It cannot be overemphasized that the performance of the healthcare industry needs good leadership. Just like in other sectors, the healthcare industry consists of different specialists, as well as people working in different levels of management. It is, therefore, paramount that an individual or some individuals guide others in achieving the goals of a healthcare organization. The work of most leaders is to direct the policy and lay out the strategies other members need to use to achieve the targets of the organization. However, different leaders using different leadership styles to manage and run their organizations. Although there are numerous leadership styles used in the healthcare industry, the most prominent ones are; servant, transformational and transactional leadership styles.
Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles (2014) article titled Leadership Models in Health Care- A Case for Servant Leadership describes servant leadership as a style that seeks to serve the highest needs of other people in an attempt to assist them achieve their goals. Briefly, servant leadership can be described as leadership above oneself. Besides, this type of leadership focuses on the development of the leader through self-knowledge and awareness. Through awareness and self-reflection, the leader understands his or her beliefs, purpose and individual attributes. Also, when the leader reflects, he or she acquires moral insights that contribute towards the development of personal conscience, moral and core ethical beliefs. Most prominently, servant leaders are associated with having particular personal attributes. Such leadership traits include: empathy, listening, persuasion, healing, awareness, foresight, conceptualization, working towards the growth of other people, as well as building the community. According to Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles (2014), such attributes motivate servant leaders to assist people to achieve their objectives and overcome obstacles.
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Gabel (2014), in his article Transformational Leadership and Healthcare defines transformational leadership as a style which happens when one or more people interact with others in a manner that leaders and subordinates raise each other to high levels of motivation and morality. Furthermore, transformational leadership is split into four major tenets, which include: inspirational motivation, idealized influence, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation. Idealized influence is defined as the importance of the vision of the leader as well as the principles and values where the vision rests upon. Intellectual stimulation refers to the ability of the leader to challenge subordinates appropriately to find solutions to problems that may require alternative approaches from the usual ones. Inspirational motivation is the leaders’ ability to interact and inspire followers through optimism, confidence, and enthusiasm. Lastly, individualized consideration involves the attention of the leader in supporting the growth and development of his or her followers.
Sfantou et al. (2017) in the article Importance of Leadership Style towards Quality of Care Measures in Healthcare Settings: A Systematic Review define transactional leadership as a style in which the leader poses as the manager of change. The leader makes exchanges with employees, which are expected to trigger improvement in production. Besides, it is also a model of reinforcement and punishment, which is very prevalent in health care. The leaders create goals and standards for the subordinates with the promise for rewards. When the standards are achieved, the rewards are most likely provided. The rewards can be in monetary terms or in other forms such as promotions. On the contrary, if a subordinate does not achieve the set targets, he or she may be punished or face disciplinary action. Seemingly, this model perceives the employee as an individual who works for his or her own personal interest. Evidently, it is a model that emphasizes on achieving tangible results rather than developing or motivating the employee.
The leadership theory that reflects my personal leadership style is servant leadership. I believe that leadership in the healthcare industry needs to influence all the stakeholders in the industry. Although employees in healthcare organizations are important, the leadership style also needs to consider the needs of the patient. The hospital environment needs to enhance care and wellness. The healthcare workers need to listen, care, and talk to the patients nicely. If the leader does not serve as an example, the subordinates may not provide the environment that fosters wellness. The patients need to feel that they are being understood. According to Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles (2014), servant leadership builds trust among various stakeholders in the healthcare industry. For instance, if a nurse attends to a patient with empathy, the patient feels at ease when talking to the nurse. Some important information concerning the genesis of the patient’s condition may be revealed. Healthcare workers may in turn advise the patients on how to prevent their conditions. Evidently, healthcare will shift from treatment to preventive measures, which will help patients avoid unnecessary costs on medication.
In contrast, transactional leadership is the most prevalent model that I have come across being used in the healthcare industry. It is a model that is based on deliverables. Sometimes, if subordinates do not perform according to the expectations of the leaders, they risk being fired. Evidently, it is a model that exerts undue pressure on subordinates. It is likely that some employees will be frustrated by being punished every time they do not achieve the set targets. If I am in a leadership position, I will change the transactional leadership style. I will do away with punishments and create motivation strategies in place. In case an employee does not perform as expected, he or she will be encouraged to do better the next time. Some employees will also be trained to handle their tasks better.
References
Gabel, S. (2013). Transformational leadership and healthcare. Medical Science Educator , 23 (1), 55-60.
Sfantou, D., Laliotis, A., Patelarou, A., Sifaki-Pistolla, D., Matalliotakis, M., & Patelarou, E. (2017, October). Importance of leadership style towards quality of care measures in healthcare settings: a systematic review. In Healthcare (Vol. 5, No. 4, p. 73). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Trastek, V. F., Hamilton, N. W., & Niles, E. E. (2014, March). Leadership models in health care—a case for servant leadership. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 89, No. 3, pp. 374-381). Elsevier.
