Nursing the System

This episode is a real-time update on the structural overhaul I shared earlier this year. I walk you through exactly what changed on my team in Q1, what actually worked, and what those changes revealed about how our system functions. Because here’s the truth: good intentions don’t change teams. Structure does. When you change structure, you don’t just change outcomes, you expose patterns that were always there, just hidden.

• How shifting team structure away from a bottleneck model increases ownership and speed
• Why delegation works best when paired with clear ownership and visibility
• The real purpose of mentorship layers and structured connection points
• What happens when you redesign a system all at once—and when that does make sense
• Why new problems showing up is actually a sign of progress

• Structure determines behavior—every time
• If you want different results, you need different systems, not more effort
• Good systems don’t hide problems—they make them visible
• More structure, when done well, actually makes work feel easier
• You don’t fix systems once—you evolve them in layers

If this episode clicked for you:

• Share it with another leader who’s trying to “fix” their team through effort
• DM me your biggest takeaway or where you see a bottleneck in your own system

• Episode 54: Why Good Intentions Won’t Change Teams, Structure Does
• Change Maker Essentials

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain and walking you through how I actually think about my business—strategically, structurally, and operationally. Because from the outside, online businesses can feel vague or even a little magical… and they’re not.

This is a very real system. There are metrics, decisions, trade-offs, and priorities that all ladder up to one vision. And I want to show you how I hold both sides of that: the deep care I have for the people I serve, and the strategic thinking required to actually scale that impact.

• How I structure long-, mid-, and short-term vision inside my business
• The “Nursing the System house” and how each offer fits into a clear pathway
• Why simplifying options leads to more action (in business and leadership)
• The difference between process metrics and outcome metrics—and why you need both
• How I use systems thinking to make decisions without burning out

• A business is a system, and systems require both empathy and strategy
• Clarity beats complexity—too many options stop people from taking action
• Metrics are only useful if they help you understand what’s actually working
• You don’t need more effort—you need better leverage
• Systems thinking shows up in how you zoom in and zoom out across time horizons

As you listen, don’t just think about my business—think about your own work environment. Where are you operating without clarity? Where are you putting in effort without tracking outcomes?

If you’ve been listening to the podcast and thinking, “This makes sense, but I don’t know what to do next,” that’s exactly why Map Your Impact exists. Podcast listeners get $10 off with the code "MYI10OFF".

It’s a short, practical way to move from understanding systems… to actually applying them in your day-to-day work.

If this episode helped you:

• Share it with someone who’s trying to think more strategically at work
• Follow Nursing.the.system on IG.
• And if you want a clear next step, check out Map Your Impact . Podcast listeners get $10 off with the code "MYI10OFF"

Also—Taylor and I are planning a Q&A episode, so send us your questions (IG or Email). Work, business, life in the Netherlands… we’re open.

I recorded this episode after a long day at work, which honestly ended up being the perfect setup for what I want to talk about. We’re digging into a concept that shaped how I think about effort and performance—being a satisfier, not an optimizer—and how that idea gets misused inside healthcare systems.

If you’ve ever been told “it’s good enough” when you know it’s not your best work, this episode will hit. We’re talking about the difference between healthy prioritization and shutting down your changemaker instincts—and why that distinction matters more than you think.

• The difference between being a satisfier and a changemaker
• How “good enough” can quietly kill systems thinking on your team
• Why pointing out gaps is not the same thing as being perfectionistic
• How learned helplessness develops in healthcare organizations
• What it actually looks like to direct changemaker energy effectively

• “Good enough” is a tool—not a default mindset
• Seeing gaps in systems is a skill, not a personality flaw
• Changemaker energy gets shut down when leaders overvalue comfort over growth
• You don’t need to fix everything—but you do need to choose what matters
• Systems thinking is about leverage, not perfection

1. Identify one gap you’ve been ignoring

Where have you noticed something isn’t working—but you’ve been told (or told yourself) it’s “good enough”?

2. Separate the gap from perfectionism

Ask yourself:

• Is this about making something perfect?
• Or is this about making something better in a meaningful way?

3. Choose one lever—not twenty

Don’t try to fix everything.

Pick one area where your effort would actually create change.

4. Redirect your energy strategically

Instead of shutting down your instinct to improve things, ask:

• Where would my effort matter most right now?

