The Mentor Leader Sparknotes

The Mentor Leader Written by Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker, this book discusses the concept of mentor leadership, which focuses on building and shaping the lives of the people in front of you. It provides a Christian perspective on leadership and also incorporates stories from the authors’ experiences. Tony Dungy was an NFL player for 3 years before becoming the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996 and later the Indianapolis Colts in 2002. Throughout this time, he gathered leadership skills from his own mentors and from his experiences to write this book. Nathan Whitaker, a Harvard Law School graduate, was involved in football administration for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars for many years. In 2004, he founded

XVI). A mentor leader’s focus is putting people first and adding value to the lives of others. In order to lead and mentor effectively, mentor leaders must know themselves. Understanding how their past has shaped them, what their priorities are, and their individual strengths and weaknesses all build a foundation for personal growth and the shaping of other leaders. There are certain characteristics and attributes that are central to mentor leadership, including leading by example, accountability, being willing to change, approachability, integrity, exercising faith, and loyalty. Mentor leaders are known by their words and their actions that exhibit these desirable

As nurses, we serve our patients in their hardest times in order for them to recover. This applies to nurse leaders as well, because they are tasked with equipping and encouraging their team of nurses to better care for their patients and save lives. Mentor leaders think about how they can serve their team, which will ultimately benefit the organization.

A mentor leader creates the organization’s vision and mission as a reminder of a common goal for the team. When things get difficult, the vision and mission are there to guide the team and help them remember why they are there in the first place. In nursing, the common goal is providing quality, holistic care to patients while they are healing. Nurse leaders, including charge nurses, nurse managers, and CNO’s, have the responsibility of keeping their nurses focused on that vision and mission when times are rough. Sometimes believing in the vision takes faith when burnout is imminent, but mentor leaders are there to encourage and remind the team about their common