Learning Objective #1: Identify five leadership practices described by Kouzes and Posner (2003) that contribute to nurses’ leadership capacity

Learning Objective #2: Understand key components of a program plan designed to develop nursing leaders

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In order to create healthy work environments and positively influence job satisfaction and organizational commitment the leadership capacity of nurses must be developed. This can be challenging given the turbulence of today's health care environment. Nurse Educators at a pediatric academic health science centre have addressed these challenges by developing a one day workshop, ‘Navigating Uncharted Waters', for nurses who provide leadership at a micro and macro level within nursing at the hospital. This workshop focuses on the principles and practices described by Kouzes & Posner (2003) in their best selling book, “The Leadership Challenge”. The workshop program plan is grounded in Kolb and Fry's (1975) experiential learning theory and enables even the most novice nurse to identify her or his leadership capacity. A nautical theme is used throughout the workshop likening leadership to a challenging journey through uncharted waters. Best-practice exemplars from business, health care, political, and historical arenas are used to highlight desirable leadership attributes and practices. Participants engage in a self-reflective process examining past leadership experiences which are then put into the context of Kouzes and Posners' (2003) leadership model. The development of leadership strategies and the commitment to putting these strategies into action is an important element of the program that ensures that learning occurs first within the classroom setting and subsequently in the clinical area. Workshop participants are now enacting leadership initiatives that are positively contributing to system, practice, and education changes throughout the organization. The workshop has been designed to capture the interest of nurses at all levels of the organization, embracing the philosophy that leadership is not only found at administrative levels. ‘Navigating Uncharted Waters' is an innovative workshop that has become a highly motivating and creative example of leadership development and is enabling “ordinary people to get extraordinary things done” !