- Email: [email protected]
Personal Branding and Nurse Leader Professional Image
Personal Branding and Nurse Leader Professional Image Sylvain Trepanier, DNP, RN, CENP, and Pidge Gooch, MSN, RN, CENP
PROFESSIONAL IMAGE Who is your favorite television nurse? You know we all have one—even if we do not like to admit it. Is it Carol Hathaway from ER? The fact that she got up close and personal with George Clooney is enough for some; however, the fact that she tried to commit suicide at one point may be a detractor. Is it Jackie Peyton from Nurse Jackie, the gritty, adulterer, New York City emergency department registered nurse that has worked impaired, diverted drugs, and is now in a 12-step program after voluntarily giving up custody of her 2 children during a messy divorce? Perhaps you are an old school fan of shows such M*A*S*H and picture yourself a modern Hot Lips Houlihan, who enjoyed romantic trysts frequently throughout the longrunning series? No registered nurse that has seen any of the portrayals of nursing in the media has ever gone a whole episode without shaking their head at one point and saying, www.nurseleader.com
“That is just not reality.” Maybe they all disgust you, and you quickly turn the channel whenever one of them pops up on your screen. However, we cannot ignore that the image of the nurse as emotionally unstable, addicted, and diverting her patients’ medications, and/or sexually promiscuous has been perpetuated for decades, if not centuries. Ever since the 19th century, when most religious orders were no longer caring for the sick, and in their place, women that were convicted prostitutes were assigned to provide the care as part of their sentence, nurses have been euphemized as promiscuous.1 Even while nurses’ personal lives were major parts of the storyline in the depictions, most of these fictitious nurses suffered “nursing invisibility,” seemingly not contributing anything to the actual care of patients in the hospital, and when they were featured providing care, it was usually in an unfavorable manner.1 Is that just creative license in television? Consider 2
Nurse Leader
51
recent articles by journalists of mainstream US newspapers, The New York Times and The Washington Post. In the New York Times article, physicians were heralded for their discharge planning efforts, despite the reality that nurse case managers have been driving this practice for several years.2 Boodman3 described in the Washington Post piece how after 5 physician specialists were unable to diagnose a patient’s condition, it was a nurse that finally identified the illness. Though the article was lengthy— and even featured the word nurse in the title—the identity of the nurse was never revealed, and he/she was never referred to other than in the actual discovery of the “simple” condition (that 5 physician colleagues were unable to diagnose). Despite the inaccurate media portrayals in both nonfiction and theatrical worlds, nurses shouldn’t worry, right? In the latest Gallup poll,4 nurses are still at the top of the most trusted profession with 84% of Americans rating the honesty and ethical standards as either “high” or “very-high.” The reality is that although the public sees the nursing profession as difficult, but valuable, studies have shown they also see the work as menial and consisting of people who lack ambition—and this can influence how nurses see themselves1 and, more importantly, influence some to not choose nursing as a career,5 perpetuating the nursing shortage that has been going on for decades. Nurses have long been considered an oppressed group, and as such, have seen themselves as powerless. Negative nursing images can be assimilated rapidly in a novice nurse when confidence and competence is low. Kelly et al.6 describes that the public image of nursing has a major influence on the discipline, in that “what nursing is said to be constitutes what nursing is.” So what comprises the image of nursing? Rezaei-Adaryani et al.5 describe “nursing image” as a complex overarching concept that is constantly evolving and encompasses all the stereotypical attributes of nursing that exists with many different influencing factors. In addition to the role that the media plays in the determination of nursing image, some of these other factors include clothing style, nursing behaviors, relationships with other disciplines, and gender roles. At what point do nurses separate themselves from the stereotype and strive to establish their own identity, their own personal brand of nurse that refutes the media image, nurse invisibility, and validates nursing as an honorable and trusted profession? We would argue that part of the solution is personal branding.
