The One Decision That Changed Everything: Tina Baxter Of Baxter Professional Services and The Nurse Shark Academy On How a Single Choice Can Redefine A Leadership Journey
Own your mistakes. If you blew it, say so. Learn from your mistakes. Show your team your flaws. People are gracious. It will help your team feel comfortable with sharing their mistakes with you and asking for help.
Every leader’s journey is shaped by pivotal moments, but sometimes a single decision can alter the entire trajectory. What is that one choice that redefined your path and changed everything for your leadership journey? How did it impact your approach, vision, and success? As part of this series, we are interviewing Tina Baxter.
Tina M. Baxter is an advanced practice registered nurse and a board certified gerontological nurse practitioner through the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC), who resides in Anderson, Indiana. She is the founder of The Nurse Shark Academy where she coaches nurses to launch and scale their businesses. She is the host of The Nurse Shark Academy show which interviews and spotlights nurse business owners and leaders in healthcare. She is the owner of Baxter Professional Services, LLC, a consulting firm which provides legal nurse consulting services for attorneys and insurance professionals.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I was always interested in medicine growing up. I watched shows like Quincy, Emergency, and ER. I thought what the doctors and nurses did was truly extraordinary. Although I originally thought medicine was my calling, I found my true passion in nursing. I know this is clearly where I am meant to be. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
At one time, I was the only Red Cross nurse in my county. I was working at the hospital and I volunteered to help with local disasters. I was trained in CPR, mental health emergency services, and how to open a shelter. I helped families with fires, the tornado that came through, and other natural disasters. It never occurred to me that I would deal with a national emergency, September 11, 2001. I watched on TV as the first plane hit the Twin Towers and then the second plane hit. I just had a gut feeling that I was going to be activated and I received the call. I was originally assigned to the Pentagon but my assignment was changed to New York. Security was very tight so you did not know where you were staying or where you we going to work until you landed. Picture this, I’m in the airport at midnight in New York, the National Guard is in the station in riot gear and machine guns. All I have a piece of paper with a phone number and instructions to go to a bank of phones, put in a code to hear where I would be staying for the night. I felt like I was in a James Bond movie. I had only been a nurse for a couple of years. It was a tough assignment but I appreciate what I learned about working in an environment in which you are not familiar.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
I think what makes my company stand out is the wealth of experiences I have had throughout my career. I worked in the lab for 3 summers at the Medical College of Ohio. I worked as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) in a nursing home. I volunteered as a church nurse in junior high, high school, and as a professional parish nurse. I worked as a HHA (home health aide) and a nurse tech on med surg in the hospital. I worked as a staff nurse and supervisor in psychiatry. A nurse educator and nurse practitioner at the addiction’s hospital. I worked in long term care, hospice care, and as an entrepreneur. I have volunteered on many non-profit boards and community organizations. It is because of these experiences in a variety of specialties and environments that I can have a broad perspective on my client’s needs. I started a CNA training school. As an educator, I use stories from my experiences to illustrate the critical points in the curriculum. I can tell the students I have been there. I worked as a CNA. I know what the job entails. Case in point, I remember one day working as a CNA on the dementia unit and it was family visit day. We had a resident who would not keep his pants on for any reason. He always wanted to be a police officer according to his family and so he thought he was cop. I made a deal with him that day. I told him that we needed him to be a security officer as we were having many visitors that day. I needed him to keep his pants on because they were bullet proof. He agreed and he kept his pants on during the visits. Now, that only worked for that day. He was actually very helpful and showed the visitors where to go. I had to be creative. He was a security officer for a day. It made him happy and for me, it kept his pants on. Instead of trying to talk him out of his delusions, I entered his world and found a role that he could play. I share that story with the students to let them know that when you are working with someone with dementia, arguing about their delusions only results in frustrations for them and you. Enter their world, find a place for them that does not harm their dignity, and allow them to be who they need to be in the moment.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
First, I have always been curious. I wanted to know how things work, how we can make things better, or can we discover something new. My favorite Christmas gifts growing up were my microscope and my chemistry set. My second trait is the feeling that I can do anything. My parents always said I could do or be what I wanted. I just believed that I could. I think that is why I have had so many unique experiences in my career. In my first year of nursing, the hospital had a program with the community college to help the LPNs (licensed practical nurses) in the hospital to get their RN (registered nurse) license to keep their jobs at the hospital. No one wanted to teach psychiatry clinicals. I was a new RN with a BSN and they asked me. Although I had only been a nurse for only a year, I said why not? I agreed to do it and I discovered that I enjoyed teaching. Lastly, I was willing to put in the work. I took advantage of any learning opportunity that came my way. This is how I became a CPR instructor. One of my nurse mentors introduced me to a nurse educator who needed an additional instructor in the education department. Even though it was with a different hospital, I was a struggling college student looking to make extra cash. I took the instructor class, started teaching, and I am still doing it almost 30 years later.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. What was the pivotal decision that transformed your approach to leadership, and what prompted you to make it?
