Academic Journal
Improvising through ambiguity: Jazz leadership principles for nurse leaders.
| Τίτλος: | Improvising through ambiguity: Jazz leadership principles for nurse leaders. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Nease B; Beth Nease is an Associate Professor and Research and Scholarship Practice Partner Liaison at the College of Nursing, University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. |
| Πηγή: | Nursing management [Nurs Manage] 2026 Jul 01; Vol. 57 (6), pp. 41-47. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 02. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Springhouse Corporation Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 8219243 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1538-8670 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 07446314 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Nurs Manage Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Springhouse Pa : Springhouse Corporation Original Publication: [Chicago, Ill. : S-N Publications, Inc.] |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Nurse Administrators*/psychology , Nurse Administrators*/trends , Leadership*, Humans ; Cooperative Behavior ; Creativity |
| Περίληψη: | Abstract: This article examines how principles of jazz (improvisation within structure, shared leadership rooted in mutual respect, and embracing mistakes and ambiguity) can inform effective nursing leadership. In increasingly complex health care environments, traditional hierarchical models limit adaptability, whereas a "jazz leadership" approach fosters collaboration, creativity, and resilience. Drawing parallels between jazz ensembles and nursing teams, the author highlights strategies to enhance decision-making, innovation, and succession planning. By cultivating psychological safety, distributed leadership, and adaptive problem-solving, nurse leaders can better navigate uncertainty and strengthen team performance while maintaining high standards of patient care and safety. (Copyright © 2026 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.) |
| References: | Sinsky CA, Bavafa H, Roberts RG, Beasley JW. Standardization vs customization: finding the right balance. Ann Fam Med . 2021;19(2):171–177. Spanos S, Leask E, Patel R, Datyner M, Loh E, Braithwaite J. Healthcare leaders navigating complexity: a scoping review of key trends in future roles and competencies. BMC Med Educ . 2024;24(1):720. Weston MJ. What nurse leaders are changing their minds about. Nurse Lead . 2024;22(6):692–697. Quek SJ, Thomson L, Houghton R, Bramley L, Davis S, Cooper J. Distributed leadership as a predictor of employee engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intention in UK nursing staff. J Nurs Manag . 2021;29(6):1544–1553. Moyo M, Porter-O'Grady T. Harnessing complex adaptive leadership to empower nurses and improve outcomes. Nurs Manage . 2025;56(4):17–23. Caldwell M, Pabico C, Robertson S, Hayes KM, Carson W, Kleinpell R. Behind the numbers: factors influencing nurse manager satisfaction and retention. Nurs Manage . 2024;55(10):8–13. American Organization for Nursing Leadership. AONL Longitudinal Nursing Leadership Insight Survey. 2024. Accessed May 15, 2026. https://www.aonl.org/system/files/media/file/2024/01/AONL%20Longitudinal%20Nursing%20Leadership%20Insight%20Study%205%20Report_v5_0.pdf. Kerfoot KM. Leadership and the great reset: rethinking possibilities for the future of nursing. Nurs Econ . 2022;40(1):38–41. Barrett FJ. Yes to the Mess: Surprising Leadership Lessons from Jazz . Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press; 2012. Marsalis W, Ward GC. Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life . New York, NY: Random House; 2008. Audretsch DB, Belitski M, Bui HTM, Herzig M. Improvisation and innovation in teams: the jazz effect. Br J Manag . 2023;34(1):150–170. Czarnecki JR. Adopting a jazz mindset for strategic execution and leadership. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2015—EMEA, London, England. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute; 2015. Thomas G. Miles Davis: a leader of leaders. Tune In To Leadership. 2024. Accessed July 17, 2023. https://www.tuneintoleadership.com/newsletter/miles-davis-a-leader-of-leaders. Van Den Born F, Mehra A, Kilduff M. Network leadership and team creativity: an exploratory study of New York City jazz bands. Acad Manag Discov . 2023;9(1):46–66. Padilha MI, Teodosio SS, Silva AR, Santos FBO, Bellaguarda MLDR, González JS. Threads of care—weaving the historical identity of nurses: a discussion paper. Teach Learn Nurs . 2025;20(3):e629–e636. Gridley MC. Categories of creative freedom in approaches to jazz improvisation. Jazz Styles. 2022. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://jazzstyles.net/categories-of-creative-freedom-in-approaches-to-jazz-improvisation. Hermans C.On creativity and jazz improvisation: moving with constraints. 2024. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://www.conservatoriumvanamsterdam.nl/media/cva/docs/onderzoek/blogs/Blog2CHJazzImprovisation.pdf. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: collaboration; improvisation; jazz; jazz leadership principles; leadership; nursing leadership |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260618 Date Completed: 20260702 Latest Revision: 20260720 |
| Update Code: | 20260720 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/nmg.0000000000000386 |
| PMID: | 42312803 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1538-8670 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1097/nmg.0000000000000386 |