If this hit for you:

• Share this episode with a nurse or leader who needs to hear it
• DM me your experience—especially if you’ve been told “it’s good enough” when you knew it wasn’t
• And if you’re ready to stop guessing and start being strategic, check out Map Your Impact

• Map Your Impact Mini Course
• Promo code: MYI10OFF for $10 off
• Earn 2 continuing education hours (for RNs)

🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode, I’m talking directly to nurse leaders about one of the biggest mistakes I see when it comes to developing their people. And while this one is especially relevant if you’re in a formal leadership role, it absolutely applies if you’re not a leader too. If that’s you, I want you to listen with a critical eye and ask yourself whether your current leader is making these mistakes and what that might mean for your own growth at work.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why treating every nurse the same is a leadership mistake
• What to do when someone says “I don’t know” in a job or growth conversation
• Why goals alone are not enough to guide someone’s professional development
• How a systems perspective changes the way I think about team growth
• Why someone’s starting point in the team ecosystem matters just as much as where they want to go
• How to support different kinds of employees in more individualized, strategic ways

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• A nurse is not just a nurse. Even two people doing the exact same job side by side need different things in order to grow.
• If someone says “I don’t know” when asked about their professional goals, that is not the end of the conversation. It just means they need support building clarity.
• The mistake many leaders make is stopping at “I know what this person wants.” That’s not enough. I also need to understand where they’re starting from within the team system.
• Growth plans should not just be individualized by goal. They should also be individualized by influence, confidence, communication style, and how someone currently functions within the team.
• If I ignore someone’s role in the ecosystem, I risk under-engagement, missed insight, and burnout.

🛠 Practical Actions You Can Take:

• In your next job and growth conversation, ask someone not just where they want to go, but what they enjoy, what drains them, and how they naturally contribute within the team.
• Stop accepting “I don’t know” as the final answer. Help people build clarity through small experiments and reflection.
• Identify whether someone on your team is a quiet expert, a high-energy doer, or an informal leader, and adjust your approach accordingly.
• Look for opportunities to create specific contribution pathways that fit someone’s natural strengths instead of forcing them into the same mold as everyone else.

📲 Call to Action

If this episode hit home for you, take the next step and check out Map Your Impact. If you’re a leader, it can help you think more strategically about your team. And if you’re not a leader, it can help you understand how to grow in a way that actually fits your role, strengths, and goals.

P.S. Code MYI10OFF gets you $10 off the Map Your Impact Mini-Course!

🎙 Episode Overview

This episode is a bit of a kick in the pants. I’m talking about something I see constantly in my DMs: people asking what leadership books they should read or what systems thinking content they should start with.

And here’s the truth: you probably don’t need more content. What you need is practice. In this episode, I unpack what I call the consumption trap and explain why real leadership growth requires moving beyond passive learning into experiential skill building.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why consuming leadership content is not the same as building leadership capability
• What the consumption trap is and how it quietly keeps professionals stuck
• The difference between passive learning and experiential learning
• How Kolb’s experiential learning cycle explains real skill development
• Why structured environments like Change Maker Essentials accelerate leadership growth
• The three most common reasons people hesitate to invest in skill development: time, money, and confidence

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Content inspires. Practice transforms.
• Your career is a complex system.
• Capability compounds over time.
• Readiness comes after action.

Waiting until you feel completely ready, confident, or comfortable is one of the most reliable ways to stay stuck.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

As you listen, take a moment to reflect on your own learning habits. Ask yourself honestly: am I primarily consuming leadership content, or am I actively practicing the skills that content is meant to teach?

The answer to that question will tell you a lot about where your growth might be stalled.

Enrollment for the March cohort of Change Maker Essentials is open now and closes on March 16th.

This program is designed specifically for healthcare professionals who want to move beyond passive learning and actively build systems change skills through structured practice, feedback, and real-world application.

📲 Call to Action

• Explore the CME program page to learn more about the curriculum and structure.
• Reach out on Instagram if you want to talk through whether the program fits your goals.
• Share this episode with a colleague who is constantly reading leadership books but still feels stuck in the same workplace dynamics.

Tomorrow, Change Maker Essentials opens for our March cohort. And instead of spending this episode convincing you to join, I’m doing something different. I’m walking you through who absolutely should not enroll.

CME is not for everyone. And I take that seriously. In this episode, I break down the types of nurses who would hate the program, why that matters, and what readiness for systems-level leadership actually looks like.

• The 6 types of people who should not join Change Maker Essentials
• Why I don’t hand out “solutions” to complex healthcare problems
• The difference between burnout cynicism and lazy thinking disguised as wisdom
• Why blaming individuals in healthcare keeps you stuck
• The traits I see in nurses who thrive inside CME
• Why waiting for a title before building influence is the biggest trap of your career

• I teach you how to think, not what to think. If you want a plug-and-play solution, this won’t be a good fit.
• You need at least a kernel of belief that change is possible. Zero percent belief blocks growth.
• Systems change is slow and complex. It’s not easy. And it’s not supposed to be.
• Titles don’t create change makers. Systems thinking does.
• The nurses who get promoted are the ones who were already practicing systems thinking before the title came.