The one decision that I made a few years ago was to stop dimming my light and worrying about what other people thought of me. I decided to “Be unapologetically me.” What I mean is that I no longer wanted to wear the mantle of being “too much, too smart, too loud, too big, too intimidating.” I decided to gently turn that back on the sender and ask the question, “Is it that I am too intimidating or are you just intimidated? What makes you feel that way?” I am no longer held hostage to the notion that “good girls are seen and not heard” and to worry if my passion is taken for anger. I will no longer buy into the gaslighting, microaggressions, and plain disrespect. I will stand up for myself. I found my voice and I am not afraid to use it. Hear me roar!
During the pandemic, I had a chance to slow down. I wasn’t going a million different directions so it gave me a chance to pursue personal development. I had been struggling with imposter syndrome, people pleasing tendencies, and as one mentor says, an orphan spirit. Through reading, working with business coaches, and reflection, I began to realize that the reason I was dimming my light was so that I could make others feel more comfortable. I remember, when I was first promoted to supervisor, my executive director told me “I was intimidating.” My direct approach and high expectations made other people feel uncomfortable. I did not know what to do with that feedback. You see, I was taught to always do my best and I naturally expected that of others. This caused me to step back, dial it down, and try to go unnoticed. I did that for several years. When I became an entrepreneur, I realized I had to step back onto the stage. Once I did, I had to deal with those negative thoughts and feelings that kept coming back up. It was through self-discovery and personal growth that I learned to give myself permission to be authentic. I am unapologetically me.
How did this single choice impact your personal growth and your view on what it means to lead?
It gave me an opportunity to discover who I am as a leader and what my natural skills are to bring to the marketplace. It gave me clarity on how to best utilize my skill set. It helped me to understand others. I learned to listen more, be more patient, and to communicate more effectively.
What were some of the immediate and long-term effects of this decision on your team or organization?
One the immediate side of things, it helped to foster better working relationships. I looked for the strengths each person brings to the team. In the long-term, it has made me a better communicator and leader. I take a more collaborative approach to leadership. Everyone has value and can make a contribution.
How did you handle any uncertainty or doubt while making this critical choice?
I seek wise counsel as they say. I talk to others. I get their opinions and ask about their experiences. I take it consideration and hold it up the light of my values. If what we are doing is not in alignment with our core values, we don’t do it.
What lessons did you learn from this decision that you continue to apply in your leadership today?
I learned to be more patient with myself and others. I learned to delegate effectively and to trust my team. If I hire someone to do a task, I let them. I don’t micromanage. It’s not necessary. If there is something that I don’t like, I sit down with them and explain my perspective. I listen to their feedback and why they made those choices. I look at it as a teaching moment, not just for my team, but also for me.
What are your “Five Things You Need to be a Transformational Leader”?
1 . Set your intentions. What is the goal or purpose of the project, meeting, or task? Be clear about what you want.
2 . Manage your emotions. We all experience frustration, fear, or anxiety when a big project is due. Use as fuel. Don’t take it out on your team.
3 . Own your mistakes. If you blew it, say so. Learn from your mistakes. Show your team your flaws. People are gracious. It will help your team feel comfortable with sharing their mistakes with you and asking for help.
4 . Be more collaborative and look for the win-win. It may sound cliché, but if you are expecting your team to produce, you better be right there with them. Look for ways to get things done so that you are happy, your team is happy, and your client is happy.
5 . Don’t avoid hard conversations. Be willing to have tough conversations. Sweeping things under the rug only allows it to fester.
Were there any unexpected challenges or rewards that emerged from this choice?
The biggest reward for me was freedom. By embracing my authentic self, I instinctually invite others to do the same. It creates a safe space to exchange ideas.
How has this decision influenced the advice or guidance you offer to emerging leaders?
Whether I am giving a keynote in front of a large group or meeting someone one on one, it helps to establish rapport. I do a lot more listening to the needs of my clients and my team members. I seek clarification so that the communication is clear. I encourage leaders to be open. Give freely without expecting anything in return. Share what you have and others will invariably share with you. You know, the stuff we learned in kindergarten but may have forgotten.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would make leadership development its own course in nursing school. I would make it a requirement. I have worked with great leaders and not so great leaders in my career. The great ones know how to encourage others and to be intentional about their leadership, while the not-so-great ones tend to look out only for themselves and lack of integrity.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
They can follow me on website to access my blog, podcast, and the events I have available at www.thenursesharkacademy.biz. You can follow my Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages:
https://www.facebook.com/thenursesharkacademy/
https://www.instagram.com/thenursesharkacademy/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nurse-shark-academy/
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
The One Decision That Changed Everything: Tina Baxter Of Baxter Professional Services and The Nurse… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.