What Travel Has Taught Me About Leadership as a DON

Leadership isn’t about the building you’re in — it’s about the systems you bring with you.

Hey boo hey.

What travel has taught me about leadership as a Director of Nursing is this: it doesn’t matter what building you walk into — your process and systems should not change.

That consistency is what allows me to step into any facility with confidence and ease. I hear it all the time when I start a new contract: "You just flow so well.”

The truth is, it’s not about the building. It’s because I do the same foundational things every single day.

It doesn’t matter where I am. It doesn’t matter how challenging the facility is. My process stays the same.

Right now, I’m working in a facility that’s in the middle of being sold. This transition has required me to learn new things and adjust to new demands so the process can close successfully. And I’m grateful for that — because leadership should always stretch you.

While parts of my process have shifted to meet the needs of this transition, the foundation has not. I still show up the same way. I still lead the same way. I still rely on systems, not chaos.

Travel has taught me that adaptability doesn’t mean starting over.

It means staying rooted in who you are while adjusting to where you are.

I am always a teacher — and forever a student.

Bilquis Ali, RN

Director of Nursing | Travel DON

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