PERSONAL BRANDING Personal branding is the essence of leadership, a mandatory responsibility.7 It is a professional public image and perception. The last impression you leave after you have interacted with someone. It is important to note that developing and identifying your personal branding is a never-ending journey. With personal branding, you establish the value you are able to consistently deliver. In other words, it can be viewed as your professional value contribution. It is a “mixture of perception and promise that describes the other person’s experience of having a relationship with you.”8 We believe it is vital to continuously monitor one’s personal branding, and therefore, it becomes a commitment to advance yourself by serving others. Think of it
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this way: you just ended a critical conversation with a colleague. You offered your professional opinion, chose your words, and offered some nonverbal cues such as body language and facial expressions. As you leave this interaction, what impression did you leave with your colleague? What image does s/he have of you as you walk away? That image is what we refer to as personal branding. And make no mistake: because you are a nurse leader, you have influenced this individual’s general perception of what a nurse leader “looks like” until he or she has a followup encounter with you or another nurse leader. What if you left him/her with a negative impression? Could it negatively impact the image of nurse leaders? We would argue that yes, it does.
A CALL TO ACTION There are many ways to develop a self-awareness of the impression we give to others. We believe that a nurse leader’s personal branding is greatly influenced by his/her leadership strengths. Leadership strengths can be viewed as essential elements of your personal branding. A way to clearly articulate your personal brand is to ensure optimization of your strengths as a leader. We highly encourage all leaders to read and complete the self-assessment tool found in Strengths Finder 2.0.9 This leadership assessment offers a personalized strengths insight report and a personalized action plan. This leadership approach can be explored further in the book Strengths-Based Leadership: Great Leaders,Teams, and Why People Follow,10 in which the authors reveal the results of more than 20,000 in-depth interviews with leaders and more than 10,000 followers around the world. Their question was simple: Why did people choose an individual as the most important leader in their life? Three key findings emerged from the research that preceded their book. First, the most effective leaders are always investing in strengths; second, they surround themselves with the right people and maximize their team; and third, they understand their followers’ needs. In part 1 of 3, Rath and Conchie speak to the importance of investing in your strengths, and recognize the investment as a long-term strategy. In fact, they report that people who are cognizant of their strengths and build self-confidence at a young age “reap a cumulative advantage that continues to grow over a lifetime.”10 Personal branding allows nurse leaders to be more effective. Identifying your strengths as a nurse leader allows you to further develop and leverage all of them as situations arise. One way to start the journey to personal branding as a nurse leader is to keep in mind the 7 essential behaviors (see Figure 1) of effective leadership7: 1. Understand the future of healthcare 2. Always see opportunities 3. Anticipate the unexpected 4. Always demonstrate passion and excitement (if you don’t, why should others do?) 5. Demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit 6. Be generous 7. Always lead with purpose and intent to leave a legacy We believe this to be of great significance for nursing leaders. Hospitals are very complex organizations, and the only way nurses can lead a successful team is to ensure they
June 2014
Figure 1. Seven Essential Behaviors of Effective Leadership
Adapted from Llopis (2013).7
understand what strengths they bring with them. “The most effective leaders know better than to try to be someone they are not. Whenever they spot an opportunity, they reinvest in their strengths.”10 For example, if one of your strengths is being futuristic, remember that by definition you inspire others with a “vision.” Therefore, seek opportunities to use this strength, and don’t be afraid to talk about it, leveraging it and marketing your ability for the benefit of others. Developing your personal brand as a nurse leader is not as difficult as it may seem, given the value to be gained once your personal brand is established. Watson11 describes 4 essential steps to personal brand development (see Figure 2): 1. Be yourself! Throughout your career, you will develop relationships with mentors and see other leaders in action—learning both what works and what doesn’t. All that intake of data is valuable and will build on the image you want to portray—but be genuine.You can only “fake it” for so long. 2. Continually work on your brand. Disney workers do it best—have you ever run into a grumpy worker at a Disney park? Probably not. Remember your “onstage” and “offstage” behavior—you are being evaluated by peers, staff, physicians, patients, and families every time you step into the hospital, whether it is in the boardroom or the cafeteria. 3. Ask for, and receive gracefully, feedback from a trusted mentor. Any criticism can be difficult to absorb, but being vulnerable and asking for feedback is the only way we can grow and learn how to optimize our strengths. 4. Make every interaction count. Once you have identified your strengths, make sure that during every interaction (no matter how small), you are engaging your strengths. One other area is essential to keep in mind: social media counts. You may think only your “friends” on Facebook can see your posts, but they are in the public domain and can be found. Forget professional implications www.nurseleader.com
Figure 2. Four Essential Steps to Develop Your Personal Brand
Adapted from Watson (2012).11
related to future positions you may want, your current colleagues/employees will be able to see just how much of your personal brand at work is disingenuous. Once you have lost credibility with peers and followers alike, it is very difficult to regain their trust that the tenets you live by are not just image.
