Personal Leadership Portrait
Leadership in healthcare plays a vital role in developing high-quality and safe patient care. Different approaches to leadership exist, each with benefits and limitations. Effective communication is vital to any team’s potential for success, and it is important for a leader to have highly functioning communication skills to clearly convey the visions and goals of the team, build strong relationships and trust, and inspire and motivate team members. Leaders need to be seen as ethical because it builds trust, sets a positive example, enhances reputation, reduces risks, boosts morale and loyalty, and drives long-term success for the team. Diversity and inclusion are essential for a highly functioning team.
Personal Approach to Leadership
Different people can describe leadership differently, and what is essential in a leader may also be different in the opinions of others. Leaders may gravitate to a different style, either innately or based on what they have learned. Emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of and manage emotions with yourself and others; these competencies are vital for leaders to overcome challenges (Bru-Luna et al., 2021). Change is inevitable, especially in healthcare; leaders face the constant challenge of the need for change, and emotional intelligence is critical to promoting resilience. There are five components of emotional intelligence, the first describing self-awareness. Self-awareness refers to the ability to be aware of emotions and how these emotions affect ourselves and others. It also includes being open to different ideas and experiences.
The second component of emotional intelligence is self-regulation. Self-regulation is the ability to be open to change, flexibility, and manage conflict. The third component is social skills, which include effective communication, collaboration, and relationship management. The fourth component is empathy, which is understanding how others feel and responding appropriately to people based on their emotions. The fifth and final component is motivation; motivation refers to the internal motivation to achieve goals and to take initiative to achieve these goals with the need for external motivators. NURS FPX 8002 Assessment 3 Personal Leadership Portrait.
I am continuing to develop my emotional intelligence. I am self-aware of my emotions but need to continue to work on self-regulation. Self-regulation is tricky: not letting emotions control your actions but controlling the emotions. Empathy is a valuable tool for a leader with vital emotional intelligence. I value and appreciate other perspectives or opinions; being an active listener is always a great skill. As a leader, it is essential to listen, value, and learn from the views of others. My most robust emotional intelligence component is internal motivation. My internal motivation is so intense that it sometimes interferes with my work-life balance. So, while motivation is essential for emotional intelligence, I need to manage that motivation.
Embracing Transformational Leadership: Strengths, Challenges, and Growth Opportunities
I am a transformational leader based on the results of the leadership self-assessment. When looking at transformational leadership traits, the positive qualities I already possess are showing integrity and taking action. As a nurse educator in a labor and delivery department, I face the challenges of process improvements and implementing processes to improve patient safety. I excel in taking action; when a problem or issue is identified, I immediately start to problem-solve in my mind and develop a plan. I love change, which is uncommon for most people, but I love learning and developing new processes. This has also been a limitation as I have been too fast in the rollout or development of solutions without taking the time to ensure all the key factors have been identified and considered.
Another area in a transformational leader I feel I have limitations is prioritizing mental wellness and positive work-life balance. I am working on this but frequently take on more than I can realistically work on simultaneously. This also relates to taking action but taking action on too many processes and needing help to balance. I am working on developing my delegating skills to help with the balance. In the same area of establishing mutual trust in the team as part of transformational leadership, I continue to develop my delegating skills to allow other team members to be empowered to encourage using their experience and decision-making skills.
Transformative leaders can give constructive feedback to assist team members in reaching their potential. I have much experience giving team members feedback; however, giving feedback is something that all leaders can continue to develop. For me, giving subjective feedback to individuals is the most challenging, for example, providing feedback on how someone perceived them to be. Transformational leaders tend not to encourage creativity among team members, and this type of leadership is more beneficial when there are straightforward problems. Because of this characteristic in transformational leaders, I could benefit from integrating skills from the Charismatic leadership style. The charismatic leader has excellent emotional control and focuses on growth and innovation among the team members, as well as high levels of trust and respect in the team (de Moura et al., 2019). These benefits of charismatic leaders are highly beneficial to managing change in healthcare when the stakes are high, and there is a high-stress level. A charismatic leader has the skills to keep morale high and unite groups for a common goal, which is vital as change increases stress.
Interprofessional Communication, Collaboration, and Change Management
Leadership requires effective collaboration with others and the development of interprofessional relationships, including those in the community, and for the leader to have the ability to act as a change agent. Transformational leadership has allowed me to energize the team by providing a clear direction and vision and providing motivation. Encouraging creativity in the team members allows for innovation in problem-solving and developing a plan to implement the change. As a role model, I hope I have shown the behaviors of an effective change agent. Transformational leadership possesses the vital ability to motivate others to affect change.
