When work takes up the majority of your life hours, it really does become your second home and the people there become your extended family; well, at least the people you like. Over time we develop bonds that grow stronger with each new shared experience, we build trust (particularly important in nursing), we learn about our home lives, we begin to rely on these people to keep our selves balanced. When one hurts, we hurt. When one celebrates, we all congratulate. It's a relationship that can last for years beyond the last day worked together, and it's real. That's why it can be so hard when one of them just goes away; no explanation, no warning, and no one to help us understand.
Today we were told our manager "resigned" with no other information. It's hard for a team to lose it's leader even when it's expected; particularly one who is well-liked and valued for leading with a humanity not often found in that role. The lack of warning breeds anger and resentment, which is not conducive to caring for our patients nor ourselves.
A broken team is no longer a team. Leaders must emerge from within to return balance in order for the team to continue it's purpose and to heal. Am I ready to be one of them? I lead in my current role, but this is at another level. It's only the first day of this news and I've been contacted by multiple peers asking if I am going to pursue the job. I want to appease them, but I worry about moving into a manager role that feels expendable now. Do I take the risk to help the team that I value so much?
I'm giving myself until Monday to decide, otherwise I'll linger until someone else steps up and an opportunity could be missed. Oh, happy weekend.
