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REPLY TO POST WITH 2 PARAGRAPHS AND 2 SOURCES 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.

POST:

Successful healthcare operations can be complicated as organizations face multiple challenges, such as attending to the needs of healthcare workers, meeting consumer demands, improving patient care practices while complying with financial constraints. Therefore, effective leadership is paramount to ensuring proper management of the healthcare organization (Xu, 2017). Effective leadership requires efforts to influence and direct others in the process of achieving shared objectives (Xu, 2017). In clinical settings, effective leadership is essential to ensure quality patient care and a healthy work environment (Xu, 2017).

In transformational leadership, a leader builds a trusting relationship with their followers. In this leadership style, the followers’ opinion is considered to impact change and create a motivated following (Xu, 2017). I believe this style of leadership is most beneficial to the healthcare setting, as evidence shows that transformational leadership impacts follower satisfaction and commitment to the organization (Xu, 2017). In a healthcare work environment, where leaders must juggle the demands of many professionals and personalities, it is important to implement strategies that produce a common understanding.

A leader with effective communication skills is a strong predictor for employees’ satisfaction and a positive work environment (Lorber, Treven & Mumel, 2015). According to Lorber et al. (2015), employees reported that transactional leadership was the most widely used style of leadership in their organization, which motivates employees using rewards and discipline. This finding was different from the perception leaders had about their style of leadership. The differences in opinion between leaders and their employees display characteristics of miscommunication and ineffective leadership. These discrepancies can result in employee dissatisfaction, feelings of frustration, and a lack of desire to follow work procedures.

The director at my organization displays characteristics of transformational leadership. She is always smiling, possess a positive attitude, and strives to produce a healthy work environment. A leader who treats their following with respect and dignity impacts a positive work environment and increases morale (Shah, 2017). On several incidents, my director approached employees to consider their opinion and suggestions in the implementation of new work procedures. For example, the director discussed the care experience of a combative patient who required one-to-one monitoring to impact change in future care procedures with that patient. Employees’ reports were recognized, and changes in patient assignment and work-related tasks were divided between the employees, thereby enhancing productivity and maintaining a positive work environment.

References

Lorber, M., Treven, S., & Mumel, D. (2016). The Examination of Factors Relating to the Leadership Style of Nursing Leaders in Hospitals. Our Economy (Nase Gospodarstvo), 62(1), 27–36. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1515/ngoe-2016-0003

Shah, M. (2017). Impact of interpersonal conflict in health care setting on patient care; the role of nursing leadership style on resolving the conflict. Nursing and Care Open Access Journal, 2(2), 44-46. DOI: 10.15406/ncoaj.2017.02.00031

Xu, J.H. (2017). Leadership theory in clinical practice. Chinese Nursing Research, 4(4), 155–157. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1016/j.cnre.2017.10.001