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"Our programs explore total leadership development, and that’s what makes them unique." —Nancy Dickenson-Hazard
Contributions to "Leadership" help support programs such as the Chiron Mentoring Program and Omada Board Leadership Program. If you are interested in making a contribution, click here. If you would like to apply for a leadership education grant to help offset the Chiron or Omada registration fee, please complete and submit an application. Click here for the Chiron program. Click here for the Omada program. |
FOSTERING LEADERSHIP THROUGH COLLABORATIONTestaments to Mentoring
by Jane Palmer When she talks about Sigma Theta Tau International’s leadership programs, Chief Executive Officer Nancy Dickenson-Hazard speaks with enthusiasm. “These programs are very powerful,” Dickenson-Hazard says. “They can profoundly influence careers. “You have to be able to lead yourself before you can lead others. Our programs explore total leadership development, and that’s what makes them unique. We start with the person, and then move to how that person can influence the team. Once team members have embraced the passion, we look at how they can influence the system, and then how the system can influence the community.” Dickenson-Hazard’s enthusiasm for the programs comes naturally. Early in her career, she received guidance from several outstanding nurses, but mentoring from her graduate school adviser was the most powerful influence. “She saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself. She encouraged, nurtured, challenged and cajoled me to the point where I eventually became very successful,” Dickenson-Hazard says. That mentoring experience was fundamental to what the chief executive officer has accomplished as an international nursing leader. Now she passes her knowledge and experience on to other nurses as a faculty member of the honor society’s leadership programs. The Sigma Theta Tau International Leadership Institute offers three programs to nurses interested in expanding their self-knowledge, skills and competencies in leadership:
Chiron: Mentoring through a different lens Nancy Strijbol, of the Netherlands, has participated in two Chiron programs. In 2001, she was mentored by Sue Haddock. In 2004, Strijbol switched roles and served as a mentor to Kathryn Rudd. For many years, Strijbol had been director of nursing education and development in a teaching hospital. She describes her nursing educator role as “a never-ending search for the most optimal clinical education strategy.” Research conducted by Strijbol and her colleagues had consistently shown that clinical education should be nurse-driven—that is, it should start with the experience and knowledge of nurses. This research and her experience as a nurse educator were resources Strijbol drew upon when serving as a mentor to Rudd, who wanted to establish a clinical educator position on her NICU ward. Hospital management initially was not supportive of that idea. “I suggested that she look through a different lens—to stop her attempts to convince management and start working with the nurses to help them understand their experience and explore their knowledge deficits,” Strijbol said. “She [Rudd] made a new plan of action and started to work with her colleagues. At the end of the year, she had a new role description and a position as clinical educator.” Chiron: Facilitating the mentoring relationship “I think the Chiron program is important for nurses in the USA and abroad who aspire toward leadership and scholarship,” Chertok says. “The mentorship provided by experienced nursing leaders as afforded by the Chiron program nurtures the development of enabling and inspirational relationships. As a nurse who had completed my nursing studies in the United States and my doctorate abroad, it was especially important for me to be mentored by Dr. Barbara Medoff-Cooper, an expert international nurse researcher and scholar.” For her Chiron project, Monica Tenhunen, a gerontological nurse practitioner in Ladera Ranch, Calif., worked on implementing research-based practice to prevent pressure ulcers in nursing homes. With guidance from her mentor, Lois Evans of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Tenhunen learned different ways to work with the organizational dynamics that influence implementation of evidence-based practice. “Dr. Evans was an exceptional mentor,” Tenhunen says. “She had experience in the field, was willing to teach others and was responsive to my questions.” The focal point of the Chiron program is the mentoring relationship. “We know from the literature how important mentors are in helping individuals advance their careers in meaningful ways,” Dickenson-Hazard says. “The Chiron program provides an opportunity or ‘stage,’ so to speak, for the mentoring relationship to be expressed and developed.” Omada: Paving the way to nursing expertise in governance
Members who have participated in Omada attest to the program’s value. Demetrius Porche served as a mentor in the Chiron program and is now a mentee for Omada. He found the initial meeting of the program, which provided an overview of nonprofit organizations and board functions, to be very beneficial, as was the opportunity to directly observe the June 2006 meeting of the Sigma Theta Tau International board of directors. His mentor is Cheryl Easley, a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA) board. “Dr. Easley has a genuine interest and concern as a mentor,” Porche says. “We engaged in a debriefing after the APHA board meetings. She provided historical and contextual analyses of the discussions and issues, as well as detailed information about the organizational structure of APHA and its functions. Also, she introduced me to influential members at APHA’s annual conference.” Omada: Refining knowledge and modeling board responsibilities “The Omada program has given me the guidance needed to understand the financial, fiduciary and administrative workings of the board,” Frandsen says. “I commend Dr. Smeltzer for her knowledge and mentorship in understanding the role of a board member. She and the Advocate Health Board were very willing to provide me with the knowledge to understand every aspect of the board’s responsibility to the health care system it represents.” Julie Thibodaux, a mentee in the Omada program, says the program’s systematic evaluation of the work of nonprofit groups, especially board goals and activities, has already enhanced her work with local boards. “Very few people who serve on boards, even national or international boards, get the opportunity to have formal training in the work of nonprofit organizations,” Thibodaux says. “My experience with Omada has given me the skills to be a highly effective board member, and I look forward to serving on a national nonprofit board.” Thibodaux attended several events and board meetings of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) with her mentor, C. Alicia Georges. “Dr. Georges