🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode, I’m talking about something I see over and over again with nurse leaders: we care deeply, we work hard, we mean well… and yet our teams don’t actually change. I break down why good intentions, effort, and even personal self-care aren’t enough to shift team culture or outcomes if the structure of the team stays the same.

I’ll walk you through three different team structures (polka dot, firework, and spider web), how they show up in real life, and the specific structural changes I’m making with my own team in 2026 to move us toward a more resilient, high-functioning “spider web” model.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why working harder, being more organized, or “caring more” doesn’t fix systemic team problems
• The difference between personal support (therapy, planners, meditation) and structural change
• The three team structure models: polka dot, firework, and spider web
• How structure drives behavior, and behavior drives outcomes in any system
• Concrete examples of structural changes I’m making with my own team this year

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Good intentions are not a leadership strategy. Structure is.
• You can’t “behave” your way out of a broken (or just outdated) team structure.
• A firework model (everything flowing through one leader) looks efficient… until that leader becomes the bottleneck.
• A spider web model (dense, intentional connections across the team) builds resilience, shared ownership, and speed.
• Your job as a leader isn’t to work harder than everyone else. It’s to design a better system for everyone to work in.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

Listen with your specific team in mind. Picture your unit, department, or project team as I walk through the three structures and ask yourself, “Where are we on this spectrum?”

If you’re a formal leader, think about what you can control structurally. If you’re an informal leader, listen for ideas you can bring to your manager or start modeling within your sphere of influence.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take

1. Map your team as a system.

• On paper, list your team members, key tools, and regular meetings.
• Draw lines where communication, decisions, and information actually flow.
• Notice: do you see polka dots, a firework, or something closer to a spider web?

1. Identify one structural tweak.

• Ask: “Where could I create one new connection or communication pathway that doesn’t depend on me?”
• Examples: peer huddles, rotating project leads, structured cross-coverage, or standing check-ins that aren’t all led by you.

1. Shift from “working harder” to “designing better.”

• Any time you catch yourself thinking, “I just need to try harder,” pause and ask:

“What is the structural reason this keeps happening?”

1. Create feedback loops, not wishful thinking.

• Build in regular check-ins where your team can name what’s working, what’s not, and where the structure is getting in their way.
• Use their feedback as your blueprint for your next round of changes.

📲 Call to Action

• If this episode hit a nerve, share it with another nurse leader who’s stuck in “work harder” mode.
• Send me a DM on Instagram and tell me which model your team currently looks like: polka dot, firework, or spider web.
• If you’re ready for leadership support and a community that actually “gets it,” apply to Nurse Leader HQ.
• Make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes on systems thinking and nurse leadership.

👉 Resources Mentioned

• Changemaker Essentials – my foundational program on systems thinking and change leadership
• Nurse Leader HQ – 6-month coaching + curriculum for nurse leaders who want to build high-functioning, resilient teams
• Map Your Impact – self-paced workshop to start thinking like a systems thinker in your current role