From "the" to "a"

What in the world am I talking about? Do I have a lisp? What’s with that title? Wrong question. It isn’t what, but whom. Let me explain. We all know who I am talking about. In high school, he was “the” man... "the" star athlete, "the" remarkable scholar, "the" ladies’ man…"the" smartest girl, "the" most talented....whatever he or she was, he/she was ultimately “the” guy or "the" girl. Now, graduated from high school, and no longer “the” man or "the" girl.. but rather, one of many. He is “a” scholar, not “the” scholar, for example, and she is "a" smart girl not "the" smart girl. 

Now comes the challenge of accepting and succeeding through the transition from “the” to “a.” How to find resolve in that? How do we accept that? What is the process of rebuilding the ego, the recognition, and the accolades? How does one transition successfully from “the” to “a”?

It is simple! Make it a transition from working and succeeding alone, to working and succeeding as part of a team.
 

...alone...

TEAM!

This was my struggle...one of my #careercurveballs

For several years, I was “the” wound care nurse. I had the knowledge and I was assertive. I could speak to the problem and people looked to me for the solution. Because I was alone in my role, and somewhat overwhelmed, there was always a plan to have another wound care nurse or two, but for the first four years I was “the” wound care nurse.

Over that four year period, I trained nine employees to do what I do. Each one would learn and grow, but would then move on to another facility after only 2-10 months. This wasn’t the plan. The plan was to train and keep committed peers, not train them to leave. Of those people, some went on to work their own wound care programs in another facility. Some didn’t fit the mold I was looking for—motivated, inspired, driven, precise, honest, and transparent. Some just couldn’t stand to be around me after a while, likely because my expectations seemed too high and unattainable by anyone else’s standards. I may have over-expected I now realize. Strong and steady though, I worked through those pitfalls and remained “the” wound care nurse.

Then, I found the right peers—both whom were just as committed to wound care and patient advocacy as I am. Hoorah! I thought, I don’t have to do this alone anymore! This should be the best time at work since starting here 5 years ago! How amazing to finally have some help, right? Right? Wrong. I was struggling more with the help, than I ever did when I was working alone. Why was it such a struggle for me?

It wasn’t until I recognized my ultimate problem with the situation...that I have succeeded in working through the issue. Now that I had two peers working with me, I was finding it very difficult to say that I was “a” wound care nurse. Somehow it felt like a demotion. It should have been a relief, but it just felt so… so less-than. 

Before the help arrived, when an answer was needed about wound care, I was the one people called. When a problem was identified, they looked to me for the solution. When I called the unit nurse, or the doctor’s office, or the staffing office, to clarify who I was I would say, “It’s Kristie, the wound care nurse.” People knew who I was just by me identifying myself as "the wound care nurse."

Transitioning from “the” to “a” was a challenge. It was one of the biggest #careercurveballs I had faced, because at first I resisted this change. I became disgruntled, arrogant, and entitled. My attitude was bitter and pungent. I had lost my title, and couldn’t realize success and could not reclaim my own vision, my focus.

No longer a solo player in the sport of my work, I learned to be a part of a group, a collective effort, a team. In order to continue with the zest and success I initially had on my own, I was forced to learn teamwork, collaboration, respect, conflict resolution, professionalism, and emotional intelligence.

I had more personal growth in one year, than in all the years I worked alone…and that enhanced my professional growth potential more than anything else to date.