has been a very gracious and highly capable mentor,” Thibodaux says. “She gave me a very warm welcome to the CGFNS board and also educated the other board members on the importance of mentoring and modeling the work of boards to nurse leaders.” Omada: Putting knowledge into practice “She [Barrett] is active in many arenas—she even coordinated the hospital response and relief efforts in her native New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina,” Kardong-Edgren says. “She is a master of many trades, selfless, and willing to share and teach in addition to everything else she is doing.” An accountant’s presentation during the Omada program was a “real eye-opener,” Kardong-Edgren notes. As a result of her participation in the leadership program, she became more conscious of the considerable fiduciary responsibilities of a board. “I learned that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act [legislation enacted to protect shareholders and the general public from accounting errors and fraudulent practices] does not apply to nonprofits at this time, but there are rumblings that something like it could be applied to nonprofits in the future,” Kardong-Edgren says. “Board members are required to know what a reasonable and prudent person would know about the budget. They should not blindly follow, but rather question appropriately.” Following their involvement with the Omada Board Leadership Program, some nurses have been appointed to governing boards. This outcome has been rewarding for program leaders, as honor society members who sit at decision-making tables demonstrate the contributions nurses make to the health of people and also increase the visibility of the nursing profession. “Having nursing expertise on a board is extraordinarily
positive—not only for the individual, but also for the profession
and the cause they’re serving,” Dickenson-Hazard says. Jaya Pillay of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, was paired with mentor Melanie Basso. Both work at British Columbia’s Women’s Hospital. For Pillay, the leadership academy provided the opportunity to reflect on her personal leadership skills and consider how her strengths could be used to lead her team. “The academy enabled me to augment, develop and demonstrate my leadership expertise and abilities,” Pillay says. “The Maternal-Child Health Leadership Academy has much to offer to leaders who love challenge, want to enhance and build their strengths, and are willing to try new leadership skills. Since participating in this program, I am more confident in challenging people to reach the next level. More than before, I remember to acknowledge team members’ contributions and celebrate their victories. “My mentor, Melanie Basso, empowered, advised and provided ongoing support throughout this leadership project,” Pillay adds. “Her enthusiasm was contagious.” Maternal-Child Health: Enhancing abilities and weathering
crises “Little did I know how valuable those skills would be,” Klima says. Shortly after the project began, the effort suffered a significant setback when the jobs of several team members were terminated. “The early work of the project team laid a solid foundation to weather the crisis and continue with the project,” Klima says. “My mentor relationship with Karla Nacion allowed me to grow comfortable with my new skills. She was always available, providing necessary support to help us solve problems and tackle challenging situations.” Another benefit for Klima was the power of connecting with others, both inside and outside of nursing. One concept explored in the Maternal-Child Health Leadership Academy is The Fish! Philosophy, created by Stephen Lundin. This management strategy is based on the work environment of the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Wash., “where fun, joy, energy, productivity and incredible teamwork drive out stress, boredom, toxic energy and burnout” (Australian Institute, 2003, para. 3). The four guiding principles of The Fish! Philosophy are:
“I was so taken with Steve Lundin and Fish! that I immediately bought the books,” Klima says. “When the Centering Pregnancy and Parenting Association was planning its first national conference on group care, I thought of his message. He was the opening keynote speaker at our conference and is now involved with our national organization. This is a perfect example of the ripple effect in getting out the message that leadership can create change.” Maternal-Child Health: Developing leadership skills through
projects “These projects have made big differences in terms of how patient care is delivered, and a lot of the projects have either continued on or expanded,” Dickenson-Hazard says. “Some have focused on academic and career ladders, and participants have gone on to develop themselves as funded researchers. There has been a lot of growth and development and career progression as a result of these mentoring experiences.” Nancy B. Johnson, a women’s health nurse practitioner at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, was mentored by Debra McCullough during the Maternal-Child Health Leadership Academy. Johnson provides services to the Permian Basin rural communities in West Texas. For her project, she defined the major clinical problem as a decrease in the rural population, which resulted in lower fee-for-service income. The financial situation threatened to reduce the quality of care and access to specialty care. In her final report, Johnson said the major challenge of her project was developing an effective action plan while trying to meet the many demands of her position as a rural clinic director. As a result of her work with the leadership program, she implemented changes to the infrastructure of the rural clinics and funding resources, which resulted in greater financial viability. “I learned so much—I feel ready to be a mentor,” Johnson said. Making a difference: From self-knowledge to learning
communities “That whole notion of a community connecting around a basic area of interest really comes alive,” Dickenson-Hazard says. “Mentoring is a learning alliance. Even nurses who are well-known, senior experts in their field tell me, ‘I learned so much,’ after attending Chiron, Omada or Maternal-Child Health. “Learning about yourself as a leader is a primary goal of the Chiron, Omada and Maternal-Child Health programs,” she adds. “You have the opportunity to expand your own self-knowledge, your own competencies and your own skills, so that in your work environment you can make a real difference in terms of the people you serve—whether students, organizations, patients or colleagues.” RNL Jane Palmer is editorial coordinator at the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. References: Governance as leadership: An interview with Richard P. Chait. (2005, Summer). [Electronic version]. Great Boards, 5(2). Retrieved September 11, 2006. Australian Institute of Management. (2003, March). Stephen Lundin: The Fish! Philosophy. Retrieved September 15, 2006. |
