NHS FPX 8002 Assessment 2 Personal Leadership Portrait Part 1

NHS FPX 8002 Assessment 2 Personal Leadership Portrait Part 1

Name

Capella University

NHS-FPX 8002 Collaboration, Communication, and Case Analysis for Doctoral Learners

Prof. Name

Date

Personal Leadership Portrait

Leadership is a crucial asset for any organization, playing a vital role in motivating a workforce to collectively achieve its mission. Various leadership styles—such as innovative, transformational, servant, authentic, and autocratic—offer distinct advantages and challenges. There is no universally correct leadership style; rather, individuals must identify the approach that aligns best with their unique environment and personal strengths. In my case, I naturally gravitate toward the transformational leadership style.

Personal Approach to Leadership

The transformational leadership style was conceptualized by James MacGregor Burns in the late 1970s. Burns defined a transformational leader as someone who is “an enthusiastic, emotionally mature, visionary, and courageous lifelong learner who inspires and motivates by empowering and developing followers” (Fischer, 2017). In addition to these traits, Burns highlighted the importance of competencies such as emotional intelligence, communication, collaboration, coaching, and mentoring (Fischer, 2017). As a nurse, I consider myself a lifelong learner, consistently striving to absorb knowledge across various topics. This drive is likely to intensify as I enhance my leadership abilities. My military background provided me with invaluable mentoring experience as I advanced in ranks, dedicating significant time to communicating with my team to determine the best motivational strategies.

I often engaged in hands-on activities alongside my troops to demonstrate solidarity, ensuring they felt supported and could approach me with any concerns. Transitioning to nursing, I found myself applying the same mentorship principles that I had embraced in the military. I actively encouraged my colleagues to pursue further education and skill development, collaborating with them even in my role as charge nurse. However, one challenge I face in this leadership style is decision-making; at times, my desire to consider others’ opinions can hinder timely and effective choices for the department. While it is essential for everyone to have a voice, it is equally important to recognize that decisions should reflect the majority’s consensus. Moving forward, I aim to enhance my communication skills to foster better decision-making processes with my team.

Interprofessional Relationships, Community Engagement, and Change Management

Effective leadership offers the opportunity to collaborate with diverse individuals, particularly within interprofessional teams. These teams bring together professionals from various fields to discuss specific issues, such as the best practices for caring for COVID-19 patients. Such a collaboration could involve doctors, nurses, administrators, and respiratory therapists, all working together to improve patient outcomes (Melnyk & Raderstorf, 2019). As a leader, I recognize that my expertise is limited, and I rely on the knowledge and skills of other professionals to achieve quality care. Frequently, we become overly focused on titles, allowing stubbornness to lead us into mistakes by neglecting to seek assistance when needed. A true leader acknowledges their limitations and actively seeks to strengthen the team’s capabilities.

Gaining insights from other healthcare professionals is one way to enhance effectiveness; however, community perspectives are equally valuable. Engaging community members and organizations in discussions fosters shared ideas and perspectives. This collaboration can facilitate acceptance of changes that may impact the community, as stakeholders gain an understanding of the decision-making processes involved. It is essential for leaders to prioritize communication with the community and other stakeholders to ensure everyone feels respected and engaged.

Table 1: Key Aspects of Leadership

Communication Best Practices

Effective communication is a cornerstone of successful leadership. It manifests in various forms—verbal, written, or nonverbal. Leaders must choose the most suitable method to convey their messages effectively. For example, email can be an efficient way to disseminate information quickly, allowing employees to engage with the content at their convenience. In contrast, staff meetings provide an opportunity for immediate feedback and discussion, enabling a more interactive communication environment.

According to Forbes, the following are the top five communication best practices for effective leaders (Brownlee, 2019):

1. Transparency and Honesty: Great leaders foster trust by being open and admitting when they do not have all the answers.
2. Increased Communication During Change: Leaders should engage employees during transitions to address concerns and gather feedback.
3. Active Listening: Effective leaders prioritize listening to gain different perspectives and better understand employee needs.
4. Connecting with All Employees: Engaging with all levels of staff helps leaders understand their concerns and improve the work environment.
5. Clear Communication of Goals and Tasks: Leaders must articulate objectives and tasks clearly to minimize confusion and ensure understanding.

Ethical Leadership in Professional Practice

In healthcare, ethical leadership principles are vital in guiding leaders’ behavior and setting standards for ethical thinking and decision-making among their teams. Leaders must exemplify ethical practices, demonstrating the values they expect from others. In transformational leadership, modeling ethical behavior is essential for fostering a culture of integrity and trust within the organization. The four fundamental ethical principles in nursing—autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and distributive justice—should be central to nursing practice and employee care. These principles ensure that both patients and employees receive quality, ethical care.

Diversity and Inclusion in Health Care

Diversity remains a prominent topic in contemporary leadership discussions. At its core, diversity encompasses various characteristics, including race, religion, ethnicity, educational background, and socioeconomic status. As Melnyk (2019) asserts, “the most effective, if not only, way to build creativity into an effort is to bring people together that represent a diversity of thinking, experiences, culture, and perspectives” (p. 251). By fostering a diverse team, leaders encourage diverse viewpoints that can enrich decision-making processes. My experience working with individuals from varied backgrounds in both military and healthcare settings has enhanced my appreciation for cultural perspectives and collaborative relationships.

Inclusion is another fundamental aspect of effective leadership. By allowing all team members to participate in decision-making, leaders enhance the likelihood of successful change implementation. Employee “buy-in” is significantly increased when staff feel heard and acknowledged during transitions. As a leader, I aspire to foster an environment where employees feel they have a stake in the organization and take ownership of their contributions.

Scholar-Practitioners in Health Care

Scholar-practitioners play a crucial role in the ongoing development of healthcare organizations. Smith (2018) describes a scholar-practitioner as “a professional who is both a producer and a consumer of knowledge for the purposes of continuously improving his or her practice and organizational effectiveness” (p. 6). This lifelong learner combines field experience with research insights, continually seeking out best practices for implementation. Effective leaders should adopt the scholar-practitioner approach, as critical thinking and evidence-based practices are essential for optimal patient care. Moreover, scholar-practitioners engage in self-reflection to assess their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to enhance their leadership effectiveness. Through my doctoral studies, I aim to embody the qualities of a scholar-practitioner by exploring current best practices, thus enriching my leadership resources and commitment to professional growth.

Conclusion

In summary, my leadership style aligns predominantly with the transformational approach. Whether through interprofessional teamwork, effective communication, or fostering diversity and inclusion, I remain committed to continuous growth and learning from my experiences. My goal has always been to be an effective leader, and reflecting on the nuances of various leadership styles allows me to identify areas for improvement. This self-reflection will ultimately enhance my abilities as both a nurse and a leader.

References

Brownlee, D. (2019). 5 communications best practices of great leaders. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/danabrownlee/2019/07/01/5-communications-best-practices-of-great-leaders/#7b005b12e99d

Fischer, S. A. (2017). Developing nurses’ transformational leadership skills. Nursing Standard, 31(51), 54-63. http://dx.doi.org/10.7748/ns.2017.e10857

Melnyk, B. M., & Raderstorf, T. (2019). Evidence-based leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship in nursing and healthcare (1 ed.). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.library.capella.edu

NHS FPX 8002 Assessment 2 Personal Leadership Portrait Part 1

Smith, L. S., & Wilkins, N. (2018). Mind the gap: Approaches to the research-to-practice, practice-to-research chasm. Journal of Public Health Management Practice, 24(Suppl 1 Injury and Violence Prevention), S6-S11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000000667