Inspiring and engaging others is vital to success for the community, organizations, and other stakeholders. My strengths in internal motivation would benefit interpersonal relationships by identifying common goals and objectives for everyone. Continuing to develop a vision and direction for the team collaboratively further solidifies the change management. A potential barrier to transformational leadership would be the increased potential for burnout. Although motivation is promoted and professional development encouraged, encouraging balance is not always encouraged in transactional leadership. Collaboration is essential in transformational leadership, as it can result in slow decision-making, which could delay achieving the team’s goals.
Communication Best Practices
Effective communication is a vital component of effective teams. Communication strategies for improved communication include engaged or active listening. (Utley et al., 2021). Engaged listening involves giving the speaker your undivided attention and being free from distractions. In our busy lives, multitasking has become the norm, but when multitasking, you give neither person or task the attention it deserves. Engaged listening is required for effective communication. To show engaged and active listening, I avoid all distractions when communicating with someone; if another task is needed, such as answering a phone call, I apologize and ask if I can pause our conversation to deal with another issue. Another technique used in active listening is to ask questions and paraphrase what is being said to ensure I understand the information being exchanged.
A second communication best practice includes speaking confidently (Utley et al., 2021).
I ensure that when I am talking, I am confident in the vision and that the task is essential to communicate to the team. I am responsible for doing my homework and educating myself if needed before communicating with the team. If questions arise that I cannot answer, I need to seek information, and they follow up with the team I am leading with the needed information.
Finally, giving and receiving feedback is a critical best practice for interprofessional feedback (Utley et al., 2021). Rephrasing that is stated to ensure I understand the statement or explain is feedback. Being able to deliver feedback constructively is also essential; numerous strategies exist to deliver this type of feedback. However, one method I use frequently is to start with what went well and then ask what we could do differently or what is not working and then seek additional feedback. It is also essential to be open to receive feedback. It is difficult to receive constructive feedback when I have worked very hard on a project, but it is essential to be open and willing to receive feedback as it will improve all aspects of the team.
Ethical Leadership in Professional Practice
Effective leadership requires leaders to be seen as ethical, moral, transformational, emotionally intelligent, and authentic (Keselman & Saxe-Braithwaite, 2020). Ethical principles are the foundation of leadership, guiding leaders in decision-making. Leaders who adhere to ethical principles demonstrate honesty and fairness, earning the trust and respect of their team. Ethical leadership principles in nursing, such as beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, truth, justice, veracity, and confidentiality, must be applied to professional practice to have the trust of the team and the community (Varkey, 2021). Ethical leadership principles ensure professional leaders have guidance and a standard to adhere to.
Ethical principles in nursing provide a framework for making ethical decisions and guiding nursing practice (Varkey, 2021). Some of the fundamental ethical principles in nursing include autonomy, which is respecting the right of patients to make their own decisions about their healthcare. This principle emphasizes the importance of informed consent and ensures that patients have the necessary information to make decisions about their care. Beneficence is acting in the patient’s best interest and promoting their well-being. Nurses are ethically obligated to do good and seek the best patient outcomes. Nonmaleficence is the principle of no harm. Nurses are required to avoid causing harm to their patients and to prevent harm. Justice is providing fair and equal treatment to all patients. This principle emphasizes respecting all patients regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or circumstances (Varkey, 2021).
Core Ethical Principles in Nursing Practice: Veracity, Fidelity, and Confidentiality
Veracity is being truthful and honest with patients. Nurses are ethically responsible for providing patients with accurate information and communicating openly and honestly. Fidelity is upholding the promises and commitments made to patients. Nurses must be loyal and faithful to their patients, colleagues, and profession. Confidentiality is respecting the privacy and confidentiality of patient information. Nurses must protect the confidentiality of patient records and information by legal and ethical standards. These ethical principles help guide nurses in their interactions with patients, families, and colleagues and in making difficult decisions in complex healthcare situations (Varkey, 2021). Adhering to these principles helps ensure that nursing practice is ethical, compassionate, and patient-centered.
Leaders developing an ethical culture is essential. Leaders must demonstrate and communicate a solid commitment to ethics and integrity. Leaders should lead by example and uphold the same ethical standards they expect from their team. Leaders need to develop a comprehensive code of conduct that outlines the ethical principles, values, and behaviors
expected of all team members (Grigoropoulos, 2019). The code should be clear, accessible, and regularly communicated to all team members. Team members must be given adequate training. Encourage open discussions and encourage a just culture of no-blame reporting. Leaders need to create a safe and confidential way for team members to have a method of anonymous reporting. Leaders must recognize and reward employees who demonstrate ethical behavior and uphold the organization’s values. Leaders should be transparent by sharing information openly with all team members, and it is important to hold individuals and teams accountable for their actions and decisions (Grigoropoulos, 2019).
