Leadership Theories

 

Nicole Leftenant

College of Central Florida

NUR4827- Nursing Leadership and Management

Dr. Sorrentino

10/07/2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nursing Leadership

             Nursing leadership is an imperative component of healthcare. Nursing leaders are an important tool needed to improve individualized patient care, and healthcare in general (5 important leadership skills for nurses, 2021). Nurse leaders are not only advocates for nursing profession and patients, but the nursing staff working with them as well (5 important leadership skills for nurses, 2021). Leadership in of itself has been a topic of discussion for centuries. Leadership in the nursing profession is a large component in the way the healthcare system is shaped today, with its forever changing dynamic.

            The leadership theory that I most closely identify with is the Transformational Leadership Theory (Marquis, 2020). A transformational leader is one who leads followers to higher levels of moral, treats people with compassion and care, and inspires others (Marquis, 2020). The aspect of this leadership theory that most closely identifies with my personal leadership style is the compassion and caring aspect of the leadership style. This leadership theory inspires me to take my role as a nurse and continue to advocate for others in an inspiring way. Personally, a formal leadership role may not be for me, I truly love the bedside. However, the transformational leadership theory puts into perspective that a leader can have the same qualities and values of a bedside nurse yet use those exact values and qualities to guide and mentor other nurses and improve individualized patient care.

Exceptional leaders exemplify a plethora of qualities and values that put them in the right position to lead others. As shown above in Figure A, the five qualities that are most important in a leader are guidance, motivation, inspiration, communication, and empathy. Guidance is an essential quality in a leader. The ability to guide and lead others is imperative to being an effective leader. Guiding and mentoring other nurses creates an environment of continual learning and development (5 important leadership skills for nurses, 2021). Additionally, motivation is necessary to keep those who follow them eager and willing to continue to learn and develop as nurses, potentially motivating new leaders to arise. Research suggests that an inspirational leader creates an emotional connection with staff, increasing staff engagement (Prestia, 2020). Effective communication supports the development of relationships between nurses, and collaboration between leadership, nursing staff, and other interdisciplinary teams (Jankelová and Joniaková, 2021). Lastly, empathy is a quality that is already familiar to the transformational leader. Empathy is what gives the transformational leader their sense of care and compassion for others. Empathy is perhaps the most important quality in a nurse leader.

            There are many admirable leadership qualities in a nursing leader, and leaders in general. As shown above in Figure B, my personal leadership qualities and characteristics closely resemble those to Figure A, which consisted of the most important qualities in a leader. Personally, integrity is a quality that I pride myself in. Leaders are trusted to be honest, and always do the right thing. Leaders uphold standards for those who they are leading to follow, and exemplifying integrity will only encourage followers to also exemplify integrity. Mentoring is a quality that is new for me. Previously being a nursing student, having a mentor with patience that was eager to share information made a tremendous difference in the learning environment. Now, on my current unit I always offer to mentor students and ask them to come assist with teachable moments. Mentoring is a form of guidance that can help new leaders emerge and express themselves while providing a clear moral perspective (Munavar, 2020). Communication as mentioned previously, is an essential component of all leadership. Again, as the transformational leader compassion is always an integrative aspect in leadership, caring for those who care for others. Lastly, motivation is a passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status; a propensity to pursue goals with energy and commitment (Marquis, 2020). Commitment to being a leader and always seeking new areas for improvement and development is key, especially in nursing and healthcare leadership.

Leadership is a role in which great emphasis is placed on leaders being knowledgeable, competent, and skilled in all aspects of management (Marquis, 2020). Transformational leaders provide a positive aspect of leadership, making work environments easier, safe, and communication open and encouraged. Leaders in the nursing profession have an opportunity to improve the healthcare industry. These core qualities are imperative in nurses and healthcare professionals seeking positions in leadership and management. The dynamic of healthcare is forever changing, effective nursing and healthcare leaders can continue to change that dynamic in a positive and inspirational way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Marquis, B. L., Huston, C.  (2020). Lippincott CoursePoint Enhanced for Marquis and Huston: Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing, 10th Edition. [[VitalSource Bookshelf version]].  Retrieved from vbk://9781975155339

The Chicago School. (2021, February 23). 5 important leadership skills for Nurses. Insight Digital Magazine. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.thechicagoschool.edu/insight/health-care/5-important-leadership-skills-for-nurses/.

Jankelová, N., & Joniaková, Z. (2021). Communication skills and transformational leadership style of first-line nurse managers in relation to job satisfaction of nurses and moderators of this relationship. Healthcare, 9(3), 346. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9030346

Munavar, R. (2020, April 3). How mentoring helps to develop leadership skills. Thrive Global. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://thriveglobal.com/stories/how-mentoring-helps-to-develop-leadership-skills/.

Prestia, A. S. (2020). The remote influence of nursing leadership. Nurse Leader, 19(2), 184–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2020.06.005