What Do Managers Need to Know?

[Bob Hess]

A lot of discussion appropriately focuses on what staff nurses need to know to participate effectively in shared governance models, but what about managers? Their role must change drastically to make the contributions necessary to ensure a program's successful implementation.

Bob Hess

[kpwinn]

In my experience, the role of the manager changes more and is more difficult than the role of the staff nurse in moving towards shared/self governance. Staff quickly understand what is being asked of them in terms of increased responsibility, autonomy and accountability - staff's bigger concern is being given the time to become more involved and support from their manager and peers in sharing decisions. The role of the manager changes dramatically - to become a servant leader of their staff - few managers have the skills for this dramatic "personality" change, especially if they have been recongnized and rewarded for managing in a hierarchical model. For shared governance to get off on a solid start and grow - managers need the greatest amount of education and assessment by top leadership to determine if they are adapting to become a servant leader - not all will be able to make this dramatic adjustment.  Kathy Pischke-Winn

[kimhitchings]

I will answer this question with a little bit different spin.... in addition to what they need to know, managers at the front lines must have a mentor(s), role models, and most importantly, be held accountable for their staff members' involvement in shared governance. It needs to become the culture/the way things are done in an organization. Some strategies to accomplish this are: shared governance toolkit and expert human resources within an organization; specific goals regarding shared governance associated with managers' and staffs' annual performance appraisal; shared governance as a regular agenda item for meetings between the manager and his/her supervisor; reward and recognition for implementation of shared governance constructs or outcomes that were achieved through a shared governance model; and, finally and very important, a methodology to regularly assess the maturity of a shared governance model, with associated action planning based upon results to enhance shared governance within the unit/organization.

[jstichler]

I think when an organization adopted SG, both managers and staff need education. Managers need to learn about transformation leadership styles and ways to empower staff. Staff on the other hand need to learn about professionalism and how to participate effectively in meetings. It can't be assumed that staff will know how to particpate in meetings in the beginning.

[Ellica]

What is a Shared Governance Tool Kit?

We have just begun and I am in the process of developing/implementing education for the chair/co-chair and mentor on various topics such as, agenda setting, meeting and project management, rule of "thumbs," council delegation and holding crucial/difficult conversations to assist the front-line staff. 

Any other words of wisdom would help. Thanks!

[bhaagheitman]

Ellica - Dr. Vicki George and I are authoring a shared governance tool kit with the American Nurses Credentialing Center. It will be available after the first of the year. It sounds like you are doing great work now to lay the foundation for your self regulation model. Thanks, Barb Haag-Heitman, PhD, RN

[vicki george]

  Managers need to know the concepts of professionalism and the idea of self regulation of the discipline better than anyone.. They must direct the flow of information to the appropriate decisional councils for action and be transformational in their approach to coaching, mentoring and developing leaders in the staff at both the bedside and the decisional table... Their role in shared governance becomes even more important as they groom and grow the shared leadership framework... not only for the nurisng discipline but for all members of the organization.

[Rachel Start]

Some of the philosophical things that managers need to know are that in taking a momentary risk, squeezing time off the unit, making the effort to engage someone where they have a strength, will only support their unit and their patients further in the end.  Empowering of staff by leadership, engaging in a bigger world view, allows staff to be further equipped with tools to assist problems on the unit.  True mentorship is finding the right niche a person needs to fit in, and then letting go.  Logistically, managers need to be prepared... I usually advise staff to give a year's worth of dates for meeting times to their manager.  We also have a consent to serve form that serves as an agreement before membership on a committee between a manager and staff person.  I advise staff and managers to go into the committee experience with full understanding of the commitment, that as a staff person they are accountable to communicate this to their manager and negotiate even how they will be paid for their time.  I think that empowering managers in the shared role of nurses in leadership further supports their jobs in the various interdisciplinary venues they may find themselves in.  Many managers say to me... " I didn't know that is what shared governance truly was all about!  Can you come to my unit!  Can you send me your powerpoint?" As if a lightbulb has gone on...they catch the vision.  Managers need just as much education as staff do- in fact in my mind I see them just as much a part of our Nursing Staff as any direct care giver.  Our definition of a member in our organization is any nurse with an active license employed by our institution- that is from our CNO down.

[loisb1]

Is the tool kit avaiable yet?