Rosemary Brezinski, a veteran chief nursing officer, is the new president of a rapidly growing system hospital. Most of her impressive career has been spent in large tertiary organizations known for research and medical innovations. Her new position is a significant promotion. She is now responsible for leading the hospital’s response to its recent 10 percent growth in patient volume; improving morale and collaboration among managers, staff, and physicians; and planning and implementing the move of the system’s teaching program to the hospital campus, something that only the senior management knows thus far. 

In the first three weeks on the job, Rosemary has held several meetings with her senior management team and leadership groups in the hospital. She has distributed to these leaders a detailed, 80-item list of priorities that will serve as the team’s agenda for the next 18 months. She has informed them that she will assign each priority to an individual or a group. Her message to everyone has been consistent since the beginning of her tenure at the hospital: “I have never failed in the past. I expect that we will make these changes happen on time and on budget.” She has not spoken to the medical staff or the frontline employees. 

Questions

1. What interpersonal connection mistakes has Rosemary made so far? 

2. How do you think the staff (including the physicians and managers) feel about her style? 

3. Will her mandates for change work?