To say that being home has been a struggle is an understatement. Adjusting has been difficult financially, physically, and emotionally. Financially because I took a pretty big cut in pay to find a job at home and because all of my income is now taxable instead of being supplemented by stipends; Physically because I had grown so accustomed to living in the RV within a tight, snuggly space that required very little cleaning/maintenance; Physically also because I have been working 6-7 days/week to fulfill my commitment at my primary job as well as my PRN commitment at the local hospital; Emotionally because I miss all of the people from my journey and have had a difficult time accepting that it is over. I am so grateful for my husband who has been nothing but supportive and understanding. He knows that all of it stems from my own personal/professional struggle.
The leadership role that I accepted here has been difficult. My transformational/servant leadership style is not a good fit within the organization. The organization seems to be stuck within an autocratic leadership style, which I find antiquated and ineffective. This leadership style includes micromanagers who are punishing in approach and who can appear frustrated or agitated when they are questioned. This leadership style is one of my least favorites because it leads to group-think (which is incredibly prevalent and obvious here). It creates a group where individual members are unable to express their own thoughts and concerns, and unquestioningly follow the word of the leader. Group-think discourages creative ideas and kills innovation, this is dangerous in a time and space where direct patient care and the healthcare system need more innovation and creative strategies than ever. There is very little input or feedback from clinical staff when making decisions regarding patient care here.
This is what I know – People do not do their best work under micromanagement and the autocratic leadership style. I know micromanagement is a term that is thrown around loosely at times, but it can have serious repercussions. Being micromanaged can reduce an employee’s confidence, extinguish autonomy, and severely impact creativity and productivity. It also negatively impacts employee retention (we are currently at 56% here, which is actually an improvement from 128% -I have NEVER worked anywhere with such an incredibly high attrition rate). To put it in perspective, other organizations that I have directed had a goal of less than 12%, and met it consistently. I am of the mindset that my employees are my biggest asset. Each of them brings their own skillset and experience to the table, which if tapped into can be incredible. As a leader, I believe it is my job to facilitate a healthy environment where they can perform at their best and reach their potential by having true autonomy within their roles.
As a leader, I am a fan of the “fruit vs. root” concept. I believe that knowing the difference between the “fruit” and the “root” is what separates a great product or company from a subpar one. Micromanagement often has a hyperfocus on the fruit (productivity, key metrics), which may be effective for short-term results, but the fruit eventually dies because the root was not fed. I believe that if a focus is placed on the root (our employees – staff development, employee engagement), then the fruit is bountiful and continuous. I could go on and on about this so, I should digress…..
I met with the VP of operations and discussed my concern regarding my poor fit as a leader within the organization as well as my concern for the lack of clinical input for issues that impact patient care. He assured me that I was hired for my experience and knowledge as well as my fresh perspective. He gave me permission to utilize my skills to conquer issues that are currently in my facility. I perceive this as a mixed message (words don’t seem to match actions) but decided that I need time to discern if what I am experiencing is the actual issue or a symptom of a bigger one.