WHY DIRECTORS OF NURSING FAIL WITHOUT CLEAR GOALS: You Can’t Hit a Target You Can’t See

This morning, during my workout, I was listening to Simon Sinek — a voice I return to often. And today, something he said landed with a different kind of clarity:

“Clarity is the starting point of leadership.”

Maybe it was the 4 AM quiet. Maybe it was the kind of week leadership has been. Maybe it was simply Allah placing the reminder exactly where I needed it.

But that message stopped me.

Because if there’s one thing I see repeatedly from the Directors of Nursing I coach, it’s this:

A lack of clarity will drain you faster than the workload ever will.

Leadership doesn’t become overwhelming because DONs aren’t capable. It becomes overwhelming because they’re pulled in 15 directions before they even sit down.

And that is exactly why goals matter.

⭐ Why Directors of Nursing Need Clarity

There is nothing accidental about success in long-term care.

Compliance doesn’t happen by accident. Survey readiness doesn’t happen by accident.

A well-run nursing department definitely doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens through intention.

Zig Ziglar says it best:

“You can’t hit a target you cannot see.”

If you walk into your building without direction, your day will run you — not the other way around.

Your goals are your map, your vision, your direction

They allow you to lead proactively instead of reacting to fires all day.

⭐ Goal Setting for Directors of Nursing: What Leadership Really Looks Like

Every DON should have goals at three levels: daily, weekly, and monthly. Each one shapes a different part of your leadership.

⭐ 1. Daily Goals (Your Targets for Today)

Daily goals create structure and give your leadership rhythm.

✔ Review staffing

✔ Identify hot residents and new concerns

✔ Intentional rounding

✔ Review falls, wounds, admissions, grievances

✔ Communicate expectations clearly

✔ Follow up on previous issues

Your daily goals set your tone.

⭐ 2. Weekly Goals (Your Leadership Rhythm)

Weekly goals keep you consistent and prevent you from falling behind.

✔ Complete at least one audit

✔ Validate documentation

✔ Review grievance patterns

✔ Update high-risk care plans

✔ Support your management team

✔ Review weekly clinical trends

Your weekly goals build your systems.

⭐ 3. Monthly Goals (Your Leadership Blueprint)

Monthly goals predict your outcomes and determine if your system is actually working.

✔ Analyze incident trends

✔ Review data for QAPI

✔ Re-educate on recurring issues

✔ Validate compliance gaps

✔ Audit wounds, falls, elopement risk

✔ Confirm survey-readiness components

Your monthly goals predict your success.

⭐ What Zig, Simon, and Every Great Leader Teaches Us

Great leaders don’t rise by accident.

You plan to win. You prepare to win. You expect to win.

That’s the posture of a Director of Nursing who leads intentionally—not reactively.

Your goals are your map, your vision, your direction.

Your follow-through is your leadership currency.

⭐ Every Leader Has a Reset — This Is Mine

Every leader has a moment where they realign. Some reset in silence, some in prayer, some in the car before a shift.

My reset isn’t a place — it’s a routine.

It starts in the quiet of 4 AM, when the world is still and I can ground myself in gratitude and remembrance of Allah.

Even on days when I’m on my menses and can’t pray, my heart stays connected through dua.

My reset continues with movement — the treadmill, my breath, my water — while I listen to the voices that sharpen me:

Mel Robbins, Lisa Nichols, Oprah Winfrey, Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, Simon Sinek, Les Brown, James Clear…

They light my mind before I lead others.

And then there’s my writing — the place where everything settles. Writing clears my thoughts, sharpens my leadership, and reminds me of who I am and what I’m called to do.

My reset is discipline. My reset is faith. My reset is intention.

It’s what keeps me aligned enough to lead others with clarity.

⭐ The Truth, Boo?

Directors of Nursing don’t fail from lack of knowledge —they fail from lack of clarity.

You cannot pour into your team when your vision is blurry.

You cannot lead with purpose when your goals are undefined.

You cannot elevate your facility without direction guiding your day.

Your success begins with one simple but powerful truth:

You must know what you’re aiming for.

Because boo…

You can’t hit a target you can’t see — and as a DON, clarity is your superpower.

If today’s blog spoke to you, then you’re ready for the next level.

My DON Clarity System was created for nurse leaders who want direction, structure, and results — not overwhelm.

Stop surviving your days. Start leading them.

👉 Sign up for the Clarity System. Training for CLARITY in your role. by @bilquisbali | Stan

💜 Lead with Love

YourFavNurseLeader

Bilquis Ali

But Did You Follow Through?™