Leadership is the most fundamental aspect of a team effort. Not only does leadership mean the adjustment and management of a group of people, but it also refers to the supervision of performances in work groups. Central to integral leadership is the unfailing attribute of effective communication. As one of the most fundamental traits of an effective leader, communication can either make or break a team effort. Studies also indicate that an effective leader is one who exemplifies the value of trust and builds it among the people or the group of individuals under management (Spears, 2010). Therefore, a good leader and one who cares about the welfare of his people work to discover themselves, and thereby, reacts to handle situations pertaining to the welfare of the group represented. Further research encourages leaders to exert emotional intelligence to understand not only themselves but also the environment and the people around them. Effective and efficient leadership entails these attributes and more. This nature of leadership entails not only those in formal leadership positions but also individuals willing and able to exert influence intelligently on the decisions that affect a group of people. As such, this paper discusses leadership and concentrates on servant leadership as a leadership paradigm that is effective in achieving pertinent objectives and goals.
Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses
The leadership style that most appeals to my character is that of servant leadership. Servant leadership refers to a leader who shares power with team members and guides each team member in meeting specific objectives through the exhibition of traits such as listening, emphasizing, and nurturing (Spears, 2010). In terms of my leadership styles, as relates to servant leadership, the strengths present in my persona are relatable and applicable. These strengths include exemplary communication skills with others, the virtue of servanthood and the willingness to serve and nurture others, and the need to see others are reaching their goals. Since strengths also have their weaknesses, my weakness is having a limited mindset, particularly; moments that make me feel strong about my perspectives. In addition, time management is also a weakness that affects me. As such, my strengths allow me to have emotional intelligence since, through careful evaluation of behaviors and emotions, I have come to the comprehension that it is imperative to stay constantly aware of both negative and positive actions to become an effective leader. Through communication and teamwork, coupled with humbleness as an innate character attribute, I am able to relate well with others and communicate with them efficiently. This communication aspect entails the virtue of servant leadership that embodies characteristics such as emphasizing, listening and nurturing.
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Effective communication and construct consensus entails listening, especially in relation to servant leadership (Spears, 2010). When it comes to listening, my predisposition normally takes an active stance be it in front of my coworkers or members who I manage. Through working in servitude, nurture and a teaching attitude, the type of leadership that alludes to servanthood exude my persona. While my characteristics do not reflect a leader who is involved in every decision-making process, I am able to work with members and co-workers in a joint effort to achieve goals and objectives set by the team. Although these traits aid in enabling an effective leader in me, I require work on more areas to become effective. In regards to the weaknesses I possess, the major hurdle is the willingness and ability to remain open-minded, particularly when I have a strong outlook on an opinion. In order to conquer one’s weaknesses, certain pertinent steps are required to make one more receptive to ideas and to deal with situations as a leader without pushing the subordinates away. One should understand and be able to stop their normal reactions through deep breathing and the allowance of oneself to form other perspectives dissimilar to the emotional trigger. To deal with these weaknesses, I have commenced working with more effective time management techniques learned throughout this course. One innate weakness I have is the tendency to procrastinate. This tendency I also deal with it through actualizing timely and achievable goals in order to develop the culture of achievement, contrary to retrogressive leadership strategies.
Leadership Characteristics and Managing Change
Individuals who possess the rare attribute of servant leadership also exhibit larger propensities for change. As a student in graduate school undertaking a Masters degree in Business Administration, change is inevitable and occurs almost on a daily basis. In addition, the company I work with undergoes alterations on a frequent basis. Routinely, new policies and other metric tools are typically introduced within the company alongside latest technologies and other digital upgrades. With my position as a case manager, some of my co-workers are neither as knowledgeable nor as confident with the use of contemporary technologies be it in the form of networking or the creation of new systems. Different studies indicate that employees are able to maximize their potential and achieve productivity through the leader’s effective communication. One area of change that the group members in my team struggle with are the moment a member undergoes surgery. Kumar (2014) premises that to be an effective leader, especially one endowed with the attribute of servant leadership, being an effective listener is always a priority. Active listening aids in guiding and educating subordinates in the processes of obtaining effective health and in the buildup of trust among providers.
Various studies direct health care deliverers to embrace transformations wholly, which in turn enables people to put their trust in the health care system and their providers. During my work, I have encountered members who become extremely upset, subsequently making then repeat their information frequently. Using effective communication and listening abilities, in addition to relevant research into the problem, the reality of the situation became apparent, in that, the provider to the members did not submit additional information as requested. This facilitated my input through working with the members and establishing contact with the provider’s office. Consequently, this enabled me as the team leader to acquire the necessary information as requested. Such effectiveness established me as a leader and helped in the building of trust between my members and me. As such, from these experiences and the studies I have done on the subject, the strategies effective in resulting best practices include the ability to listen and build trust, and the propensity for effective communication. Research notes that the most significant leadership factor is the ability to listen to others and give them full attention. Moreover, as a leader, integral communication encompasses sound listening skills. Throughout the build of my leadership potential, I will focus majorly on emotional intelligence, effective open-mindedness and the employment of sound time management.
