Leadership and Management in the Hospital setting Essay

The biggest difference between managers and leaders is the way they motivate people to follow them. Managers have a position within the organisation, their teams work for them to complete tasks and in turn manage situations as they occur. Leaders on the other hand do not have teams when they are leading. Instead, formal control is given up, as to lead is have followers and this is always a voluntary activity. Telling people what to do does not inspire

In today’s healthcare system, effective leadership is essential to improving and reaching organizational outcomes. A leader is someone with the ability to influence others but, an effective leader uses positive strategies to inspire employees to work towards the same goal. Leadership in nursing requires a constant effort to motivate others to become part of the organizational transformation. This can be achieved using a transformational leadership style with a focus on communication, motivation, and empowerment.

My nursing leadership philosophy is based on transformational leadership to which I ascribe. Transformational nurse leaders have a vested interest in the success of those they lead and their organization’s vision. They are visionaries in the pursuit of cutting-edge ways of completing the tasks and goals of the team and organization. They are able to inspire, encourage, open to mentorship, see the potential in those they lead while challenging them, and knowing their strengths and weaknesses. I am cognizant of my own limitations, strengths and weaknesses, acknowledge my mistakes and open to change.

Transformational leaders are those who praise others for their work and show them how gladly appreciated they are. D.G encourages the health care members on her floor to achieve all their goals while on shift and also reward them for a job well done. She has also built many strong relationships with many nurses and physicians which she is considered highly trustworthy. Her leadership involves promoting group collaboration, nurse empowerment and increasing job satisfaction. A transformational leader displays various components. “Transformational leadership is composed of four main elements: “individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence” (as cited by). D.G meets the needs of the nurses

Leading a health care organization comes with immense responsibility and is not an easy task. Transformational leadership has proven to be an effective leadership style in the nursing profession, demonstrating a clear mission, a commitment to excellence, and the ability to motivate and lead others to higher levels of achievement (Schwartz, Spencer, Wilson, & Wood, 2001). Characteristics and qualities of an effective leader include

The world needs leaders to lead by example. The health care field needs leaders to promote what is the right things to do in healthcare thus enhance the productivity of care delivery in a qualifying cost-effective way. Leaders are skilled with brilliance, innovation for change and possess the vision to determine what needs to be done as well as empower people to strive for change and promote a healthier system for that which is of concern. Transformational style leaders are preferred in the new design of healthcare delivery systems today. Transformational Leadership inspires followers and acts as role models, creating acceptance of the mission and purpose of the team (as cited in Lievens, & Vlerick, 2014).

The intent of a leader is to implement change, instill inspiration, orchestrate collaboration, and empower their followers to go beyond their limitations. Nurses are leaders who strive to improve the overall quality of patient care by leading those around them to participate in the vision of the corporation. He or she must be fully aware of the organization’s philosophy, clearly state its expectations, and possess the ability to develop well-versed and quality leaders (Tinkham, 2013). Every health care organization possesses a vision, a mission statement, and core values that every member functioning under that union must adhere to. Goals, achievements, and adjustments are essential to ensuring that the vision of the organization is being met and evaluated for positive outcomes. However, getting workers to believe and abide by the vision of the facility calls for effective and stimulating leaders. According to Schwartz, Spencer, Wilson, and Woods (2011), “Success in the workplace often is contingent on a leader’s ability to effect positive change and inspire others to higher levels of achievement” (p. 737).

A successful and societally beneficial healthcare organization must have a leader who has a sense of right and wrong, exhibits restraint, dispenses wisdom, and is a visionary that guides the organization to reach its maximum potential. The role of a successful leader is dependent upon employees that embrace the organization’s culture, mission, and direction. An effective leader rallies employee support and allegiance to the organization’s cause. An influential leader can elicit employee positivity and dedication, and has the ability to engage employees in achieving goals set forth by the organization and leadership.

A., Mansor, N. N. A., Alkali, A., & Chikaji, A. (2014). The role of first line nurse

A transformational leader encompasses the idea of shared governance. “The stated aim of shared governance is the empowerment of employees within the decision-making system. In addition, shared governance can be used to improve communication and joint decision making between nursing and other members of the interprofessional health-care team” (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p.309). The idea of sharing power opens the floor for better communication between nurse managers and staff and incorporates the ideas of staff in policy changes and rules. A transformational leader motivates their staff to participate in shared governance as well. Fisher et al. (2016) focuses on the relationship of shared governance and its role in retention of nurses. They conclude

Effective leadership is an important quality to create a functional workplace environment. When it comes to the healthcare system, specifically nursing, transformational leadership is the most qualified form. Its main principles inspire confidence, personal and organizational goals, innovation and support. (Hamstra, Van Ypern, Wisse, & Sassenburg, 2014). It is very effective at enhancing the client care and professional performance of the nurse leader’s followers. (Doody & Doody, 2012). Transformational leadership has many unique benefits, that other forms of

The difference between managers and leaders is that leaders have visions, strategies, and influences on people, while managers are more focused on implementing these elements (Robbins et al, 2012).

What are the differences between managers and leaders? “The biggest difference between managers and leaders is the way they motivate the people who work or follow them, and this sets the tone for most other aspects of what they do” (Changing Minds, 2008). Managers hire people to work underneath them to accomplish tasks for a common goal. These people are considered subordinates. Leaders have followers. These followers are considered employees. Leaders are passionate about something and bring this level of understanding and emotion to others around them. Managers deal with the physical aspect of the position, whereas leaders deal with the personal aspect of the position.

The main focus of the theory is motivation, inspiration and empowerment to create changes. It is based on the idea of empowering others to facilitate overall goal. Bennis and Nanus (1985) describe this new leader as a leader who “commits people to action, who converts leaders into leaders, and who converts leaders into agents of change” (p.3).177. According to processes to engage and motivate staff article “Transformational leadership is important for high quality care delivery, and behaviors that nurse leaders inspire, role model and reinforce are instrumental in creating work practice that deliver optimum care”.

By understanding the impact of the transformational leaders in health care, they positively influence the employee’s job satisfaction. Moreover, the transformational nurse leaders approach can have influence on the productivity of the staff. The way in which nurse managers or leaders make decisions, delegate responsibility, and interact with staff or employees can affect the organization. According to Bass ( European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 1999), transformational leadership is more effective than transactional leadership because it can improve the capability of sales forced, help a company reshape its image in the marketplace and create a positive work environment for employees