Lifelong lessons in leadership from nurses

CEOs are always on the hunt for new leadership insights. We read the latest books, listen to expert podcasts and sign up for courses – yet some of the most valuable lessons often come from the most unexpected places.

Over the last eight years, I’ve had the privilege of leading the McGrath Foundation, which funds specialist cancer care nurses across Australia. During this time, I’ve witnessed how our nurses support people through the most challenging moments of their lives. Watching them in action has been a masterclass in leadership.

Their ability to guide people through the rollercoaster of cancer has taught me more than any business book or boardroom ever could.

A prescription for leaders

When you’re sitting with someone who has just heard the word ‘cancer’, leadership matters; the way a nurse shows up quite literally transforms a patient’s experience. And those same qualities can transform the way CEOs lead their people and organizations.

Here are six lessons I believe every CEO can take from nurses.

1. EMPATHY AND ACTIVE LISTENING

We’ve got two ears and one mouth for a reason. Nurses are extraordinary listeners – not just to what is said but what isn’t said. They understand unspoken fears, notice hesitations and the things people can’t quite bring themselves to express and they respond with compassion.

In leadership, just as in nursing, learning is a discipline and continual practice that keeps you prepared for whatever comes next.

That same skill is vital in leadership. Over 20 years, the McGrath Foundation has navigated change, growth and challenge by listening carefully to people with cancer, our nurses, our supporters, our team, government and then filtering what matters most.

The real skill, as our nurses show us, is knowing when to speak, when to hold back and how to give people just what they need to move forward.

2. CLARITY IN CRISIS

My natural instinct is to run hard into a crisis. I’m comfortable in those environments – they energize me. But I’ve had to learn that, in reality, very few decisions truly need to be made in the next 30 seconds.

That’s why I build teams where others balance me. They remind me to pause, breathe and recalibrate. A good leader creates space to strip away the noise and focus on what really matters.

Nurses do this instinctively. In overwhelming situations, they bring calm and clarity. They show people the next step without overloading them. They take the chaos out of cancer.

For CEOs, the role is similar: to take the chaos out of a crisis. Clarity in crisis isn’t about rushing to provide all the answers. It’s resisting the urge to react to everything at once, cutting through the noise and focusing people on the single most important next step.

3. EMPOWERING OTHERS

One of the most powerful things nurses do is empower patients and families. They don’t just provide information; they give people the confidence to navigate their journey and make decisions for themselves.

That principle translates directly to leadership. The choice is always: do it yourself or empower others? The best leaders create autonomy and unlock potential in people that they might not even have known they had. Sometimes that means removing blockers, sometimes it’s coaching and often it’s empowering people to make decisions with confidence.

The best leaders create autonomy and unlock potential in people that they might not even have known they had.

I always remind my team that feedback is a gift. If you deliver it with the right intent, it’s one of the most valuable things you can offer. Empowerment is not about telling people what they want to hear, it’s about giving them what they need to grow and creating the environment in which they can.

4. CONSISTENCY

If there’s one thing families tell us again and again, it’s how much our nurses’ consistency of care means to them. They show up in the same way every day. Patients know they will be met with steadiness, even when they themselves feel frightened or uncertain.

That’s what leadership is – not one-off heroic moments, but consistency over time. Teams take their cue from the energy leaders bring into the room. If I walk into a room anxious or angry, that ripples outward. But if I bring calm and long-term focus, people feel safe and confident.

Consistency to me is about showing up reliably and setting a steady rhythm for the team. It’s about creating an environment where people know what to expect and feel supported to deliver their best.

But consistency doesn’t mean comfort and complacency; it’s about creating the conditions for progress. When people trust the ground beneath them, they are more willing to take bold steps forward and face challenges.

5. PURPOSE-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP

For nurses, purpose is found in the person right in front of them – providing care, reassurance and guidance at the moments it matters most.

At the McGrath Foundation, our purpose is clear too: to ensure no one goes through cancer without the care of a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse. Purpose is no longer a ‘nice to have’ or something that sits in the not-for-profit sector. Employees, customers and communities are demanding it from all organizations. A genuine, lived purpose becomes a north star – inspiring loyalty, guiding decisions and sustaining people through uncertainty.

If CEOs can learn to lead the way nurses do – with empathy, clarity, empowerment, consistency, purpose and curiosity – organizations and their people will be all the stronger for it.

On a personal level, my purpose is to have a positive impact on people at both a micro and macro level every single day. Sometimes that’s influencing one team member’s growth; sometimes it’s the larger platform of the Foundation. Either way, purpose keeps me grounded, inspired and energized.

6. COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING

Healthcare never stands still. New research, treatments and technology means that nurses must constantly update their knowledge and skills. Their commitment to continuous learning and development ensures patients always receive the highest standard of care.

The best CEOs adopt the same mindset. The most effective leaders are curious and open – actively seeking out new ideas, learning from peers and adapting to what the future demands. In leadership, just as in nursing, learning is a discipline and continual practice that keeps you prepared for whatever comes next.

Healthy business outcomes

What inspires me most about nurses is that they simply make things happen. They don’t get lost in hierarchy – they focus on what’s right for the person in front of them.

That’s a powerful reminder for CEOs. Leadership is not about position or power. It’s about presence, purpose and the impact we have on others.