Leaders Carry a Big Wake
People are always watching a leader.
What you say or do, how you say it, the way you treat others, and your response under stress all send subtle signals to people around you. The impact may not be immediate or apparent, but just like any boat in movement, the actions of a leader create a big wake
Being intentional about the wake that you want to create is a force for leadership. This requires reflective thinking about what the team needs for their own forward momentum. In times of chaos, the wake you may need to create is one of courage, calmness, clarity. In contrast, to stimulate innovation, you may need to create a wake of creativity, risk-taking, and boldness.
Managing your wake involves both a way of being and a way of behaving. Knowing the wake you want to create and acting in alignment with that intention generates a force that ripples out to others. You are always role modeling and mentoring.
In all cases, the way you respond as a leader creates waves, and each wave creates another wave, generating an impact and force far distant from you as the originator. As you move further from the boat the force of the wave may diminish or, in today’s hyperconnected world, your small actions my go viral and spread far and wide.
Either way, the force of your leadership ripples out into the world. Take advantage of that and be a leader that creates a wave worth riding.
“Bringing our best to our roles requires us to be conscious and thoughtful stewards of our own leadership wake.” — Catherine Robinson-Walker, Leading with Mastery and Heart, 2020
About the Authors
Pam Thompson MS, RN, FAAN is the CEO Emeritus of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, formerly AONE. During the same time, 2000–2016, she was the Senior VP of Nursing for the American Hospital Association. After retiring in 2017, she now serves as a healthcare consultant and volunteer board member and trustee for several healthcare entities.
Marla Weston PhD, RN, FAAN is the past CEO of the American Nurses Association Enterprise which included the American Nurses Association, American Nurses Credentialing Center and American Nurses Foundation, serving from 2009 to 2018. She now is a consultant and facilitator in leadership development, organizational strategy and growth, and future trends.
