February Meeting Highlights: Diplomatic Leadership in Nursing

[Nurse Policy Cafe]

In Saturday’s Nurse Policy Entrepreneur Café, we explored diplomatic leadership and its vital role in nursing. Key takeaways included:

• Nurses already apply diplomacy daily in patient care, advocacy, and team collaboration.
• Recognizing ourselves as diplomats strengthens our influence and visibility.
• Key skills: effective communication, conflict resolution, negotiation, active listening, respect, emotional intelligence, and cultural sensitivity.
• Diplomatic leadership is essential for policy reform and systemic change.

What are your thoughts on nurses as diplomats? How can we incorporate diplomacy training into leadership development? Let’s continue the conversation!

[Nikol Hamilton]

I regret I was unable to attend this meeting thus far; however, I am so glad to see this forum post today. 

Nurse diplomats (although not a uniformally recognized entity) offer their clinical expertise and healthcare knowledge to influence policy-making, advocating for systems change, and are vital members of communication globally. As nurses begin to utilize the term, nurse diplomat, this recognition allows visibility of an intentional leadership acumen to foster a skill in cultural, business, healthcare topics to mediate needs of those we serve. When I imagine the skills of a nurse diplomat, I immediately think of the nature of being successful with making sound business decisions while inspiring and motivating others. It is a true leadership arena to lead well through a catalyst behavior to also help others lead well within too. This is what will create collaborative change, mutually. So, I think of mediation (neutrality) but with benefits to all involved as a major skillset within those also aforementioned. 

Nikol

[Grace Kistner]

So true, Nikol!

I think of how nurses can translate professional skills to other applications. For example - we are diplomats in interdisciplinary rounds and work in care coordination and management, and when different providers have competing priorities, or when patient's don't value health in the way medical textbooks describe treatment plans, we help to bring everyone together for the best path forward and optimal patient-centered care. Then, I think about how nurses can use those same skills in C Suites or Civil Society and act as that same liaison who puts the whole system collaboration into perspective.

How else can we recognize, build, and translate diplomatic skills?