Leadership in Challenging Times

Abstract

Leadership is at the forefront of our minds today, not only because it is an election year, but also because of the great need for effective leaders in our national, professional, and personal lives. The theme runs through many of our professional journals. Indeed, the NLN has instituted a new task group whose mission is to develop a comprehensive cadre of effective leaders in nursing education. Other major nursing organizations offer leadership development programs as well. Often we ask, who and where are those individuals who will lead us in these challenging times? The answer is that we all face leadership opportunities every day. However, new realities exist that cause us to wonder if we are up to the task: pessimism and cynicism about health care and nursing; power shifts brought about by an informed clientele; instant information and changes m many areas of nursing education, practice, and health care; knowledge as currency; the loss of a sense of community and job security; and a renewed search for meaning in our personal and professional lives. These new realities offer opportunities for each of us to make a difference and develop a practical plan for successful leadership. In The Leadership Challenge (Jossey-Bass, 1995), James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner offer an evidenced-based approach to facing this challenge that builds on a 17-year research database. Kouzes and Posner support an approach to leadership that is practical and workable on a day-to-day basis. For these authors, becoming a leader requires a commitment to five fundamental guiding practices: 1) challenging the process, 2) inspiring a shared vision, 3) enabling others to act, 4) modeling the way, and 5) encouraging the heart. Seeking and accepting challenges presents opportunities for change, growth, innovation, and improvement. Taking risks, experimenting, and learning from mistakes are part of the process. In nursing education and practice, opportunities abound for challenging the process. We all share the responsibility for identifying and leading change where possible - a major task for leaders. But first, it is essential to bring about a shared vision for the future of nursing education and practice. If we cannot envision our future, there will be a lack of direction and incentive to change. Envisioning our future as one that is exciting, changing, responding, and essential to health care can be uplifting and motivating to nurse educators, practicing nurses, our students, and our clients. …