My journey of self-discovery as a CNO led me to discovering a doable, visible way to think and talk about authentic caring in everyday work settings. It saved my nurse leader soul and is what my book is about.
Gandhi’s statement here is about as real as it gets for me.
What we think and talk about matters in our lives, everyday.
What we talk about day in and day out signals to ourselves and to others what is important. It keeps us thinking and focusing on what matters to us.
Yes, I had to grapple with self-awareness and self-acceptance before I could use my full voice and lead caring with authenticity. This is part of the wellness process for all leaders.
How nurse leaders find their authentic caring leader selves takes many paths.
Once I started asking nurses about their authentic caring experiences and saw caring energy spark in them, I was launched.
These short, meaningful conversations with nurses about caring thoughts and practices showed me the way to stay true to myself amid the racing competing demands of nursing leadership and the healthcare industry.
“Show your humanity and no one turns away”. James Doty
Nurses surprised me!
Nurses wanted to talk about their authentic caring experiences, even when they were busy.
From there, I started thinking and talking about authentic caring and threading it through everyday conversations.
I started with my leadership team retreat meetings and then in our routine meetings. I began asking nurses about their authentic caring experiences in the classes I taught, in committees I attended, in nursing forums and when rounding; and I made it a topic with my executive peers and board members.
Connecting with nurses in meaningful ways motivated me to round more, and talk and think more about caring.
Conversations about caring thread back to Nightingale and are relevant today.
Conversations about caring weave meaning and purpose into nurses’ work, environments, relationships, caring consciousness and help us thrive in nursing everyday.
Namaste
image courtesy from @thebestbrainpossible.com