DON/Nurse Managers - Successfully Climbing Above the Obstacles

09/30/2026

Nurses… Before Your Next Interview for a Leadership Position (open or internal), Prepare to Answer: “Tell me about some of your accomplishments as a Nurse Leader”

The reason I ask you to prepare for this question is because, in my experience, many nurse leaders struggle to answer it. They seem to think sharing accomplishments is bragging or the accomplishments are just what is expected for the position.

It isnt!

Your accomplishments help an organization better understand the situations you have faced and the difference your leadership has made throughout your career.Remember, leadership accomplishments are not always big or dramatic.

Perhaps you:·
Improved retention.·
Improved survey outcomes.·
Improved census.·
Improved CMI.·
Reduced falls, pressure injuries or rehospitalizations.·
Reduced nursing costs by improving nursing systems.·
Developed a struggling nurse manager into a strong leader.·
Opened the door for further education for staff members.·
Improved communication with residents and families.·
Walked into a department with low morale and helped rebuild the team.

These are leadership accomplishments.

Before your interview, take time to identify three or four situations where your leadership made a difference. Write down what was happening, the actions you took to help turn the tide and, most importantly, what changed as a result.

Never forget strong Nurse Leaders dont accomplish results alone. They accomplish them through people. Clearly define your role but give your team credit for their contributions.

Organizations are not only interested in the leadership positions you have held: They also want to know what changed because you were in that position.

Peg Tobin, RN - Let Tobin & Associates help you excel as a Leader (www.tobinway.com) Healthcare Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach | Speaker | Author Founder & President, Tobin & Associates

09/17/2026

Rise Above…

When you own a reputable company, you are going to encounter people who want to cause harm to you and your company.

These individuals may lie about you, misrepresent themselves, take advantage of relationships you helped them build, or try to take something you spent years creating. As difficult as it may be, try to recognize the compliment hidden in their actions—you have built something others desire.

Unfortunately, anger is often our first response. We want to take action. We want to expose them and their lies. After all, they are trying to take something valuable from you.

However, be careful that they don't take something even more valuable. Your peace!

Rise above your hurt. Protect yourself. Protect your company. Take the action necessary to protect what you have built—but rise above.

Do not let someone else's behavior change who you are. Remember these truths:

I can be hurt without becoming hateful.

I can be angry without becoming consumed by anger.

I can protect what I built without making revenge my mission.

My attention, at times like this, needs to be directed toward the people who stand beside me, the clients who remain loyal, the employees who believe in me, and the family who sacrifice with me.

People who lie, steal, or misrepresent themselves are missing one of the greatest gifts of all...

Confidence in who they are!

Rise above your hurt. Not because what they did was acceptable, but because your peace, your integrity, and your future matter more.

Peg Tobin, RN
Healthcare Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach | Speaker | Author Founder & President, Tobin & Associates

09/08/2026

The Difference Between Knowing What a Word Means and Feeling What It Means

I have been a nurse for many years and have heard lots of words. Some with heavy meanings, some not so heavy. And some you never want to hear connected to your family.

Then one day, one of those heavy words becomes personal.

And let me tell you, you discover there is a tremendous difference between knowing what a word means and feeling what that word means.

A single word—one of those heavy-meaning words—lands in your family.
Cancer.

Your mind races ahead. What kind? How serious? Has it spread? What happens next? Can it be treated?

And then, of course, there are the questions you're afraid to ask out loud.

Being a nurse doesn't protect you from being frightened, nor does it change how you react to the news. Sometimes knowledge makes it harder because you understand the possibilities.

Sometimes our greatest lessons in healthcare come when we unexpectedly find ourselves on the other side of the conversation.

Behind every diagnosis is a human being. And standing beside that person are other human beings whose lives changed when they heard that word.

I knew what the word cancer meant.

Now I know what it feels like.

And my friends, there is a tremendous difference.

— Peg Tobin, RN
Healthcare Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach | Speaker | Author Founder & President, Tobin & Associates

08/25/2026

Hands on ‘Deck’

I write a lot about leadership, but the truth is, the “hands on deck” can move a company forward—or backward.

Nursing assistants get residents and patients out of bed. The nurse notices when something isn't quite right. The caregiver helps with the shower, finds the missing glasses, brushes the hair—and takes a moment to listen. The dietary aide serves the meals the residents look forward to every day. Housekeeping washes their favorite shirt/blouse. Activities play bingo because the residents love it. Etc.

We can have beautiful buildings, sophisticated technology, impressive programs, and strong leadership teams. But without the people willing to roll up their sleeves and provide hands-on care, we don't have true healthcare.

Our “hands on deck” help propel our ship forward. Leadership may help steer the ship, but it takes everyone on board to keep it moving.

When someone we love needs a reassuring hand beside the bed, at that time, titles don't matter very much.

The person standing beside that bed does!

We all have our roles, and every role matters. Think about a life preserver. It may hang there day after day without being needed—but when the moment comes that someone's life depends on it, we are happy we have taken care of it.

People are much the same. Don't wait until we need someone to recognize their value.

Peg Tobin, RN | Healthcare Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach | Speaker | Author | Founder & President, Tobin & Associates

08/13/2026

Is There a Place for Me If I’m Not a Shining Bright Star?

We live in a world that celebrates shining stars. The rising leader. The person getting promoted. The one receiving the award, posting the accomplishment, or being recognized for doing something extraordinary.

If you aren't careful, you can begin looking at everyone else's light and questioning yourself. Am I doing enough? Am I accomplishing enough? Is there still a place for me if I’m not the shining star?

