I am choosing to interview my stepfather David Keith, CRNA, APRN, MSNA for my leadership interview. I think David is an excellent nurse leader, not only because of his extensive credentials and position as Chief of Surgery at New London Hospital, but because of his great ability to lead. David possesses all of the quality that in my mind make a great leader. Some of these qualities include being self-aware, being able to connect and collaborate, being able to clearly communicate, being open to diverse thinking and ideas but also being decisive, the ability to be flexible, the ability to empower and motive those who he leads, and the ability to innovate. I have been fortunate enough to observe these qualities firsthand and see how David has become both a formal and informal leader within the organization in which he works. 

            Formal leadership is when an individual is formally or officially recognized as a head of a group or organization, and often relates to a job title. David is the Chief of Surgery; this could be considered a formal leadership. An informal leader is when an individual does not have official status as a leader of a group, but other group members view them as a leading force. An example of this would be when colleagues go to David for advice or support on a matter because of his expertise on the topic at hand. There are many differences between the formal and informal leadership. A formal leader’s authority is derived from the hierarchy in which they operate, formal leaders maintain professional relationships with those closest to them in the hierarchy, and often they make decisions themselves with the goals of the organization in mind. An informal leader’s authority is derived from their influence, they often have professional relationships with a large range of members in the organization, decision making is collaborative with other members, and often decisions are made with the interest of the members in mind.

            During my interview with David, I hope to learn how he became such an impactful nurse leader, and how he used formal and informal leadership to manage different situations throughout his career. I also hope to learn more about what barriers he has faced as a nurse leader, how he overcame those challenges, how he handled different ethical or moral issues, and how he maintains a work/life balance. As I approach graduation I would also be curious to know different opportunities he might know of for professional development and more about his path to his dream job as Chief of Surgery. I look forward to interviewing David and hopefully learn more about what it takes to become a great nurse leader!