Sample Answer for NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE Included After Question
A walk through the Business section of any bookstore or a quick Internet search on the topic will reveal a seemingly endless supply of writings on leadership. Formal research literature is also teeming with volumes on the subject.
However, your own observation and experiences may suggest these theories are not always so easily found in practice. Not that the potential isn’t there; current evidence suggests that leadership factors such as emotional intelligence and transformational leadership behaviors, for example, can be highly effective for leading nurses and organizations.
Yet, how well are these theories put to practice? In this Discussion, you will examine formal leadership theories. You will compare these theories to behaviors you have observed firsthand and discuss their effectiveness in impacting your organization.
To Prepare:
- Review the Resources and examine the leadership theories and behaviors introduced.
- Identify two to three scholarly resources, in addition to this Module’s readings, that evaluate the impact of leadership behaviors in creating healthy work environments.
- Reflect on the leadership behaviors presented in the three resources that you selected for review.
By Day 3 of Week 4
Post two key insights you had from the scholarly resources you selected. Describe a leader whom you have seen use such behaviors and skills, or a situation where you have seen these behaviors and skills used in practice. Be specific and provide examples. Then, explain to what extent these skills were effective and how their practice impacted the workplace.
By Day 6 of Week 4
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by explaining how the leadership skills they described may impact your organization or your personal leadership, or by identifying challenges you see in applying the skills described.
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A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Title: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Leadership can make or break a healthcare organization. Effective leadership has critical implications for nurse well-being, retention, and the care they deliver to patients (Cummings et al., 2021). If leaders do not have the trust of and act within the best interest of those they serve, they are not competent (Marshall & Broome, 2021).
While effective leadership can manifest in many behaviors, idealized influence and individualized consideration are two worth noting. Idealized influence is a trait in transformational leaders that represents their need to do better and be better (Reinhardt et al., 2022). Leaders with this trait foster change by example. Individualized consideration is the ability of leaders to demonstrate emotional concern and consideration for followers (Lai et al., 2020). This can encompass listening, coaching, and recognizing the contributions of followers (Marshall & Broome, 2021).
In practice, I witnessed these behaviors by a former nurse manager for an intensive care unit. This manager would wear navy blue scrubs every day, the same color the floor nurses were required to wear. While this seems trivial, other managers were dressed in corporate garb, appearing entirely unprepared to step in and provide hands-on care if necessary. This manager always looked ready to help, and she would, frequently. This was significant because it instilled a sense of trust and support in the nurses. They felt they could count on her. Additionally, she came by and personally said good morning to each nurse on her unit and checked on them to ensure they didn’t have problems they were having difficulty solving. If they were having trouble reaching a physician and obtaining orders, she would step in so they could get back to patient care, or she would provide patient care while they worked on the solution. Moreover, at the end of the day, she would come around again and thank each nurse and tell them something specific they did that day that made a difference. She had invested time in reviewing charts to know what was going on with patients on her floor and spoke with staff which enabled her to provide specific feedback to staff which truly made staff feel appreciated and valued. This unit reflected such a positive climate that nurses from many floors were networking with nurses who worked on the floor and trying to get a good word put in so they could be recruited, which seldom happened because the current staff rarely left due to the high rate of satisfaction.
References
Cummings, G. G., Lee, S., Tate K., Penconek, T., Micaroni, S. P. M., Paananen, T., & Chatterjee, G. E. (2021). The essentials of nursing leadership: A systematic review of factors and educational interventions influencing nursing leadership. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 115(2021), Article e103842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103842
Lai, F. Y., Tang, H. C., Lu, S. C., Lee, Y. C., & Lin, C. C. (2020). Transformational leadership and job performance: The mediating role of work engagement. Sage Open, 10(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019899085
Marshall, E. S., & Broome, M. E. (2021). Frameworks for becoming a transformational leader. In M. E. Broome & E. S. Marshall (Eds.), Transformational leadership in nursing (3rd ed., pp. 2-19). Springer.
Reinhardt, A. C., Leon, T. G., & Summers, L. O. (2022). The transformational leader in nursing practice – an approach to retain nursing staff. Administrative Issues Journal, 12(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5929/2022.12.1.1
A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Title: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Thank you for this insightful response and contribution to this Week’s Discussion topic! You’ve provided a thorough analysis of your organizational structure, centered on communication to service lines and using Transformational Leadership practices, and by applying the concept of Idealized influence.
As you’ve stated so well here, the presence of leaders who lead by example are both effective and influential, at the cultural and policy levels. The situation you’ve described with leaders demonstrating competing roles is an excellent example of a gap in effective leadership, and toward team building and continuing professional development of staff. Having the ability to demonstrate a solutions-based insight that can improve work flow processes for timely care and teaching administration, and also for staff morale.
I agree with you that leadership can either make or break a healthcare organization. As a result, healthcare organizations take intensive hiring protocols when choosing their leaders. Healthcare leaders hold crucial position in their respective organizations. Leaders take critical decision on the behalf of their organizations. Therefore, healthcare organizations are answerable for everything that happens within their institutions. Effective leadership has critical implications for nurse well-being, retention, and the care they deliver to patients (Zonneveld et al., 2021). Good leaders create perfect workplace environment that enable healthcare providers to be creative when handling their obligations. Thus, healthcare organizations understand the importance of having effective leadership. Nurses become comfortable and productive under effective leadership (Rosser et al., 2020). Effective leadership can manifest in many behaviors, idealized influence and individualized consideration. Leaders with this trait foster change by example. Therefore, perfect healthcare leaders inspire and motivate healthcare providers to deliver the best. The proximity between leaders and employees create room for inspiration.
