National Boss’s Day came and went earlier this year. Being a leader is not easy! Our worked hours are not less, they are more. Our employees, however, see things differently. We are there to serve them, thus the term “servant leadership.” So how should we serve our team?
I believe that we should help them be happier in life, help them develop friendships at work, and help them experience a fuller life while at work. Our people are our greatest assets, and if we fail our people, we will fail our patients! I overheard an employee on the phone with one of her coworkers yesterday saying, “No, you are overthinking this. You just need to go to sleep, get some rest, and you’ll feel better about this when you wake up.” That was a true friend conversation. Do you have the connections with your team to be able to give that advice and it is accepted? Trust is earned over time. I am still working on building trust with my team. My administrative team has been promoting “self-care” to the leadership team during morning safety meetings, and they also “live it.” It is very unusual for me to get an email or text after-hours, only because they want us to disconnect when we are away from work so that we can “fill up our cups.” (Remember, you cannot fill up someone else’s cup if yours is empty.) When I do get that unusual after-hours text from my CEO, I know that it is “real,” and deserving of my immediate attention. He has earned my respect by the way that he is handling the leadership team. Have I told him this? No. Why? I am not sure why! Let’s go back to where I said that “National Boss’s Day came and went.” I did not say a thing last week to my boss, but it was not from lack of respect or appreciation. So, if you are one of those leaders who didn’t get recognition on National Boss’s Day, it’s OK! Hopefully, you are being a true servant leader who knows in your heart that you are doing the very best you can for your team!
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me at Brenda.DeBastiani@BraveraHealth.com. •
– Brenda Debastiani is the AHRA 2022-2023 President.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This RAD Idea is an excerpt from an AHRA post used with permission. You can read the entire blog post at tinyurl.com/4mefht6w.
