OR Manager - November 2018 - 17

Leadership
Reagen Jacek, BSN, RN, director of surgical
services at Chippewa County War
Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste Marie,
Michigan. The hospital has three ORs,
a C-section room, and an endoscopy/
procedure room. " And if you don't understand
something, follow up to seek
clarification. "
Jane McLeod,
MSN, RN
Ask how your boss likes
to receive information
and how often, says
Jane McLeod, MSN, RN,
cofounder of Capstone
Leadership Solution,
Inc, Sault Ste Marie,
Michigan. Some bosses
might prefer short
emails, and others might want a daily or
weekly face-to-face meeting.
Be sure to keep the boss in the loop,
particularly in the case of potential problems.
" Information is something that
bosses crave, " McLeod notes. " And
they don't like surprises. "
Regardless of frequency and format,
come to a meeting prepared to provide
a succinct report and discuss issues
that require decisions, says Cindy Kildgore,
MSHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, perioperative
services director at Vanderbilt
University Medical Center in Nashville,
Tennessee. Kildgore meets with her
managers every other week, and she
says trust is key: " The more you and
your manager trust each other, the better
the relationship. You don't have to
be friends, but you have to interact in a
manner that is trusting. "
Kildgore adds that it's important not
to let any negative personal feelings
about your boss (or staff) interfere with
the professional relationship. " Don't
treat them any differently than those
you like, " she says. " Maintain an air of
professionalism. "
First-time leaders navigating the
change from staff member
to manager
may find it particularly challenging
to create a bond with their new
boss. " When you move from a staff to
a leadership role, the rules change, "
says Rose Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC,
www.ormanager.com
FAAN, director of the nursing leadership
institute at Florida Atlantic University in
Boca Raton. " You are much more on
your own, both in the way you do your
work and in gaining the support you
need. "
First-time leaders should understand
that their boss doesn't necessarily
know what they need. " The reality is
that you may not be on the leader's
radar screen because that person is so
busy with his or her own responsibilities, "
Sherman says. " You need to be
clear and direct about what you need. "
For example, ask the leader for 1 hour
each week to ensure you are on the
right track.
What if your new boss is new to the
organization or the department? " Explain
the history of things [to provide
context], " McLeod says. Don't assume
a boss knows about the department
simply because he or she has worked
elsewhere within the organization.
Nurture the relationship
Cindy
Kildgore,
MSHA, BSN,
RN, CNOR
The key to a successful
ongoing relationship
with your boss is for
both of you to be open
and direct, and have
clear expectations,
Jacek says. " Hold each
other accountable, " she
advises.
McLeod suggests
holding monthly accountability
meetings in which the focus
is on business. " They [leader and his
or her boss] do not let drama or the
whirlwind interfere with discussing the
metrics, goals, and strategy of the individual
department, " she says.
And, of course, doing what you said
you will do is always a good idea. " Follow-through
is the secret sauce of leadership, "
McLeod says.
Abbajay advises having a conversation
with your boss based on these
questions:
* What are your preferences around
work? This refers to work style and
communication: Big picture versus
detail oriented, and fast versus moderate
pace.
* What are your priorities? What do
you really care about for yourself,
the department, and the organization?
What are you trying to achieve?
* What are your pet peeves?
* What could I do more of, or differently,
to better align with the way
you want to see things happen?
" People who have had this conversation
tell me that it was life-changing, "
Abbajay says. Yet in her experience,
employees rarely initiate this type of
conversation.
Kildgore recommends a strategy she
learned from her own boss: Filling up
the bucket of goodwill-for both boss
and staff. " You fill up the bucket of
goodwill by talking with people, being
available, making eye contact, and really
listening, " she says. Because you
have been open and honest, when
something negative happens, Kildgore
says, " people will pull up that bucket of
goodwill and [be forgiving]. "
OR leaders should give their bosses
feedback, just as they do their staff.
" [Bosses] require feedback, as do all
of us, " says McLeod. " My most pivotal
moments as a leader were when
my trusted employees coached me on
something. "
Positive feedback is something leaders
appreciate, but honesty is key,
McLeod says. It's important to be able
to provide both constructive criticism
and compliments so they will know you
are being sincere and not just trying to
flatter them.
Gaining the support you need
Support from the boss means different
things to different people. Abbajay says
an important first step is to identify
specifically what support is lacking-for
instance, lack of communication versus
lack of assistance with solving problems.
Continued
on page 19
OR Manager | November 2018 17
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