Summary:
A healthy workforce does not happen by accident. It is built through honest conversations, shared ownership, and consistent action. In this solo episode of Coffee Break, Dr. Renee Thompson focuses on incivility as a critical precursor to worsening workplace behaviors and potential workplace violence.
Using a powerful, true story of a nurse whose unaddressed behavioral issues escalated from simple eye-rolling to physical aggression against a charge nurse, Renee highlights a pattern where leaders often ignore low-level disruptions because they are tired or overwhelmed. She breaks down actionable strategies to stop this cycle early, including the “72-hour rule” for feedback, creating a behavioral compact, and shifting culture from a leadership burden to a shared team responsibility.
Tune in to learn how to address disruptive behaviors in the moment, equip your frontline leaders, and build a sustainable culture of mutual respect.
About Dr. Renee Thompson:
Dr. Renee Thompson is a leading authority on creating healthy work cultures by eliminating bullying and incivility in healthcare. With more than 31 years of experience as a clinical nurse, educator, quality manager, and executive leader, she has become one of the most sought-after experts on workplace culture. As CEO and Founder of the Healthy Workforce Institute, Renee works with healthcare organizations worldwide to equip leaders with the tools they need to cultivate professional, respectful, and supportive teams.
Renee is a published author, award-winning speaker, and one of only 30 nurses worldwide to earn the Certified Speaking Professional designation. She also serves on The Joint Commission’s Workplace Violence Technical Advisory Panel and has been recognized globally for her thought leadership and advocacy.
What You’ll Learn In This Episode:
- Unaddressed low-level behaviors like eye-rolling or heavy sighing give individuals a boost of power to escalate their actions over time .
- Leaders have a 72-hour window to address a situation before the human brain begins to alter or misremember the event.
- Equipping and empowering charge nurses with precise scripts is essential for stopping disruptive behavior as soon as it happens.
- Establishing a “compact of professional behaviors” helps teams clearly outline how they will, and will not, treat one another.
- True culture change is a shared responsibility, requiring the entire team to call out incidents like gossip or rudeness.
- Consistency in messaging across every shift, huddle, and meeting is what ultimately drives long-term results
Links & Resources:
- Connect with and follow Dr. Renee Thompson on LinkedIn.
- Learn more about the Healthy Workforce Institute on their LinkedIn and website.
- Learn more about the Framework here!
- Check out The 6 C’s: A Framework for Finding the Right Team Fit here!
- Learn the 33 Scripts to Address Disruptive Behavior here!
- Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here!
- Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here.
- Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here!
Have a question for Renee?
Email us at [email protected] to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode!
Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases.
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