A Time for Change

Abstract

Nurse Leader was established with the mission of providing our readers with articles and columns about leaders and leadership, practical applications, and learning from nurse experts in the field of management practice. With this in mind, the lessons learned from our recent presidential election cannot be understated. Leadership was exemplified in all its glory and honor the night of the presidential elections. John McCain gave a magnificent concession speech that sought to reunite the country and the partisan groups, while our new president elect, Barack Obama, focused on others rather than himself, on the accomplishment of the many that had brought him to this special place in time and history. A Palm Beach Post editorial read, “The American civil war has finally ended.”1Friedman T Finishing our work.The Palm Beach Post. November 5, 2008; Google Scholar Never have I felt more proud of being an American, and never have I felt more hope and commitment to the greatest country the world has ever known. Both men exhibited leadership in their desire to bridge the divide of a long and bitter campaign, recognizing that the unification of our country is our greatest asset and that people make the ultimate difference in achieving success. Their focus was not on themselves but on what we could do together to further the aims of democracy and freedom. What struck me most about our new president elect's message is the recognition he gave to others who had paved the way and his understanding of his role as a facilitator for the greater good, not for just Democrats or African-Americans, but for all the people of the United States and for our place in the world. His speech underlined the concept that being a leader also means being a follower—that is, recognizing that the will of the American people and commitment to the values and principles of the top leadership position in this country are foremost. He demonstrated in his campaign and election speeches an innate sense of the presidency being about stewardship, the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care,2Merriam-Webster. Web site.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stewardshipGoogle Scholar in this case the people and resources of the United States. His mantra focuses on the basic principles that power accrues to those who readily give it to others and that power is accrued for the purpose of making a positive difference for our society. President-elect Obama's character and intellect were apparent in his campaign as well as the positive outcome that resulted from his prior experience as a community organizer. His intellectual abilities and judgment will manifest themselves in who he chooses as experts to advise him. My sense is that those choices will be bipartisan, a lesson for all of us in bridging together often disparate groups. To quote Michael Sandel of Harvard, “Obama will have to reinvent government as an instrument of the common good.”1Friedman T Finishing our work.The Palm Beach Post. November 5, 2008; Google Scholar As leaders our charge is also to unite stakeholders to achieve a common purpose. This is a skill we need to continuously work on in our professional and personal lives. This country represents the best of freedom; now we need to work together to address the economic, energy, climate, health, infrastructure, and educational problems that hamper our society. As nurse leaders we also need to help develop policies that will move our agenda forward based on our belief that health care is a right and not a privilege. We believe that access to affordable, accessible health care has to be provided for all. Working Americans should not have to lose their homes and retirement savings because of catastrophic medical debts, while the indigent need access to preventive care to avoid long-term negative outcomes. This is not an overnight task, of course, nor is fixing our economy, engaging the world to improve our image, or improving our educational system. As nurses, we need to work with our colleagues in other health care professions to assist our president-elect in developing a system that meets the basic requirements of health care without bankrupting our country. We as professional nurses have a lot to offer Obama. We must be prepared to be succinct as a group as well as open and flexible in various approaches, knowing that the outcome desired is a bonafide, synergistic health and financial system that will provide appropriate health care for all Americans. I believe that we as nurse leaders can agree that providing affordable health care must be one of our top priorities. If we can actively participate in this new era of positive change, we can and will demonstrate true leadership.