Leadership Characteristics and Intra- and Inter-Professional Collaborative Relationships
For quality health care, particularly in team settings, servant leadership crowned with effective communication results in collaborations that observe quality teamwork. In addition, such partnerships apply to teams when they work together, or with team members who are outside an immediate workgroup that monitors their progress, or with the patients who are being cared for. In the case of professional collaborative relationships, effective communication and ample listening aids in enabling trust; subsequently, Trastek et al. (2014) show that trust needs to exist outside of immediate workgroups and between existent workgroups. Further, this communication is also fundamental between providers and patients and aids in according quality and effective care. As a leadership characteristic that fosters professional collaborative relationships, my manager’s role enables me to communicate efficiently with the subordinates on my team. Moreover, these communication strategies also apply to members of other teams. The strategies I would best use to augment efficient collaboration within my current workgroup are those that exemplify the building of trust and effective communications. In addition, the buildup of time management skills and emotional intelligence cements effective collaborations within groups
Principles of Ethical Leadership and Ethical Framework
Ethics is an integral part in not only augmenting team collaborations but also in ensuring impeccable work ethics that translate to productivity within teams. Presently, in my role as a Nurse case manager, there are innumerable ethical principles one has to adhere to. There are twenty ethical principles in the American Academy of Case Management. Of these twenty, the most imperative and applicable to my role as a nurse include the statements of non-discrimination, statements of confidentiality, statements of equal and fair treatment for both patients and colleagues, statements requesting for assistance in dealing with ethical situations and problems and the statement of neglect and non-abandonment. As a Nurse Case Manager, these ethical directives apply to the daily routines my subordinates go through. Therefore, I always strive to perfect adherence to these principles and member interactions. This makes my innate character reflect non-discriminatory practices basing time and effort to emergency characteristics such as the severity of the patient condition, the handling of the situation by patients, and the needs of patients as they relate to various situations and conditions.
Leadership, Diversity, and Inclusion
Inclusivity and the trait of diversity lead to trust within workgroups, which, in turn, leads to positive employee relations. Leadership requires a combination of factors that result in success. Likewise, to have employees who are satisfied and perform productively, a tightly knit combination of factors is required. In servant leadership, diversity is a priority within workgroups, and its inclusion supports all workers within workgroups and beyond. Inclusion aids a group to experience the significance of others and their contributions. This provides a conducive platform for the exchange of skills and the growth of workgroups through targeted leadership penned on inclusivity. When the hospital staff is inclined on diversity and inclusivity, patients have experiences that are more positive especially those in minority groups. While the focus of patient care tends towards the needs of each member, each patient is likely to remain engaged and cooperative. Through having the applicable knowledge and the employment of efficient listening and communication skills, leadership diversity and inclusion are implemented.
Practitioner-Scholar as Leader
As a practitioner-scholar and leader, one learns actively about studies in areas that are applicable to sound practice. As such, a practitioner-scholar learns about their area of practice, which includes versatile areas such as diabetes nursing, case management among others. Therefore, as a leader who is a practitioner-scholar, the whole process of leadership includes a broader skill set and characteristics innate in healthcare students and workers. Through studies and extensive practice, the leadership areas applicable to my discipline include communication, active listening, and emotional intelligence. Through the continual study, learning and incorporation of these ideas into practice, effective nurse leaders are forged. Through the inclusion of effective communication, collaboration, time management, leader evolution, and ethical practice, the attribute of a leader who is a practitioner-scholar are also exemplified.
Conclusion
Leadership represents an undertaking that is always on progress and changes in the group and individual dynamics. Although leaders do not always take formal positions, they are expected to epitomize strategies and methods that reflect formal structures in order to legitimize their power and influence. Overall, leaders need to be active listeners, conversant communicators and ethically attuned to the requirements of the organizations they stand as leaders, and to the people they lead. In addition, there are always areas for improvement in leadership; therefore, I intend to work on areas such as time management, emotional intelligence, constructive consensus, empirical evidence, among others to improve my leadership style.
References
Kumar, S., Adhish, V., & Chauhan, A. (2014). Managing self for leadership. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 39(3), 138-142. http://dx.doi.org.library.capella.edu/10.4103/0970- 0218.137148
Trastek, V. F., MD, Hamilton, N. W., JD, & Niles, E. E., BS, JD. (2014). Leadership models in health care-A case for servant leadership. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 89(3), 374-381.
Spears, L. (2010). Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders. JOURNAL OF VIRTUES & LEADERSHIP , 1 (1), 25-30.
