Leadership Styles and Development in Nursing

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Leadership in Action: Effective leadership is crucial for successful nursing teams. Describe different leadership styles used in nursing and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. How can nurses develop their leadership skills to empower their teams?

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Introduction

In general, the idea of “effective leadership” in the context of nursing, as well as in healthcare in general, has been addressed in various healthcare-based studies and research. According to Stanley (2006), leadership in healthcare is necessary to ensure that key objectives are met, that the highest possible is achieved, and that employees are motivated and empowered to work well as a team. Stanley’s definition of leadership in healthcare places the onus on senior staff and those in managerial positions such as directors and practice managers to create an environment where a strong but flexible type of leadership is fostered and, as Stanley points out, a truly empowered team can be formed. In nursing, a leader is a part of a collaborative management team. Collaborative management is based on the leader – partner that constantly seeking cooperation among all team members to reach the goal (Hess, 2000). Effective leadership and management in the 21st century have been observed by how fast the changes with lower cost, higher efficiency, and improved quality in healthcare being adopted. The leaders and managers in this health field need to voice out at the patient care and push out new ideas for quality improvement. With the evolution of new quality management, leaders and managers now challenge the measure and look for innovative ideas to improve. Leaders take responsibilities to act with knowledge and proactive guidance, influence of developmental innovation (The Journal of Nursing Quality, 2002). Sounds like a very interesting read!

1.1 Importance of Effective Leadership in Nursing

For starters, effective leadership in the field of nursing gives nurses an opportunity to improve patient care and give families and the community in general trust in the healthcare setting. In the absence of good leadership, health workers can be frustrated because of the state of the disorganized healthcare settings and this can affect their productivity and the standard of care. In addition, ineffective nursing leadership results from a lack of leadership skills, and not from a lack of knowledge or expertise. This point is echoed in “An Experiential Approach to Organization Development” by Donald R. Brown, in S.O. Idowu and G. Schiesser, “Leadership, Followership and Corporate Governance”, Patricia Schroeder in “Chief of Staff: The Strategic Partner Who Will Change the Face of American Medicine” and Dr. Karen (2010) who asserts when referencing the Institute of Medicine that nurses are key in improvement of the healthcare systems. Kate Galanes S. Patricia in her book “Living Leadership: A Practical Guide for Ordinary People” identifies autocratic, democratic, bureaucratic and laissez-faire as the four main leadership styles in nursing. Autocratic leadership style is a style whereby the leader utilizes his authority to issue out commands and make decisions. In nursing, autocratic leaders use their power to get things done and it is necessary when time is an issue and sometimes they do not entertain any debate especially in emergency situations. On the contrary, democratic leadership style involves a team where healthcare can be a lot more decentralized and this fosters a sense of commitment from followers. The Informational Source in “How to Build and Manage a Personal Injury Practice” by Korn and Davis agrees that under this form of leadership, people work as a result of cooperation, and because participation is encouraged. Also known as transformational leadership style, this is the type of leadership presents the idea that the leader should be more valuable and promotes vision, and offers followers new ways of doing things. Vanity Dell has also mentioned this in “Motion Leadership in Action: More Skinny on Becoming Change Savvy” where she encourages nursing managers and leaders to utilize the new perspective and strategy to lead change and advancement in care. With vision and strong organizational skills, such leaders can initiate the benefits of teamwork to bring about real change. Lastly, Kate Galanes S. Patricia commented that servant leadership style in a sense that the leaders are there to provide and meet the needs of his or her people. This is very different from traditional leadership. Servant leaders put the main focus on their followers and emphasize the needs, encouraging and uplifting other people and give priority to the well-being of the ones they are serving. With the introduction of new technologies and the presence of a more diverse workforce and patient population, there is a need for nursing leadership to maintain a level of excellence for optimal function of the healthcare system. Therefore, continuous education and research are vital in identifying the adjustment of nursing leadership in response to innovation and changes in the societal needs and the healthcare system. This argument is supported by Dr. Karen (2010) who feels that the healthcare industry needs visionary, strong, effective and knowledge-based leadership now. The literature sources have also provided suggestions and various strategies on how to develop good nursing leadership. Flexner (2010) recommended mentorship and coaching as a lucrative skill in leadership development. This is because through coaching and mentorship, nurses get to learn from their more experienced colleagues and through sharing of expertise one can be able to know how to handle future challenges in leadership.

Leadership Styles in Nursing

2.1 Autocratic Leadership

2.1.1 Characteristics

2.1.2 Strengths

2.1.3 Weaknesses

2.2 Democratic Leadership

2.2.1 Characteristics

2.2.2 Strengths

2.2.3 Weaknesses

2.3 Transformational Leadership

2.3.1 Characteristics

2.3.2 Strengths

2.3.3 Weaknesses

2.4 Servant Leadership

2.4.1 Characteristics

2.4.2 Strengths

2.4.3 Weaknesses

Analyzing Leadership Styles in Nursing

3.1 Comparison of Leadership Styles

3.1.1 Effectiveness in Different Situations

3.1.2 Impact on Team Dynamics

3.2 Identifying the Ideal Leadership Style

3.2.1 Considering Organizational Culture

3.2.2 Assessing Team Needs

Developing Leadership Skills in Nursing

4.1 Continuous Education and Training

4.1.1 Attending Leadership Workshops

4.1.2 Pursuing Advanced Degrees

4.2 Mentorship and Coaching

4.2.1 Seeking Guidance from Experienced Leaders

4.2.2 Participating in Mentorship Programs

4.3 Building Emotional Intelligence

4.3.1 Enhancing Self-Awareness

4.3.2 Developing Empathy and Interpersonal Skills

4.4 Practicing Effective Communication

4.4.1 Active Listening

4.4.2 Clear and Transparent Communication

Conclusion