Leadership Lessons

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Discussion question: What are the leadership lessons learned from The Velveteen Rabbit? How do they compare to Chinn’s discussion of power and Johns’ (2001) discussion of transformational leadership?

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The Velveteen Rabbit, written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson, is a children’s book with unique lessons that not only apply to children but also benefit adults and working professionals. One key lesson that the future nurse leader can take away from this nursery book touches upon knowing your worth. When the Rabbit encountered two similar-looking rabbits, the Rabbit noticed variances in their appearances and abilities but instead of shaming the two rabbits for their differences, he welcomed the experience of meeting the new “beings”. However, when the two rabbits approached the Rabbit, they made comments about what the Rabbit lacked and proclaimed that the Rabbit wasn’t Real. In response, the Rabbit declared “I am Real… the Boy said so!” From this example, the lesson to learn is to hold onto the truth of who you are no matter what others may say. Many nurses will underestimate or even invalidate a fellow nurse’s best effort in their display of leadership. However, knowing your worth is believing in your unique abilities, strengths amongst weaknesses, and knowing that those in power have validated you to do the job you’ve been hired to do – the Florida Board of Nursing, the medical institution of employment, or in this instance, the Boy from the nursery representing a master figure for the Rabbit. Furthermore, the Rabbit’s openness to new interactions and respecting the other creatures’ differences rather than diminishing them is noteworthy for the future nurse leader to follow. It’s also complementary to Chinn’s discussion of the “Power of Diversity”, which values diverse contributions and new ideas, as well as dissenting views, which was shown by the Rabbit’s self-controlled posture and the will to not retaliate when the other rabbits belittled him (Chinn, 2013).

Another important lesson that the future nurse leader can be encouraged by is in the Fairy’s response: “you were Real to the boy… now you shall be Real to everyone.” The Fairy found the Rabbit teary-eyed and hopeless, and she reassured him that it was her responsibility to help him, tending to his emotional and physical needs. She then reminded the Rabbit of his proven accomplishments, acknowledging not just his potential but that he was ready to further his growth. This act of leadership by the Fairy is an example of Johns’ discussion on transformational leadership; the person is empathetic, honest, and has a natural ability to develop others and deepen their perspectives (Johns, 2004). Another aspect of Fairy’s leadership style could also be compared to holistic nursing. According to Clarke & Bleich (2018), holistic leadership in nursing orients itself around a culture of caring, efficiency, safety, and most importantly, individualized care that considers the social determinants that affect the patient’s well-being and hinder optimal health. The Fairy vouched for the Rabbit’s safety when the Rabbit was thrown away, waiting to be burned; was sensitive to his emotional distress by kissing his nose; and provided a community resource for the Rabbit to help his loneliness by introducing him to a family of other rabbits. In closing, the future nurse leader can find much encouragement and motivation from The Velveteen Rabbit, knowing that they are qualified at any level to make an impact and with experience, they can one day impart that knowledge to someone else in need.

References
Chinn, P. (2013). Peace and power: New directions for building community (8th ed.). MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. ISBN-13: 978-1449645557

Clarke, P. N., & Bleich, M. R. (2018). Holistic leadership—Nursing’s unique contribution to healthcare. Nursing Science Quarterly, 31(2), 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894318418755744Links to an external site.

Johns, C. (2004). Becoming a transformational leader through reflection. Reflections on Nursing Leadership, 30(2), 24-26. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christopher_Johns/publication/8526598_Becoming_a_transformational_leader_through_reflection/links/0046352567f006eb5a000000/Becoming-a-transformational-leader-through-reflection.pdfLinks to an external site.

Williams, M. (2004). The Velveteen Rabbit [YouTube Channel]. Retrieved August 30th, 2022 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNewWCzlYu8Links to an external site.

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