10-1 Discussion on Application of Leadership Theory – Nursing Paper Example

Discussion on Application of Leadership Theory

The transformational leadership theory emphasizes employee motivation and empowerment for productive organizational performance.

Asbari (2020) observes that the key insights of the theory representative of new learning after completing a project include individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation.

Individualized consideration constitutes the need to support and encourage employees through open communication. Leaders should establish open communication channels to personally share ideas with employees (Yue et al., 2019).

Open communication is necessary for acknowledging every individual’s contributions towards the project’s completion, motivating them to engage or initiate future projects.

Through this, the employees can learn the significance of acknowledging and appreciating other people’s contributions to a project, such as opening channels for engagement in future projects (Asbari, 2020). Consequently, intellectual stimulation involves challenging the standard state of affairs through creativity and innovation.

The leaders should establish an environment that encourages creativity and innovation to enable employees to discover and acquire new skills that can help improve their performance.

Plans

The leadership styles and theories learned throughout the course have equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary for personal leadership change. They have improved my self-awareness, such as understanding my strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for personal improvement.

Thus, my personal leadership change plans include improving technical knowledge such as decision-making, strategy, and creativity to complete the transformational leadership theory components, such as intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration.

Also, I plan to develop the right attitude toward others by respecting their decisions and gaining their trust. Trust and respect are integral in transformational leadership since they can influence employees into emulating the attitudes, leading to a collaborative and supportive work environment (Khattak et al., 2020).

Therefore, these plans will enhance my personal development and position me as a self-conscious leader who can inspire, motivate, and encourage the positive development of employees for improved performance.

Leadership Theories in Practice

Leadership theories are essential in defining and facilitating nursing practice leadership traits, systems, and structures.

These theories also help understand the behaviors and traits that people can adopt to enhance their leadership abilities (Fast & Rankin, 2018). Historically, psychologists believed leadership skills are inherited, and these individuals are born leaders.

However, the formal leadership theories have helped gain more insights into why some people become leaders and others their followers.

One of the formal leadership theories is the Great Man theory which argues that leaders are born with charisma, confidence, and intellect, among other skills needed for leadership. In this regard, leaders are not made; instead, they are born.

This theory was developed as leadership was mainly reserved for men. Second, the trait theory predicts effective leadership by highlighting the leadership characteristics that determine the likelihood of effective leadership.

Specifically, the theory focuses on the family background, height and weight, appearance, education, age, and intelligence common among leaders (Kiwanuka et al., 2021).

Third, the contingency theory argues that different variables in a given environment determine the most suitable leadership style. It is founded on the idea that no specific leadership style can be applied in every situation.

Therefore, the theory suggests that competent leaders possess exemplary leadership qualities and should evaluate the problem at hand and adjust accordingly to fulfill these needs. The theory highlights that great leaders combine multiple variables (Fast & Rankin, 2018).

The situational approach is focused on the belief that no leadership style is better than the other. Instead, the nature of followers and the type of task at hand play a crucial factor in enhancing leadership effectiveness.

Specifically, leaders adopt a leadership style based on their maturity level and followers. Lastly, behavioral theory focuses on the leader’s behavior and actions rather than traits. Leaders result from several conceptual, technical, and human skills in this regard.

One of our nurse leaders is focused on bringing positive change to our facilities. Our organization has been experiencing a high turnover rate following unfavorable workplace policies in the recent past. Most nurses complained of long-hour shifts, underpayment, and lack of growth opportunities. The nurse leader applied the transformational leadership style to create a difference in the workplace and address the turnover rate. In this regard, I think that the situational and behavioral theories are in practice in this case.

The nurse leader assessed the situation in the facility and the increased turnover affecting the quality of patient care and developed a solution that would help address the root problem: unfavorable workplace policies. Transformational leadership involves leading by example and allowing subordinates to perform their roles beyond expectations (Pattison & Corser, 2022).

The nurse leader motivated the nurses to find better alternatives to address the turnover problem. As a result, the facility improved the working environment, including flexibility and growth opportunities, reducing turnover.

On the other hand, we had a nurse leader who was autocratic and made most of the decisions without the input of nurses. His leadership skills effectively addressed the workload and stress associated with the emergence of Covid 19.

In the first days of the pandemic, our facility received over two hundred patients per day, overwhelming the staff. Additionally, some nurses left their positions due to infection. However, the nurse leader set a policy that nurses with mild symptoms should report to work to help address the patient’s needs. They were given protective gear and monitored closely to follow up on their symptoms. In this regard, the leadership style was effective as it was an emergency. After a while, nurses complained about the working conditions, which led to a change of policy where nurses with Covid 19 reported to the facility under their will rather than being forced. This style applies contingency theory, where leaders evaluate and act accordingly.

References

• Asbari, M. (2020). Is transformational leadership suitable for future organizational needs? International Journal of Social, Policy, and Law, 1(1), 51-55. https://doi.org/10.8888/ijospl.v1i1.17
• Khattak, M. N., Zolin, R., & Muhammad, N. (2020). Linking transformational leadership and continuous improvement: The mediating role of trust. Management Research Review, 43(8), 931-950. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-06-2019-0268
• Yue, C. A., Men, L. R., & Ferguson, M. A. (2019). Bridging transformational leadership, transparent communication, and employee openness to change: The mediating role of trust. Public Relations Review, 45(3), 101779. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2019.04.012
• References
• Fast, O., & Rankin, J. (2018). Rationing nurses: Realities, practicalities, and nursing leadership theories. Nursing Inquiry, 25(2), e12227.
• Kiwanuka, F., Nanyonga, R. C., Sak‐Dankosky, N., Muwanguzi, P. A., & Kvist, T. (2021). Nursing leadership styles and their impact on intensive care unit quality measures: An integrative review. Journal of Nursing Management, 29(2), 133-142.
• Pattison, N., & Corser, R. (2022). Compassionate, collective or transformational nursing leadership to ensure care fundamentals are achieved: A new challenge or non‐sequitur? Journal of Advanced Nursing.