We honor dignity by showing that we hear what is being said and we stand by those who have entrusted us to be their leaders.

Leadership is not easy. As someone once said to me, “Leadership is not for the faint of heart.” When we lead with dignity it is the thing that will get us through these difficult times. I believe it and know it to be true. Dignity opens the door to communication, honesty, and trust. Even in these times when we are overwhelmed, and people are leaving the healthcare profession in droves. We are the “Heroes”, and we are the frontline leaders who will lead the way through this pandemic. It will not be easy, but as Dr. King said, where will you stand at times of controversy and challenge? I plan on being right beside all of you. You are the ones who have kept me strong, and I will continue to write these words with the hope of keeping you strong.

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Charles Redd RN

Dignity Freedom Fighter