free course: 4 STEPS TO A WORLD CLASS WORKPLACE CULTURE

How To Avoid Being Ignored At The Executive Table

You’re a big time executive, making a difference for the people that you lead.  

But let’s talk about your peers. 

You sit at the executive table with other senior leaders with the same level of expertise and resources as you do. 

You offer ideas, but sometimes get ignored.  

I’ve seen it happen. 

I’ve sat in rooms with senior executives that make decisions for an entire organization, and watch them ignore one or two members of the team. 

You bring ideas. 

You share challenges. 

You’re unheard. 

You’re respected by the people down the chain, but not by the people around your table. 

Feeling ignored is not a good place to be.  

You’re in a position where the work you’ve done should speak for itself. 

Your voice should make a difference. 

Your opinions should matter. 

But you’re not feeling this from your peers. 

Here’s what I want you to understand. 

You should not be ignored.  

If it’s happening to you, what do you do? 

1. Get to know your peers. 

Get to know the people around the table.  

You’re supposed to be working together as a team.  

Do you know your teammates?  

If you don’t know your teammates, that’s the reason why they may not be listening to you. 

You don’t know them, which means they don’t know you.  

Find a way to spend time building relationships outside of the executive boardroom. 

Go to dinner with them and their spouse. 

Play racquetball or go golfing. 

They’ve got to know how you think and how you see the world. 

They need to see the value you bring to the table. 

2. Understand the problem.

If you work in a hospital and a challenge is lowering the length of stay, have a different perspective about that. 

The CEO may have a particular perspective. 

 The operations person also has a different perspective. 

How do you understand that challenge from their perspective and what can you bring to the table? 

This is how you avoid being ignored. 

You’ve got to add value. 

Bring it in a way that others don’t have it. 

When I sat around an executive table, I knew that nobody else had a background in social work or public policy. 

So I always brought unique insights to the table. 

How can you bring your perspective in to make a difference for them? 

If you want to make sure you’re not ignored at the executive table, you’ve got to know the people who you’re around and understand their perspective. 

That’s how you make a difference. 

That’s how you make sure that your voice is always heard. 

Anton

Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Email

Recent Posts

What to Look for in Your Next Executive Role

You finally realize that it’s time for you to move on to a job where your talents are appreciated.

Now, you’re evaluating what you should be looking for in your next executive role.

You’ve been through the fire before and you know how hard it is to work in an organization with a leader that doesn’t value your skills and a team that doesn’t respect your expertise.

This doesn’t allow you to help the people you came to help; the patients and the frontline members that look up to you.

You need to be in an environment that nurtures you but there is a chance you can jump out of this frying pan and into one that’s worse.

You need to slow down and really think about what environment you want to be in and what it takes to be successful as a leader.

Read More »

Why Nursing Leadership Is Important

Everyone needs to understand why leadership in nursing is important.

Let me explain what’s happening right now.

There are 9.7 million healthcare workers on the front lines in healthcare.

It is projected that in the next five years, 6.5 million of those workers will leave the healthcare industry and not come back.

It is also projected that only 2 million people will replace that 6.5 million leaving.

This means that in the next five years, we’ll be in a healthcare crisis.

Right now is the time for you to be a nursing leader with impact.

Read More »