CONCLUSION Personal branding is extremely powerful and, as stated before, can leave a permanent, lasting impression in the minds of others. Remember Carol Hathaway from ER, or Jackie Peyton from Nurse Jackie, or Hot Lips Houlihan? A successful branding Continued on page 57
Nurse Leader
53
Personal Branding Continued from page 53
starts with the development of a brand strategy that includes your brand expectations (who you are and who you are not), how to build awareness, how it will impact your career plan, and how it will impact others (value contribution). This process allows you to assume responsibility for your professional life and in turn promotes creativity.12 A great place to start is the book Strength Finders 2.0.9 Use the book as an inventory of your strengths. Included in the book are ways to engage your strengths in everyday interactions. Next, talk to a trusted mentor—someone who will tell you the truth about your image. Finally, determine exactly what the image is you want to portray, and get to work using some of the suggestions in this article. Remember, achieving and maintaining your personal brand is a journey, not a destination. The best way we can make nurses more visible in healthcare is to identify and cultivate our strengths, and lead others to do the same. The time has come for us to leverage the public trust we have earned, and show them what nursing really is. Our battle cry shall be “Follow my lead…I am a nurse!” NL References 1. Morris-Thompson T, Shepard J, Plata R, Marks-Maran D. Diversity, fulfillment and privilege: the image of nursing. J Nurs Manag. 2011;19: 683692. 2. Alderman L. Patient money: aftercare tips for patients checking out of the hospital. The New York Times. June 18, 2010:B6. 3. Boodman S. Medical mysteries: nurse solves mysterious ailment that puzzled orthopedists, oncologists. Washington Post. September 27, 2010. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/27/AR20 10092706173.html. Accessed November 26, 2013. 4. Gallup. Honesty/Ethics in Professions. 2013. http://www.gallup.com/poll/1654/ honesty-ethics-professions.aspx. Accessed November 26, 2013 5. Rezaei-Adaryani M, Salsali M, Mohammadi E. Nursing image: an evolutionary concept analysis. Contemp Nurse. 2012;43:81-89. 6. Kelly J, Fealy GM, Watson R. The image of you: constructing nursing identities in YouTube. J Adv Nurs. 2011;68:1804-1813. 7. Llopis G. Personal branding is a leadership requirement, not a self-promotion campaign. Forbes Leadership Blog. April 8, 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ glennllopis/2013/04/08/personal-branding-is-a-leadership-requirement-not-aself-promotion-campaign/. Accessed January 15, 2014. 8. Colon, R. Promote your nursing career like a business. Nursing. 2013;43(2):7-9. 9. Rath T. Strength Finders 2.0. New York, NY: Gallup Press; 2007. 10. Rath T, Conchie B. Strengths-Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow. New York, NY: Gallup Press; 2009. 11. Watson J. Building your brand: establish your expertise to stand out from the crowd. Oncology Nursing Society Career Guide. 2012. 12. Shirey MR. Building your personal leadership brand. http://connect.ons.org/issue/ career-guide/building-your-brand. Accessed April 16th, 2014.