References
Rosser, E., Westcott, L., Ali, P. A., Bosanquet, J., Castro‐Sanchez, E., Dewing, J., … & Witham, G. (2020). The need for visible nursing leadership during COVID‐19. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12587
Zonneveld, N., Pittens, C., & Minkman, M. (2021). Appropriate leadership in nursing home care: a narrative review. Leadership in Health Services. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-04-2020-0012
A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Title: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Hi Sarah. I agree that individualized considerations and idealized influence are important leadership traits in an effective leader. My experience in leadership shows that when you focus on the strengths of your employees and team members, you can utilize them in reaching organizational goals. I have always prided myself on identifying a person’s strength and encouraging them to learn how to capitalize on that strength and use it to grow themselves both professionally and personally. The example of your nurse manager making it a point to connect with her staff and make herself accessible and aware is great; she is the kind of manager or leader we all want to work for. I currently have a manager that works that way. Both the ANM and manager wear scrubs, come to each unit regularly and touch base with staff, and are very approachable. The impact it has on our department is evident in the low turnover rate and high employee satisfaction scores. One study of 770 RNs from hospitals in the Philippines found that toxic leadership styles were associated with higher employee turnover rates and absenteeism (Labrague et al., 2020). Not only do poor leadership skills impact turnover, but they impact the overall job satisfaction and psychological well-being of staff that works for these types of leaders.
The biggest challenge of implementing these skills is the balance a leader must attempt to find between the needs of the staff and the organization’s needs. Sometimes, those two needs are conflicting, and leaders must do unpopular things with staff or make them seem like they are not focused on the team. Another challenge of implementing these skills is that a leader may find it difficult to be a kind, transformational leader and also not cross a line and be more like a friend. Alternatively, the opposite is true, and it can be challenging to be a leader that emulates these skills when you have been a friend before being a leader. Unsworth et al. (2018) studied how employees that were promoted in their workgroup handled being a leader with those they have been coworkers and friends. They found that it was difficult for leaders that were promoted within to feel vulnerable and were fearful of acting as a leader with friends that knew personal things about them or could hold against them (Unsworth et al., 2018). It can be tricky to apply leadership skills when walking the line between leader and friend or former coworker.
References
Labrague, L. J., Nwafor, C. E., & Tsaras, K. (2020). Influence of toxic and transformational leadership practices on nurses’ job satisfaction, job stress, absenteeism and turnover intention: A cross‐sectional study. Journal of Nursing Management,28(5), 1104–1113. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13053
Unsworth, K. L., Kragt, D., & Johnston-Billings, A. (2018). Am I a leader or a friend? How leaders deal with pre-existing friendships. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(6), 674–685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2018.07.003
A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Title: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Your opening sentence is a valid and important one. Every organization needs to assess itself and apply an approach that will effectively align with its target and goals. Healthcare settings are often fast-paced, complex and high-pressure environments that require skills which must be applied to effect tasks and decisions (Major, 2019).
The behavior of your former nurse manager is an exemplary one where she exhibits solidarity. Also, as you mentioned, not all leaders are ready to step in to assist fellow nurses because of the new name title of Nurse Manager. Good leadership is essential to patient-centered care and staff satisfaction in the healthcare environment. All members of the healthcare team can be leaders and evidence-based theory should inform their leadership practice (Harris & Mayo, 2018).
I hope your manager continues in such a manner as her skills and actions will encourage nursing engagement thereby positively influencing organizational quality and productivity.
References
Harris, J., & Mayo, P. (2018). Taking a case study approach to assessing alternative leadership models in health care. British Journal of Nursing, 27(11), 608–613. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2018.27.11.608
Major, D. (2019). Developing effective nurse leadership skills. Nursing Standard, 34(6), 61–66. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2019.e11247
A Sample Answer 5 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
Title: NURS 6053 LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE
The transformational leadership skills that you have discussed will have a positive impact on my organization as well. Today’s healthcare organization requires a unique set of skills from leaders. For leaders to be successful, they must be willing to face reality based on knowledge and promote new ideas that will foster performance enhancement in the organization. Transformational leadership will influence their team members’ foundational points of view and presumptions. Transformational leadership involves the leader encouraging followers to collaborate with others to achieve a common objective (Bakker et al., 2022).
In order to achieve a common objective. Transformational leadership will bring about higher performance in my organization because it has been proven that leadership style does influence innovation and knowledge. Transformational leadership impacts employee productivity positively (Qalati et al., 2022). Transformational leadership will revitalize new ideas and knowledge and improve my organization’s performance. Transformational leaders are known for their charm, imagination, and mental stimulation. These attributes will help to foster good communication and a spirit of trust, which can lead to positive outcomes at my organization.
Transformational leadership enhances the improvement of individual absorptive capacity. My organization’s employee’s absorptive capacity will be enhanced. Absorptive capacity is a quality that enables employees to see a clear vision of the organization and look for ways to key into the vision to assist the organization in achieving its objective. To achieve organizational objectives, employees must perform their duty effectively (Trivedi & Pattusamy, 2022). Transformational leadership will help my organization to influence employees learning positively. Transformational leadership will affect the innovative value conduct of my organization positively.
References
Bakker, A. B., Hetland, J., Kjellevold Olsen, O., & Espevik, R. (2022). Daily transformational leadership: A source of inspiration for follower performance? European Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2022.04.004Links to an external site.
Qalati, S., Zafar, Z., Fan, M., Sánchez Limón, M., & Khaskheli, M. (2022). Employee performance under transformational leadership and organizational citizenship behavior: A mediated model. Heliyon, 8(11), e11374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11374Links to an external site.
Trivedi, R., & Pattusamy, M. (2022). Performance pressure and innovative work behaviour: The role of problem-orientated daydreams. IIMB Management Review, 34(4), 333–345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iimb.2022.12.005Links to an external site.