As you listen, pay attention to your reaction. If something feels defensive or uncomfortable, that’s useful information. I’m not judging anyone. I’m helping you get honest about whether this is the right season for you to step into deeper leadership work.

• Do a readiness check. Are you open to questioning your own assumptions? Are you willing to be challenged?
• Shift from blame to diagnosis. The next time you catch yourself thinking “they’re the problem,” ask: What incentives are driving this behavior? What pattern am I seeing?
• Build influence now. You don’t need a title to start. Raise a thoughtful question. Surface a pattern. Connect stakeholders.
• Stop waiting for permission. If you’ve been telling yourself, “I’ll do this when I’m a manager,” ask yourself what you think that title will give you. Most of that can be built right now.

Doors to Change Maker Essentials open tomorrow for the March cohort.

If you’re on the waitlist, you can book a short call with me to talk through fit, timing, or how to ask your organization for funding.

• Visit the Change Maker Essentials sales page
• Join the waitlist if you want decision support and updates during open cart.
• DM me if you’re unsure whether you’re a fit. I will tell you honestly. (PS- if you're on the waitlist you automatically get a 15 minute lightening call with me, just for being on the waitlist 😎)

🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode, I’m checking back in with Katie, a former student inside Changemaker Essentials who is in a full-time job search season after leaving her role at a freestanding birth center.

We barely talk about the course itself. Instead, we walk through what has happened since she graduated, how her last role ended (spoiler: the center closed two weeks after she left), and how she’s navigating months of uncertainty, interviews, and “no’s” without crumbling.

As you listen, pay attention to how Katie thinks. Her mindset is the real case study here.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Katie decided to leave a job she cared about without another role lined up
• What happened next when her former birth center temporarily closed soon after
• How she’s treating job searching as a full-time role and using that structure to her advantage
• The way she reframes rejection, including final-round “no’s” that still stung
• Why she sat for the CAPM (project management) exam and how it’s changing the kinds of roles she’s going after
• How she evaluates postings, scopes, and hidden responsibilities so she doesn’t walk back into burnout
• The role her partner played in setting a realistic timeline, including the possibility of not working for a year

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• This isn’t just “being positive.” It’s discernment.
• Rejection is data, not a verdict.
• You can be unemployed and still talk about yourself as a leader.
• Structure changes how you feel.
• Mindset is a skill, not a personality trait.

📣 Special Announcements: Changemaker Essentials Enrollment

The March cohort opens for enrollment on March 9. If you want:

• More discernment in your career decisions
• A stronger sense of “I know what I’m doing and why”
• A community of nurses who are practicing this mindset with you

Get on the waitlist.

📲 Call to Action

• Join the Changemaker Essentials waitlist.

👉 Resources Mentioned

• Changemaker Essentials – 12 week program for nurses and nurse leaders who want to build systems thinking, personal mastery, and real-world change skills
• Changemaker Essentials Waitlist – Get details, dates, and the option to book a 15-minute call with me

🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode, I’m bringing you a different kind of conversation: a follow-up with one of my former Changemaker Essentials students, Mia.

Mia is a nurse director at a large urban teaching hospital in Boston. She started by leading a single 18-bed medical unit, and was recently asked to take on a second unit, bringing her scope to 42 beds and 197 direct reports… while also working on her PhD and raising three kids.

We talk about what that transition has actually looked like, where it’s stretched her, and how she’s using systems thinking, personal mastery, and CME tools to stay a leader (not just a manager) in the middle of all of it.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Mia went from CNS to nurse director and then to leading two medical units in the same system
• What made her transition smoother: shared physician model, similar patient population, and strong relationships with clinical nurse specialists
• Where the real friction lives right now: performance evaluations, new systems (RL Solutions, Workday), and learning budgeting/forecasting at scale
• How she’s intentionally protecting her leadership identity instead of slipping into “task manager” mode
• The specific ways she’s using tools from Changemaker Essentials to navigate scope creep, feedback, and big structural changes

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Relationships before results. Mia is very clear that nothing meaningful happens on her units without relationships. She’s investing in knowing her staff professionally and personally, even with almost 200 direct reports.
• Scope increases don’t have to equal suffering. People expect her to say, “It’s horrible, I’m drowning,” and she can honestly say, “It’s going great,” because she trusts her competence, has tools, and is building structure on purpose.
• What got you here won’t get you there. The systems and habits that worked for one unit don’t automatically scale to two. She’s now building checklists, templates, and finance skills so she can grow with the role.
• Feedback is data, not a personal attack. When staff told her they felt blindsided by building work, she didn’t spiral. She logged it as useful feedback and adjusted her communication.
• Leadership ≠ niceness + empathy. Caring about your team matters, but without structural thinking and strategy, that care won’t show up in people’s actual workday reality.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

As you listen, put yourself in Mia’s shoes for a minute:

• What if your role suddenly doubled in scope?
• What systems would break first?
• Where would you feel confident… and where would you feel exposed?