Sylvain Trepanier, DNP, RN, CENP, is a system chief nursing officer at Premier Health in Dayton, Ohio and can be reached at [email protected]. Pidge Gooch, MSN, RN, CENP, is a chief nursing officer at Doctors Hospital of Manteca in Manteca, California. 1541-4612/2014 Copyright 2014 by Elsevier All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2014.03.005
www.nurseleader.com
Nurse Leader
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PROFESSIONAL IMAGE Who is your favorite television nurse? You know we all have one—even if we do not like to admit it. Is it Carol Hathaway from ER? The fact that she got up close and personal with George Clooney is enough for some; however, the fact that she tried to commit suicide at one point may be a detractor. Is it Jackie Peyton from Nurse Jackie, the gritty, adulterer, New York City emergency department registered nurse that has worked impaired, diverted drugs, and is now in a 12-step program after voluntarily giving up custody of her 2 children during a messy divorce? Perhaps you are an old school fan of shows such M*A*S*H and picture yourself a modern Hot Lips Houlihan, who enjoyed romantic trysts frequently throughout the longrunning series? No registered nurse that has seen any of the portrayals of nursing in the media has ever gone a whole episode without shaking their head at one point and saying, www.nurseleader.com
“That is just not reality.” Maybe they all disgust you, and you quickly turn the channel whenever one of them pops up on your screen. However, we cannot ignore that the image of the nurse as emotionally unstable, addicted, and diverting her patients’ medications, and/or sexually promiscuous has been perpetuated for decades, if not centuries. Ever since the 19th century, when most religious orders were no longer caring for the sick, and in their place, women that were convicted prostitutes were assigned to provide the care as part of their sentence, nurses have been euphemized as promiscuous.1 Even while nurses’ personal lives were major parts of the storyline in the depictions, most of these fictitious nurses suffered “nursing invisibility,” seemingly not contributing anything to the actual care of patients in the hospital, and when they were featured providing care, it was usually in an unfavorable manner.1 Is that just creative license in television? Consider 2
Nurse Leader
51
recent articles by journalists of mainstream US newspapers, The New York Times and The Washington Post. In the New York Times article, physicians were heralded for their discharge planning efforts, despite the reality that nurse case managers have been driving this practice for several years.2 Boodman3 described in the Washington Post piece how after 5 physician specialists were unable to diagnose a patient’s condition, it was a nurse that finally identified the illness. Though the article was lengthy— and even featured the word nurse in the title—the identity of the nurse was never revealed, and he/she was never referred to other than in the actual discovery of the “simple” condition (that 5 physician colleagues were unable to diagnose). Despite the inaccurate media portrayals in both nonfiction and theatrical worlds, nurses shouldn’t worry, right? In the latest Gallup poll,4 nurses are still at the top of the most trusted profession with 84% of Americans rating the honesty and ethical standards as either “high” or “very-high.” The reality is that although the public sees the nursing profession as difficult, but valuable, studies have shown they also see the work as menial and consisting of people who lack ambition—and this can influence how nurses see themselves1 and, more importantly, influence some to not choose nursing as a career,5 perpetuating the nursing shortage that has been going on for decades. Nurses have long been considered an oppressed group, and as such, have seen themselves as powerless. Negative nursing images can be assimilated rapidly in a novice nurse when confidence and competence is low. Kelly et al.6 describes that the public image of nursing has a major influence on the discipline, in that “what nursing is said to be constitutes what nursing is.” So what comprises the image of nursing? Rezaei-Adaryani et al.5 describe “nursing image” as a complex overarching concept that is constantly evolving and encompasses all the stereotypical attributes of nursing that exists with many different influencing factors. In addition to the role that the media plays in the determination of nursing image, some of these other factors include clothing style, nursing behaviors, relationships with other disciplines, and gender roles. At what point do nurses separate themselves from the stereotype and strive to establish their own identity, their own personal brand of nurse that refutes the media image, nurse invisibility, and validates nursing as an honorable and trusted profession? We would argue that part of the solution is personal branding.
