By Ken Dion PhD, MSN, MBA, RN

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The architects of audacity: Shaping Sigma’s next 100 years

The milestone moment is upon us. Wednesday, 5 October 2022 marks the official Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) 100th Anniversary. I am humbled by the weight of history and honored to have the privilege of representing the membership of this organization as we recognize this centennial celebration.

As I gathered my thoughts in preparation to write this article, I decided not to write another history piece. Rather than simply look back, I wanted to consider how Sigma members—past and present—constructed a solid organizational framework to position us for the future.

I began by thinking about Sigma’s 2021-23 Organizational Call to Action: Be Bold. Certainly, the word bold describes Sigma’s founders, as do many of its synonyms: Dauntless, adventurous, distinct, prominent, intrepid, courageous. Audacious! That word audacious resonated with me because it echoes the Spanish translation of Be Bold: Sé Audaz! And audacious perfectly describes the Sigma spirit.

Just as Sigma’s founders established the bedrock characteristics of our organization, many other Sigma leaders acted with the same audacious spirit to expand and enhance the organization. Their efforts laid a firm foundation of key organizational attributes that will serve us well into the next 100 years.

Sigma is values-driven

Long before values-driven organizations became part of the lexicon of consultant buzzword bingo, Sigma was founded as a values-driven organization. From their earliest conversations, the founders identified three values all nurses should strive to represent, based on the Greek words storgé, thárros, and timé.

Allow me to be transparent: Sigma’s founders weren’t perfect. Their training school wasn’t perfect. Their profession wasn’t perfect. Their world wasn’t perfect. But it’s impossible to find fault with the characteristics on which they based this organization: Love, Courage, and Honor.

My most important lesson here is this: Sigma’s founders didn’t choose values only they could represent. They wanted those virtues to outlive them, to ring true in times, in circumstances, and in places they could only imagine. They wanted to ensure every future Sigma member could embody those foundational ideals in their own way.

Sigma’s founders weren’t audacious for their own glory. They knew that for the organization to thrive, others would take up the call to lead and expand the organization and impact the nursing profession. They empowered others to go beyond them. Sigma’s founders were the architects of audacity for generations of future members. 

Sigma is dedicated to excellence

From the very beginning, excellence has been the Sigma standard. Sigma membership is its own recognition of excellence.

This organization was founded to advance the nursing profession as a science, support nursing scholarship, and recognize its leaders. And Sigma has remained dedicated to nursing scholarship, evidence-based practice, and nursing excellence—so much so that when it came time to choose the registered descriptor for the modern brand mark, there was only one choice: Global Nursing Excellence. It is both who we are and what we do.  

Many of you may know that Sigma in 1936 funded the first-ever recorded nursing research grant. But we didn’t stop there. Over the years, Sigma has funded more than US $2 million in nursing research grants, and the Sigma Foundation for Nursing awards approximately US $200,000 annually to nurse researchers. In addition to supporting research, it is vitally important to recognize the contributions that nurses and nursing science has made to global healthcare. Sigma will continue to recognize nursing leaders through International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, International Awards for Nursing Excellence, and many other local, regional, and international honors and awards.

Sigma is intentionally global

Do nurses work there? Then Sigma belongs there. That was the emphatic position the organization took when it incorporated as Sigma Theta Tau International in 1985. And Sigma leaders walked the talk. Nearly 40 years later, we can see the impact of that audacious decision. Sigma now has more than 50 chapters in 39 countries outside North America, with more in development.

Sigma provides unparalleled opportunities to connect with nursing colleagues from all areas of the world. This intentionally global mindset allows Sigma nurses to expand their networks, find research partners, and learn and demonstrate cultural humility. Sigma continually demonstrates its commitment to global nursing by hosting events in all global regions, allowing members to connect with Sigma members and benefits where they are.

I am proud of Sigma’s intentionally global mindset, and my professional life has been enriched by my connections with colleagues from vastly different walks of life. I am a better nurse—a better person—because I have colleagues who look different than I do, speak differently than I do, and come from locations and backgrounds vastly different from mine. Especially today, amid so much divisiveness, racially motivated violence, religious and ethnic hatred, and xenophobia, Sigma’s values of love, courage, and honor as an intentionally global organization are vitally important. May they long endure.   

Sigma members lead anywhere and everywhere

The Sigma mission is: Developing nurse leaders anywhere to improve healthcare everywhere. And Sigma members lead from where they are every day.  

I get a lot of comments from current and prospective members that they are not nurse leaders. I respectfully disagree. If you are a nurse, you are a leader. Whether you lead by providing exceptional care, teaching future nurses, or speaking up in the face of injustice, the point is, you lead every day. Maybe you demonstrated leadership by doing something as simple as sharing your experience with a colleague who was struggling.

Sigma’s founders were nursing students. If that fact doesn’t prove that you can lead from anywhere, I don’t know what would do it. In that same spirit, Sigma will continue to see nurses as leaders. And I have no doubt that Sigma members will continue to lead anywhere and everywhere.

Sigma embraces change

The century since Sigma’s founding has been one of tremendous change. As evidenced by the recently opened 75th Anniversary Time Capsule, the technology driven change in just the last 25 years has been breathtaking. As proof, just look at the big, technological jumps Sigma made during the pandemic. From embracing virtual meeting technology while maintaining our world-class standards to supporting all nurses with Find Your Forward resources, Sigma met the moment.

Where will Sigma go from here? As colleges, universities, and workplaces continue to evolve, what new models, services, and activities will Sigma adopt as the organization evolves? I cannot answer those questions specifically, but I can say, unequivocally, that the organization is embracing and will continue to embrace change. We will continue to evolve to meet the needs of our members and support all nurses within the profession.

Sigma is shaping the next 100 years

As we forge ahead into Sigma’s next 100 years, the organization remains values-driven, dedicated to excellence, and intentionally global. Our members are leading anywhere and everywhere. And together, we are embracing a world of constant change. What does the future hold? I can’t say. But I know this: you have an important role to play.

As you design the future, I know each of you will embody Sigma’s values in your own way.

Show love.

Have courage.

Uphold honor.

You are the architects of audacity. You are the builders of bold.

You are the strategists of Sigma’s next 100 years.

And I can’t wait to see where you take us. 

With much gratitude, 

Ken Dion, PhD, MSN, MBA, RN
President

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