Leadership Traits for Nurses

As we continue to explore the many facets of leadership, one fundamental truth remains: all nurses are leaders in some capacity. Last month, we examined various leadership styles, with transformational leadership emerging as one of the most impactful. However, regardless of the style you embrace, effective leadership is rooted in key traits shared by successful leaders.

Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, emotional triggers, and communication style provides a foundation for personal growth and effective leadership. You can identify essential leadership qualities contributing to success by reflecting on your personality traits.

Healthcare leadership extends beyond patient care; it is a trillion-dollar industry requiring skilled nurse leaders who can navigate its complexities (Galea & van Schalkwyk, 2023). To thrive in this dynamic environment, nurses must cultivate the expertise necessary to manage the many elements that drive success. The following list highlights key leadership traits identified in nursing and industry literature.

Leadership Traits for Nurses to Learn and Implement

The following are leadership traits/characteristics/attributes mentioned from both healthcare and business:

• Integrity

• Professionalism

• Accessibility

• Motivational

• Emotional Capability/Emotional Intelligence

• Resilience

• Social Intelligence

• Commitment to excellence

• Passion

• Clear vision

• Trustworthiness

• Respectfulness

• Empathy

• Caring

• Commitment to coaching and developing staff

• Strong written and verbal (communication) skills

• Accountability

• Adapt to change

• Gratitude

• Collaboration

(Benson, 2021; Brunt & Bogdan, 2024; Knight, 2023; Leis & Wormington, 2024)

After reviewing the list above, which traits do you excel in, and which ones could benefit from further development? Growth is a continuous process, and there is always room for improvement.

Leadership of Self - The First Step in Learning to Lead

In The 6 Passages of Leadership, the first step is managing oneself (Brooks, 2021). Charles C. Manz (1986) introduced the concept of self-leadership, emphasizing that effective leadership begins with the ability to lead oneself. To grow and advance as a leader, engaging with books and scholarly articles can expand both knowledge and skill sets (Brooks, 2021; Canfield, 2024). Dedicating weekly time to reading and reflecting on leadership traits will foster deeper self-mastery and contribute to sustained growth along the leadership continuum.

Let us know what books or leadership research you have read that have helped you master self-leadership. 

References

Benson, N. (2021). Leadership is an attitude. Florida Board of Nursing Quarterly, 7(1),p.12.

Brooks, B. A. (2021). All leaders are readers: How about you? Nurse Leader, 19 (6), 550-551.

Brunt, B.A., & Bogdan, B.A. (2024, July 17). Nursing professional development leadership. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.gov/books/NBK519064/

Canfield, J. (2024). The success principles: How to get from where you are to where you want to be. Mariner Books.

Galea, S., & van Schalkwyk, M. (2023). Understanding the US health care industry as a commercial determinant of Health. JAMA Health Forum, 4(7):e232795. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2023.2795

Knight, R. (2023). Leadership and managing people: 8 essential qualities of successful leaders. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/12/8-essential-qualities-of-successful-leaders

Leis, M. & Wormington, S. (2024). 12 essential qualities of effective leadership. Center for Creative Leadership. https://hbr.org/2023/12/8-essential-qualities-of-successful-leaders

Manz, C. C. (1986). Self-leadership: Towards an expanded theory of self-influence processes in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 11(3), 585 - 600.