PERSONAL BRANDING Personal branding is the essence of leadership, a mandatory responsibility.7 It is a professional public image and perception. The last impression you leave after you have interacted with someone. It is important to note that developing and identifying your personal branding is a never-ending journey. With personal branding, you establish the value you are able to consistently deliver. In other words, it can be viewed as your professional value contribution. It is a “mixture of perception and promise that describes the other person’s experience of having a relationship with you.”8 We believe it is vital to continuously monitor one’s personal branding, and therefore, it becomes a commitment to advance yourself by serving others. Think of it
52
Nurse Leader
this way: you just ended a critical conversation with a colleague. You offered your professional opinion, chose your words, and offered some nonverbal cues such as body language and facial expressions. As you leave this interaction, what impression did you leave with your colleague? What image does s/he have of you as you walk away? That image is what we refer to as personal branding. And make no mistake: because you are a nurse leader, you have influenced this individual’s general perception of what a nurse leader “looks like” until he or she has a followup encounter with you or another nurse leader. What if you left him/her with a negative impression? Could it negatively impact the image of nurse leaders? We would argue that yes, it does.
A CALL TO ACTION There are many ways to develop a self-awareness of the impression we give to others. We believe that a nurse leader’s personal branding is greatly influenced by his/her leadership strengths. Leadership strengths can be viewed as essential elements of your personal branding. A way to clearly articulate your personal brand is to ensure optimization of your strengths as a leader. We highly encourage all leaders to read and complete the self-assessment tool found in Strengths Finder 2.0.9 This leadership assessment offers a personalized strengths insight report and a personalized action plan. This leadership approach can be explored further in the book Strengths-Based Leadership: Great Leaders,Teams, and Why People Follow,10 in which the authors reveal the results of more than 20,000 in-depth interviews with leaders and more than 10,000 followers around the world. Their question was simple: Why did people choose an individual as the most important leader in their life? Three key findings emerged from the research that preceded their book. First, the most effective leaders are always investing in strengths; second, they surround themselves with the right people and maximize their team; and third, they understand their followers’ needs. In part 1 of 3, Rath and Conchie speak to the importance of investing in your strengths, and recognize the investment as a long-term strategy. In fact, they report that people who are cognizant of their strengths and build self-confidence at a young age “reap a cumulative advantage that continues to grow over a lifetime.”10 Personal branding allows nurse leaders to be more effective. Identifying your strengths as a nurse leader allows you to further develop and leverage all of them as situations arise. One way to start the journey to personal branding as a nurse leader is to keep in mind the 7 essential behaviors (see Figure 1) of effective leadership7: 1. Understand the future of healthcare 2. Always see opportunities 3. Anticipate the unexpected 4. Always demonstrate passion and excitement (if you don’t, why should others do?) 5. Demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit 6. Be generous 7. Always lead with purpose and intent to leave a legacy We believe this to be of great significance for nursing leaders. Hospitals are very complex organizations, and the only way nurses can lead a successful team is to ensure they
June 2014
Figure 1. Seven Essential Behaviors of Effective Leadership
Adapted from Llopis (2013).7
understand what strengths they bring with them. “The most effective leaders know better than to try to be someone they are not. Whenever they spot an opportunity, they reinvest in their strengths.”10 For example, if one of your strengths is being futuristic, remember that by definition you inspire others with a “vision.” Therefore, seek opportunities to use this strength, and don’t be afraid to talk about it, leveraging it and marketing your ability for the benefit of others. Developing your personal brand as a nurse leader is not as difficult as it may seem, given the value to be gained once your personal brand is established. Watson11 describes 4 essential steps to personal brand development (see Figure 2): 1. Be yourself! Throughout your career, you will develop relationships with mentors and see other leaders in action—learning both what works and what doesn’t. All that intake of data is valuable and will build on the image you want to portray—but be genuine.You can only “fake it” for so long. 2. Continually work on your brand. Disney workers do it best—have you ever run into a grumpy worker at a Disney park? Probably not. Remember your “onstage” and “offstage” behavior—you are being evaluated by peers, staff, physicians, patients, and families every time you step into the hospital, whether it is in the boardroom or the cafeteria. 3. Ask for, and receive gracefully, feedback from a trusted mentor. Any criticism can be difficult to absorb, but being vulnerable and asking for feedback is the only way we can grow and learn how to optimize our strengths. 4. Make every interaction count. Once you have identified your strengths, make sure that during every interaction (no matter how small), you are engaging your strengths. One other area is essential to keep in mind: social media counts. You may think only your “friends” on Facebook can see your posts, but they are in the public domain and can be found. Forget professional implications www.nurseleader.com
Figure 2. Four Essential Steps to Develop Your Personal Brand
Adapted from Watson (2012).11
related to future positions you may want, your current colleagues/employees will be able to see just how much of your personal brand at work is disingenuous. Once you have lost credibility with peers and followers alike, it is very difficult to regain their trust that the tenets you live by are not just image.