Notice the parts of Mia’s story that spark either excitement or panic for you. That’s usually your growth edge. You don’t have to be leading 197 people to pull a lot from this conversation

📣 Special Announcements

The March cohort of Changemaker Essentials is opening for enrollment soon.

If you resonated with how Mia is thinking and leading – using systems thinking, personal mastery, and real-world tools instead of just “trying harder” – this is the program where I teach those skills in a structured way over 12 weeks.

If you join the waitlist, you’ll:

• Get detailed info about the curriculum and structure
• Hear stories from past students like Mia
• Have the option to book a free 15-minute Zoom call with me to talk through your specific situation and whether CME is a fit

📲 Call to Action

• Join the Changemaker Essentials waitlist. The link is in the show notes. If you’re even remotely curious, get on the list so you don’t miss the details and the short Zoom call spots.
• Listen to Mia’s original coaching episode on the Changemaker Case Files private podcast if you haven’t yet. It gives great context for where she started.
• Share this episode with a colleague who’s just taken on a bigger role or a second unit and feels like they “should” be drowning right now.

👉 Resources Mentioned

• Changemaker Essentials – My 12-week flagship program for nurses and nurse leaders who want to become effective change makers
• Changemaker Case Files Private Podcast – 10 coaching conversations with nurses like you (including Mia)
• CME Waitlist – Get details, launch dates, and an invite to a free 15-minute call with me

🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode, I’m talking honestly about what it actually means to move abroad as a nurse, especially in the middle of a very heavy political moment in the United States. This is not a “panic exit” episode and I’m not here to tell you whether you should stay or go.

Instead, I walk you through how I think about moving abroad from a systems-thinking lens: how it restructures your whole life, what tends to surprise people, and what I wish you’d sort through before you make the leap. I also share how I approached my own move to the Netherlands and why having a vision matters more than fear.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why “I just need to get out of here” is not a real vision for your life
• How to think about your life as a system, and why moving abroad is a massive structural change
• The difference between running toward a life you want versus running away from the one you have
• Three key questions I recommend you ask yourself before moving abroad as a nurse
• Why your U.S. nursing license may not transfer easily, and what that means for your career options
• How values, lifestyle, income, and language factor into an aligned decision to relocate

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Fear of staying is valid. Fear alone should not be your entire strategy for leaving.
• “All I know is I can’t stay here” is a limited vision. You need something you’re moving toward, not just away from.
• Your life is a system. Moving abroad does not just change your address, it reshapes your relationships, identity, work, and daily routines.
• You will feel like a beginner again. If you cannot tolerate sustained discomfort, moving abroad will be rough.
• Your nursing background is still valuable abroad, even if you never work a traditional RN job again. There are more ways to use your skill set than just bedside care.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

As you listen, I want you to actively picture your life, not a fantasy Pinterest version of it.

When I walk through the three questions, pause for a moment and ask yourself:

• What would it actually feel like for me to be the immigrant in another country?
• How would my work, friendships, and family routines change in a different health system and culture?

If you can, jot down a few notes while you listen. Your first answers don’t have to be polished. They just have to be honest.

📣 Special Notes

If you’re seriously thinking about moving abroad and want help sorting through your vision and options, I offer one-off Power Hour coaching sessions. You don’t necessarily need six months of coaching to get clarity on a decision like this, but you might benefit from having someone neutral walk through the trade-offs with you.

📲 Call to Action

• If this episode helped you think more clearly about moving abroad, share it with another nurse who has been talking about “getting out” without a plan.
• Take 10–15 minutes this week to answer the three questions from the episode. Put your answers somewhere you’ll actually see again.

👉 Resources Mentioned

• Change Maker Essentials for values, personal vision, and systems-thinking foundations
• Power Hour Coaching with me for one-time support around big decisions like moving abroad
• Instagram: Follow me on IG to send questions, reflections, or get more context on my own move and work abroad

🎙 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:

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