13: COACHING TO SUPPORT DOCTORAL ROLE TRANSITIONS ■ 301Changing our perception of ourselves and our external reality usually takes place
slowly over time. Sometimes, we do not even notice that a shift has happened until
time has passed. When we notice the shift, we may even be surprised that it has hap-
pened at all. This phenomenon is probably best expressed by writers and poets. Once
we live through uncertainties and come out on the other side, we find ourselves dif-
ferent in ways that are sometimes hard to name or even recognize. We have shed a
layer, or grown one. We connect the dots and discover a new design. We have a new
pair of inner glasses that creates an altered vision of our realities. As we move through
the many and diverse challenges inevitable with professional transitions and integrate
our new awareness with the tasks of leadership, we move into the realm of conscious
leadership.
■ MYTHS ABOUT TRANSITIONS INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES
Elsner and Farrands (2012) researched the experience of many leaders who moved
from one position of great corporate responsibility into another. In their book Leadership
Transitions , they identify what they call myths about leadership transitions, which are
here applied to the DNP experience that follows. These myths can generate considerable
distress if left unrecognized. With heightened awareness of them, however, transitions
can be much smoother.
Myth 1. The job matches the job description. Most often, the realities of high-level po-
sitions involve work tasks and organizational complexities that were never in
the job description (Elsner & Farrands, 2012). As DNPs find their place in more
and more organizational settings, this is bound to be true. Time and support
will be needed to gain clarity on the actual territory and boundaries of their job
description and new role.
Myth 2. Leaders in new positions need to make a mark early on in order to be seen as wor-
thy of their appointment. DNPs are vulnerable here in seeking to prove the utility
and wisdom of both the new role and the new degree. Quick action and early
visibility must be carefully considered options and not merely strategies for
managing anxiety (Sanaghan, Goldstein, & Gaval, 2009). Slow is sometimes the
fastest way to success even though it takes patience and faith to enter with cau-
tion, observation, and thoughtfulness.
Myth 3. Leaders should demonstrate independence and not need help. The nursing
field is predominantly female-dominated, which may make it more collab-
orative than male-dominated professions. To the extent that this is true, the
collaborative attitude may render this myth less powerful in nursing than in
other parts of corporate America. Nonetheless, across fields, new leaders are
often fearful of asking for help lest they be seen as indecisive or weak (Wein-
stock & Sanaghan, 2015). This issue may arise for DNP graduates who report
to non-nurse supervisors who may be a physician, senior hospital executive,
or academic administrator. In light of this new working relationship, DNPs
may try to prove themselves prematurely.
Myth 4. Bosses can be friends and trusted work colleagues. It is tempting to think that
the person who does the hiring or promoting can be a trusted support, mentor,
and/or ally. The reality is that new DNP leaders need to determine how safe
it is to share work-related concerns with their boss, in this case a supervisor.
They must learn how to “manage up,” identify their supervisor’s style, and