CONCLUSION Personal branding is extremely powerful and, as stated before, can leave a permanent, lasting impression in the minds of others. Remember Carol Hathaway from ER, or Jackie Peyton from Nurse Jackie, or Hot Lips Houlihan? A successful branding Continued on page 57
Nurse Leader
53
Personal Branding Continued from page 53
starts with the development of a brand strategy that includes your brand expectations (who you are and who you are not), how to build awareness, how it will impact your career plan, and how it will impact others (value contribution). This process allows you to assume responsibility for your professional life and in turn promotes creativity.12 A great place to start is the book Strength Finders 2.0.9 Use the book as an inventory of your strengths. Included in the book are ways to engage your strengths in everyday interactions. Next, talk to a trusted mentor—someone who will tell you the truth about your image. Finally, determine exactly what the image is you want to portray, and get to work using some of the suggestions in this article. Remember, achieving and maintaining your personal brand is a journey, not a destination. The best way we can make nurses more visible in healthcare is to identify and cultivate our strengths, and lead others to do the same. The time has come for us to leverage the public trust we have earned, and show them what nursing really is. Our battle cry shall be “Follow my lead…I am a nurse!” NL References 1. Morris-Thompson T, Shepard J, Plata R, Marks-Maran D. Diversity, fulfillment and privilege: the image of nursing. J Nurs Manag. 2011;19: 683692. 2. Alderman L. Patient money: aftercare tips for patients checking out of the hospital. The New York Times. June 18, 2010:B6. 3. Boodman S. Medical mysteries: nurse solves mysterious ailment that puzzled orthopedists, oncologists. Washington Post. September 27, 2010. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/27/AR20 10092706173.html. Accessed November 26, 2013. 4. Gallup. Honesty/Ethics in Professions. 2013. http://www.gallup.com/poll/1654/ honesty-ethics-professions.aspx. Accessed November 26, 2013 5. Rezaei-Adaryani M, Salsali M, Mohammadi E. Nursing image: an evolutionary concept analysis. Contemp Nurse. 2012;43:81-89. 6. Kelly J, Fealy GM, Watson R. The image of you: constructing nursing identities in YouTube. J Adv Nurs. 2011;68:1804-1813. 7. Llopis G. Personal branding is a leadership requirement, not a self-promotion campaign. Forbes Leadership Blog. April 8, 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ glennllopis/2013/04/08/personal-branding-is-a-leadership-requirement-not-aself-promotion-campaign/. Accessed January 15, 2014. 8. Colon, R. Promote your nursing career like a business. Nursing. 2013;43(2):7-9. 9. Rath T. Strength Finders 2.0. New York, NY: Gallup Press; 2007. 10. Rath T, Conchie B. Strengths-Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow. New York, NY: Gallup Press; 2009. 11. Watson J. Building your brand: establish your expertise to stand out from the crowd. Oncology Nursing Society Career Guide. 2012. 12. Shirey MR. Building your personal leadership brand. http://connect.ons.org/issue/ career-guide/building-your-brand. Accessed April 16th, 2014.
Sylvain Trepanier, DNP, RN, CENP, is a system chief nursing officer at Premier Health in Dayton, Ohio and can be reached at [email protected]. Pidge Gooch, MSN, RN, CENP, is a chief nursing officer at Doctors Hospital of Manteca in Manteca, California. 1541-4612/2014 Copyright 2014 by Elsevier All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2014.03.005
www.nurseleader.com
Nurse Leader
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