In a world filled with bright lights and loud voices, where does the average ‘joe-doe’ fit in? Will we ‘joe-does’ listen to what it takes to be a shining light and not hear our own voice? Will we not hear it is OK being true to yourself!

Applause can be nice but what if you are the type that does not seek it, want it or need it? Are you of value? Truly, you are the only one that can answer that question. To get that answer you have to not compare yourself to anyone but yourself. Not to be rude, but sometimes you have to turn a deaf ear to those who have good intentions but are pushing you toward something that is not you.
You have to learn to step away and listen to your own voice. Ask yourself ‘what matters to me?’ What kind of leader do I want to be? What do I still have to give?

Leadership isn't always about becoming more visible. Sometimes it is about becoming more grounded in who you are.

Some of the strongest leaders I know and have known weren't the people demanding the spotlight. They were the steady ones. They knew their strengths. They understood their weaknesses. They didn't need to be everything to everybody, and they weren't trying to prove that they belonged.

They simply knew who they were.

There will always be someone who shines brighter in a particular moment. Let them shine. Their light doesn't diminish yours.

Sometimes the most important thing a leader can do is step away from all those bright lights, find a little quiet, and listen. You may discover that you never needed to be a shining star. You just needed to be you!

Peg Tobin, RN | Healthcare Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach | Speaker | Author | Founder & President, Tobin & Associates See less

08/06/2026

So... You Were Bamboozled.

Welcome to the club!

Even after decades of leadership, coaching leaders, and teaching others how to recognize red flags... I got bamboozled.

Was it an expensive lesson for my company? Yes. Was it frustrating? Absolutely.

But here's what my years of experience did ‘do’, they helped me recover from it.

The important lesson here isn't that I got fooled. The important thing is "I didn’t let being bamboozled define me."

Every setback I have experienced has taught me something, even if I do go kicking and screaming down the learning trail. This time around I was reminded I need to truly trust my instincts, verify instead of assuming, establish stronger safeguards, and remember that accountability matters.

Leadership isn't about never making mistakes. It's about having the courage to face them, learn from them, and move forward wiser than before.

So how about you, have you ever had a leadership lesson that cost you something—but ultimately made you a better leader?

Peg Tobin, RN

Healthcare Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach | Speaker | Author | Founder & President, Tobin & Associates

07/31/2026

Leadership Isn't About Being Liked!

One of the greatest freedoms a leader can experience is realizing that not everyone is going to like you.

That statement may sound discouraging at first, but it's actually liberating.

When we first step into leadership, many of us want everyone to appreciate our efforts. We want to be respected, accepted, and yes... even liked. There is nothing wrong with wanting positive relationships.

The problem comes when our need to be liked begins to influence our decisions.

We avoid difficult conversations because we don't want someone to be upset with us. We delay accountability because we're afraid of hurting feelings. We compromise on standards because we're hoping to keep everyone happy.

Leadership requires making decisions that aren't always popular, but are necessary!

Over the years, I've learned something very important:

“The person who needs to like you the most is you.”

I'm not talking about arrogance or believing you're always right. I'm talking about being comfortable with who you are, knowing your values, recognizing both your strengths and your shortcomings, and being able to look in the mirror at the end of the day with a clear conscience.

When you know you've acted with integrity, treated people fairly, listened with respect, and made the best decision you could with the information you had, you can sleep well—even if someone disagrees with you.

Leadership will never earn unanimous approval.

The older I get, the more I realize that peace doesn't come from everyone liking me. It comes from knowing I've tried to do the right thing.

Peg Tobin, RN

Healthcare Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach | Speaker | Author | Founder & President, Tobin & Associates

07/06/2026

AI did a great job of capturing what we do at Tobin & Associates, and of course Darrell added his touches with our proper logo and his face on my coffee cup (lol). Life is good.

06/30/2026

Policies keep us compliant—but practices keep us connected.

In Long Term Care, compliance matters. We need structure and regulation. But we can’t mandate love or trust through a policy—we have to live it in ‘our culture’.

When staff believe their leaders truly care, they stop looking for another job. They start investing in the mission. They find meaning again in the work that first called them to this profession. That is the true heartbeat of retention.

If we want to build a lasting legacy, we have to start by living our values out loud. Show our team what respect looks like. Show them integrity in action. Listen with intention. And celebrate efforts.

Culture and policies aren’t something we teach, they are something we live and practice— we practice them until they become who we are!
When that happens, people don’t just stay for the paycheck. They stay because they believe in the purpose

And that all becomes a win for the residents!

By Peg Tobin, RN – Healthcare Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach | Speaker | Author | Founder & President, Tobin & Associates

Reducing staff turnover in the long-term care industry through effective staffing, training, and facility-wide quality improvement programs.

06/11/2026

Culture Is Not a Policy, It’s a Practice!

Over the years, I’ve walked into hundreds of Long-Term Care Facilities, each with mission statements hanging proudly in the lobby. Words like respect, compassion, teamwork, and integrity are printed on the wall, framed in gold, or neatly listed in the employee handbook.

However, a few minutes on the floor, tells me whether those words live in the hearts of the team or just sits on paper.

The truth is simple: culture is not a policy, it’s a practice.

Culture Lives in What We Do, Not What We Say

Policies define expectations; practice defines who we really are...!

I have met Long Term Healthcare Leaders who could recite every HR policy by heart—but couldn’t remember the last time they thanked their staff. I’ve met others who might not quote the manual perfectly, but show up every day with empathy, fairness, and presence - and their teams would walk through fire for them.

Culture is what co-workers feel when they see you coming down the hallway. It’s in the tone you use, the way you handle stress, and the honesty of your follow-through.

It’s not written on the wall. It’s written in your actions!