Anthony Ashby, FACHE – Communicating with Senior Leaders

Effectively Communicate with Senior Leaders

Find a Sponsor. From my experiences, the first step was being vocal with my boss about my growth interest. It is essential to find a boss that supports your growth and is willing and able to sponsor you in gaining exposure by having them introduce you to other people inside or outside the organization as well as recommending you for projects or opportunities outside your direct work.

Maintain Relentless Curiosity. I was, and still am, always questioning and seeking to understand what challenges and barriers others are facing and leveraging different types of venues to build trust. Small meetings, large meetings, and 1-on-1s all offer unique dynamics that can teach you a lot about professional relationships, communication, and politics.

Find unique strengths and insights. The first step to leveraging the power in your diversity is recognizing it. Next is to be bold in applying it. Always be aware of what uniqueness you offer to any space whether, you are the only one of your race/ethnicity or the only nurse. Also, you want to make sure to use your perspective to unify, not divide. The intent is to teach something that reflects your unique strength, reframe others’ thinking, and explain why an issue matters.