Olympic leadership learnings

FigureTwelve years ago, I was moved by the London Olympics' opening ceremony, which, in part, celebrated nurses in the National Health Service. It was unusual to see nurses in the limelight at such a public and international event, and I wrote it down to remember to write about it someday. And here we are in another summer Olympic year, again in Europe, but what a different world it is now. What can we learn from the global phenomenon of the Olympics? As a nurse leader, it's not only amazing to watch the persistence and expertise of the athletes, but it can also remind us of what our nurses need to achieve clinical expertise—coaching and practice, practice, practice. Similar to the Olympics, the nursing profession has tightly appraised standards that are expected to be followed consistently, which for us evokes dreaded surveys from The Joint Commission or health departments. Yet there are expected variations in performance if standards are met: a practice that clinicians embrace to meet patient and family needs. Honestly, for nursing, questioning outdated and/or unnecessary standards and policies is a good thing, although that probably isn't regarded as an asset for an Olympian. Debriefing and evaluation after every performance by coaches and external observers, including newscasters, bring to mind the transparency of our measured processes and outcomes internally and externally. The athletes' resilience, grace, and courage are apparent, and these are assets we hope to see in every nurse, leader, and in ourselves. Continuing on a positive note, the value of teamwork and the impact of recognition are unquestionably as important to the athletes as they are to nurses. A surprising Olympic story from 2021 was when Simone Biles bravely let her team take over in an astounding demonstration of self-awareness in order to prioritize her mental health. What a lesson for the world, which inspired my own editorial about "when mental toughness isn't enough." And now we see her at the top of her game again; more evidence that caring for mental health is as important as physical health. Then there are the not-to-be-emulated Olympic conditions. Perfection shouldn't be a goal for nurse leaders; if it were, we'd get nothing done. Having high standards is certainly positive, as is focusing on improvement, but micromanaging details and expecting flawlessness can lead to fear of failure in our work environments, which thwarts psychological safety, innovation, and creativity. A culture of extreme judgment and competition isn't an environment that nurse leaders want to create; however, healthy competition can be a motivator, especially for team-based goals. And then there's the issue of doping—taking drugs to meet performance expectations is a desperate approach to achievement. Nursing received global Olympic attention 12 years ago, and we were back in the limelight in 2020 for global pandemic heroism. What we do is universal. So are lessons of teamwork, coaching, practice, resilience, courage, and grace. The joy we see on Olympic athletes' faces after nailing a performance or receiving a medal is the joy we'd like to see on every nurse's face because they've made a difference in the lives of patients, families, and each other. It's happening every single day all over the world. Thankfully, we don't have to wait for the next Olympics to recognize and applaud it.Figure[email protected]