Amy Felix, MSN, RN, CRNP

Always start with your "WHY"! It is easy to interview for roles that we think are a good job or positions for the skills that we currently have. However, when we aim for a role that will grow, it's important to share your why as part of your story. When you explain your "Why" it helps the interviewer know that you have a intrinsic motivation for the work that you want to do. By using your personal stories and stating your why, you will always standout from the other candidates because there is no one else like you.

In my experience, it is important for long-term employees or as a like to call them "Seasoned Veterans" to feel appreciated, valued, and acknowledged for their experience. However, change can be hard. It is easy for employees to fall back on the idea of " this is how we have always done it and it works." A good approach is to engage with the employee by listening to their ideas, and what they think is working or not working. Next, I would ask their suggestions for improvement. Lastly, determine even if they still think the change is not a good idea, ask them for time to test, and state that you will be open to feedback. Employees want to be seen and heard, and know that their opinions matter.

In my experience, it is helpful to be upfront and have clear communication with new hires. Firstly, meeting with new hires is essential to give a formal introduction to the role, current state of the workforce, and your goal and vision as they start with you. It will be important to have the new hires have a clear plan on their onboarding process, including timelines, and how to complete items to show competence. Lastly, providing them with point person or a mentor will help them transition to the role seamlessly. As the leader, it is important that you remain visible so they feel comfortable coming to you with their questions and concerns at any time.

In my experience, active listening is one of the most important skills to develop as a leader. Many times we listen to respond, to address an issue, or with our intention for the outcome of the conversation. However, employees want to be heard, understood, and seen. When sharpening your emotional intelligence as a leader, practice listening with your body language, your eyes, and purposeful pauses that allow the employee to know you are engaging. You may consider asking questions on statements that may not be clear to truly understand their concerns and feelings. Although you may not agree with everything an employee says, it's important to show respect and thank them for sharing their thoughts.

Throughout our career as nurses, we develop certain hard and soft skills that we take for granted. As we move through our career, it is vital that we always reflect on the areas that we have mastered. Whether before retirement or life transition, nurses should always have a running list of their accomplishments and projects. Next, they should determine what are their natural skills that make them really good at certain tasks. Then, while reviewing each list, nurses should determine what still excites them, what would they like to do again, or what would make the next step or role most enjoyable. In the challenging times for nursing workforce, we should find ways to ensure the work we do still brings us joy.

In my experience, it is important to understand your workforce and their internal motivations. During annual evaluations, or even mid-year, I ask questions outside of their goals including what is important to them now in their career and what they would like to achieve for themself in the next year. Based on the responses, I suggest opportunities to support individual needs versus solely focusing on the entire group's needs. It's important as a servant leader/manager, to ensure that you are coaching your employees on their career path.