Teamwork is Critical

     How important is teamwork within a facility?  Researchers have identified that facilities which have good teamwork have higher performance and have higher quality outcomes (1).  Culture change in nursing homes has focused on resident centered care which allows residents choice in their daily preferences and routines.  Part of the culture change that is less focused on is teamwork among the staff.  Teamwork among staff is a critical element of providing quality care to the residents.

The Pygmalion Effect

Believing in the innate goodness of human beings and helping people achieve their full potential is a characteristic of strong leadership.  The Pygmalion effect occurs when the leader believes so strongly in the abilities of another that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  "When leaders expect people to achieve high standards they do, when people are labeled as underachievers performance suffers" (Kouzes & Posner, 2003, p.21).    Creating a supportive environment in which nurse leaders look for positive performance and expect the best in their staff sets a good tone for the facility and motivates staff to achieve outstanding results.  Managers who walk around and look for negatives are intimidating to staff and lose credibility and respect. A negative atmosphere is created that does not encourage people to be their best.