Authority Without Aggression: Leadership Skills Every CRNA Needs (Part 2)

Episode 486 of the Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs podcast, hosted by Jeremy Stanley, titled "Authority Without Aggression: Leadership Skills Every CRNA Needs (Part 2)" was published on February 4, 2026 and runs 52 minutes.

February 4, 2026 ·52m · Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

0:00 / 0:00

Summary

Incivility doesn’t always announce itself loudly—it often creeps in quietly, becoming normalized in high-stress clinical environments. In this episode, Lynn and Garry are joined by leadership veteran Meri Gilman-Mays, CRNA, DNP to continue a candid conversation on addressing incivility in nurse anesthesia. Part two of this conversation shifts from recognizing incivility to actively addressing it through leadership. We’ll challenge the notion that leadership requires a title, highlighting how CRNAs lead daily at the bedside, in the operating room, and through committee work. Listeners are invited to consider the impact of silence versus intervention and how modeling professionalism under pressure influences team culture. After listening to this episode, participants will be able to: Identify leadership behaviors that CRNAs can demonstrate regardless of formal title or position. Apply real-time de-escalation strategies to address incivility while maintaining professionalism and authority. Utilize a structured framework for conducting difficult follow-up conversations and ensuring accountability. Describe strategies for fostering a culture of respect and psychological safety within anesthesia and perioperative teams. Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Episode Description

Part two of this conversation shifts from recognizing incivility to actively addressing it through leadership. We’ll challenge the notion that leadership requires a title, highlighting how CRNAs lead daily at the bedside, in the operating room, and through committee work. Listeners are invited to consider the impact of silence versus intervention and how modeling professionalism under pressure influences team culture.

After listening to this episode, participants will be able to:

Identify leadership behaviors that CRNAs can demonstrate regardless of formal title or position.
Apply real-time de-escalation strategies to address incivility while maintaining professionalism and authority.
Utilize a structured framework for conducting difficult follow-up conversations and ensuring accountability.
Describe strategies for fostering a culture of respect and psychological safety within anesthesia and perioperative teams.

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099

Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf

Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1