Empowering your team is everything as the Director of Nursing.
I remember when I used to micromanage every task and every person—it was a habit I carried over from being a single mom.
You know how it goes: you ask your kids to do something, they don’t do it quite right, so you just end up doing it yourself.
Or maybe you didn’t give clear instructions, didn’t set expectations, or didn’t define the outcome you were looking for.
That was the way I led when I first started—doing it all myself, not holding people accountable, and thinking I had to carry everything alone.
And guess what? It led straight to burnout and resentment.
I learned the hard way that I had to share the wealth. Now, I make it a point to pass on everything I know to my team.
They may not learn it to the same extent, but I make it a habit to teach, to encourage, and to build them up so they can function independently.
I often hear from other Directors of Nursing that they feel like they have to do everything.
But here’s the truth: we don’t have to, and we shouldn’t.
Our job is to teach, to encourage, to delegate, to set clear expectations, and to hold our team accountable.
That’s how a team truly flourishes.
One person can’t do it all alone, and every position relies on the next.
Together, let’s grow teams that thrive and lighten the load for every DON.
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