Diversity and Inclusion in Health Care Leadership
Diversity is defined as differences in race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and nationality, which all support diversity in a group (Tan, 2019). Inclusion refers to intentionally including all individuals despite those differences (Tan, 2019). Diversity in team members allows the team to be more effective by offering different perspectives on any issue and offering a variety of recommendations.
Creating an environment of respect and inclusion of all team members despite race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation, among other differences, is vital for effective leadership (Stanford, 2020). It is essential that each team member feels that their thoughts and opinions are valued and that they feel safe in expressing those thoughts and opinions. Strategies leaders can utilize to develop a diverse and inclusive workplace include setting ground rules that encourage all members to be open with all thoughts and opinions and practicing active listening.
It must be clear that any attacks on self-esteem or other individual differences are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any team members in violation will be educated on diversity and inclusion. Another strategy is leading by example; leaders should demonstrate inclusive behaviors. They should respect all individuals, regardless of background, and actively promote diversity and inclusion in their interactions and decision-making.
Fostering Collaboration and Celebrating Diversity in the Workplace
Leaders should encourage collaboration and teamwork among employees from diverse backgrounds. By promoting cross-cultural interactions and team-building activities, leaders can help break down barriers and build a more inclusive work environment (Stanford, 2020). Leaders should celebrate diversity within the organization and recognize all employees’ unique perspectives and contributions. This can be done through events, recognition programs, and other initiatives that highlight the value of diversity.
Diversity and inclusion can contribute to the health of the community. Inclusive healthcare environments are more likely to address health disparities among different populations. By understanding and addressing diverse communities’ unique needs and challenges, healthcare providers can work towards reducing disparities in health outcomes. Health outcomes such as Black women are four times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related condition than Caucasian women (Njoku et al., 2023). Along with race, other social determinants of health that affect maternal mortality include financial barriers, access to health insurance, access to quality healthcare, lack of healthcare providers, and lack of respectful and culturally appropriate care (Crear-Perry et al., 2021). Mistrust of the healthcare system often leads women not to seek the care they need during and after their pregnancy. Healthcare disparities at a community level include language barriers, crime, education level, and implicit bias (Girardi et al., 2023). When healthcare organizations prioritize diversity and inclusion, they build trust with the community they serve. This trust is essential for effective community engagement, collaboration, and partnership in promoting health and wellness.
Addressing issues of diversity and inclusion is crucial for creating a positive and inclusive environment in any organization. Best practices that I recommend addressing issues of diversity and inclusion include ensuring that leaders are committed to diversity and inclusion initiatives. Leadership buy-in is essential for driving meaningful change within an organization. Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals for diversity and inclusion. Having clear objectives can help track progress and hold the organization accountable.
Implement strategies to attract and retain diverse team members. Provide training for employees on topics such as unconscious bias, cultural competency, and inclusive language, as education is critical to promoting awareness and understanding among staff. Ensure inclusive policies support diversity and foster a culture where all employees feel valued and respected. Encourage open communication, listen to diverse perspectives, and promptly address discrimination or bias.
Scholar-Practitioners in Health Care
My description of the scholar-practitioner utilizes evidence-based practice and puts it into action at the bedside. Critical thinking is crucial for scholar-practitioners as it enables them to analyze information, make informed decisions, solve problems, conduct research effectively, communicate clearly, and engage in continuous learning. By honing their critical thinking skills, scholar-practitioners can enhance their expertise, contribute meaningfully to their field, and adapt to new challenges and opportunities (Zaccagnini et al., 2020).
Scholar-practitioners impact healthcare leadership and professional development by bridging research and practice, promoting continuous learning, fostering critical thinking, advancing evidence-based practice, developing leadership skills, and contributing to policy and advocacy efforts. They play a vital role in improving patient outcomes, driving innovation, and shaping the future of healthcare (Zaccagnini et al., 2020).
Scholar-practitioners are essential to professional practice because they bridge the gap between theory and practice, bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, advance the field through research, serve as role models and mentors, and enable evidence-based decision-making. Their unique blend of academic knowledge and practical experience drives continuous learning, improvement, and innovation in their field, ultimately improving healthcare quality and safety (Zaccagnini et al., 2020).
Conclusion
Healthcare leadership is compound. As a transformational leader, I try to inspire and motivate others to achieve their full potential by creating a compelling vision, communicating it effectively, and encouraging innovation and creativity. Leaders must have a set of values and demonstrate ethical principles to succeed and lead successful teams. Supporting diversity and inclusion is also essential for leaders. High-function leaders in clinical health care practice must also be scholar-practitioners who interpret research and bring it into practice at the bedside to assure patient safety and high quality of care. Check out more about our model NURS FPX 8002 Assessment 1 Pledge of Academic Honesty for complete information about this class.
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