Running head: LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETING

Leadership Team Meeting

Cindy Archibald
King College
Visionary Leadership
5050
Dr. Holden
October 23, 2013
Leadership Team Meeting
The complexity of patient care requires the coordination of staff from many disciplines.
These interdisciplinary relationships are important to continuity of care. To accomplish quality
care and uphold standards, often groups must form to share knowledge. How these groups form
and evolve is crucial to the accomplishment of the goals they intend to achieve. The purpose of
this paper is to analyze and summarize one groups performance as it relates to team
development, goals and accomplishments (Tomey, 2009).
Meetings Central Purpose
I attended a meeting for the Joint Replacement Center Performance Improvement Committee
(JRC). Being a newly formed committee, this was the second meeting. This group was formed

for the purpose of creating better outcomes for patients, reducing costs and improving patient
satisfaction. Through sharing new information, improving metrics and developing standards, the
committee intends to create an ongoing commitment to quality care. The group meets once a
month, for one hour. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and summarize the groups
performance as it relates to team development.
Members Present
Present at the meeting were: Medical Director (MD) of JRC, Vice President (VP) of JRC,
JRC Service Line Manager (SLM), Nurse Manager of Pre-Admit Testing, Physicians Assistant
for University Orthopedic Surgeons (UOS), Manager for Physical Therapy (PT), Case Manager
for JRC, Team Leader and nurse for UOS, Pharmacist, Anesthesiologist, Occupational Therapist,
Nurse Manager (NM) for (JRC), Director for Performance Improvement, Director for Case
Management, Director of Infection Prevention and myself, the NM of the Post Anesthesia Care
Unit (PACU). Each person present is routinely in contact with a JRC patient at various stages of
the process.
Location and Environment
The meeting took place in the Joint Center Conference Room. It is a good location for a
small group meeting. It was well lit and the chairs had been situated to form a circle. This felt
more personal and inclusive. We were not looking forward at one speaker, but we could see each
person equally well. Additionally, one wall of the room was lined with windows that faced a
healing garden. This created a calming, and less formal atmosphere.
Agenda
There was an agenda given to each member on arrival. Adhering to the agenda, the SLM
opened the meeting and presented an update. The meeting progressed according to the agenda

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with occasional questions resulting in changes in the discussions. The SLM would informally
redirect the group back to the topics on the agenda. Nearly everything on the agenda was
addressed. It was mutually decided which issues would need to be revisited. The VP reminded
the group to stay on schedule so we could adjourn on time, which we did.
Members roles
The SLM coordinated the majority of the meeting. She referred to the agenda to lead into
each topic of discussion. Because everyone had input throughout the meeting, the SLM would
clarify the various roles and how they connect to create continuity of care. By focusing on the
patients perspective and outcomes, the SLM did a good job of encouraging input. The VP played
a relatively passive role except to convey her concern over a few legal issues the group would
need to consider. The MD, the anesthesiologist, and the pharmacist shared information about
new studies. The anesthesiologist had just returned from a visit to a high volume JRC considered
to have very good outcomes. The three informally discussed a new drug and its impact on
outcomes. Though informal, they agreed to email information to each other to better understand
new studies. During this discussion, the PT interjected changes in patient therapy as it related to
improved outcomes. The NM of the JRC corroborated, adding what she had recently learned at a
national conference. She linked the present discussion with her findings from conversations with
other JRC managers. In turn, the pharmacist was interested in findings the NM had acquired. I
took a passive role, but took applicable information back to the PACU staff.
Leadership style
The SLM led the meeting with a team leader style. She encouraged everyones input
occasionally referring back to the agenda. The leader focused on the tasks, or vision of the
group. As Yoder-Wise supports, the SLM was concerned with the work and also with the people

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involved (2006). Deferring to other members, she asked questions which prompted discussions.
Following these discussions, the SLM would clarify the importance of everyones opinion,
reconfirming the groups purpose. According to studies by LaFasto & Larson, highly functioning
teams have a clear goal, are result driven, have competent team members with a common
purpose, and adequate resources (2001). The SLM purposely pulled together a team with these
qualifications. Everyone present at this meeting had the common denominator of being part of a
team that cared for patients having joint replacements.
Leaders Preparation
The leader was fully prepared for the meeting. Everyone was given an agenda and packet of
information that included: data for case loads, annual dashboard data, press-ganey reports,
clinical pathways, protocols and management pathways. The SLM was familiar with new
medications discussed and added relevant information. She introduced ideas for future meetings.
Time Adherence
The group stayed on target with the time line, and everyone had a chance to add to the
meeting. On two occasions, the group got involved in an issue requiring the leader to encourage
them to address the issue at a later meeting. All old and new topics were discussed.
Purpose Accomplished
The purpose of the meeting was accomplished. Shared information was relevant to the
process of joint replacement. It was the first time I had been in a room with all participants in the
joint replacement process. As the meeting progressed, each discussion prompted more thoughts,
and further discussions. Nearly everyone in the room participated. There were several comments
throughout the meeting about how each step in the process effects the next step. These comments
showed an increased awareness of the importance of continuity of care.

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5
Communication

The open forum encouraged everyone to add to the conversation. No one dominated or
hindered communication. When the MD spoke about new studies, the anesthesiologist added
what he had learned while shadowing at another hospital. They asked the pharmacist for an
opinion, which prompted the NM to offer further insight gained from a national conference. I did
not add to the conversation, but left the meeting with new information and a better understanding
of the impact of shared knowledge.
Developmental Team
According to Yodor-Wise, the JRC group is in the norming stage (2006). Each person played
a role in the patient outcome and seemed interested in learning how to have a more positive
impact. Everyone displayed a serious attitude about creating a standard, interconnected process.
Although this is a newly formed group, many of the members have worked together to get the
Joint Center started and accredited. The SLM facilitated, rather than led the group. As a credible
leader, she provided feedback and set goals for upcoming meetings. She also made several
members aware of the possibility of meetings outside the group, pointing out this would expedite
outcomes.
Conclusion
This was one of the better meetings I have attended. I am on several committees, councils
and task forces required for my position. In this authors opinion the relaxed atmosphere of this
meeting led to increased exchanges of ideas. The team approach and the seating arrangement
created an environment conducive to interacting. There was a respect among the members as
well as a mutual purpose. As many studies show, a correlation is found between healthy
workplace environments and healthy patients (Northouse, 2010). In conclusion, it can be

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determined this group demonstrates a collaboration of professionals required to be a functioning
team.

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7
References

LaFoasto, F. M. J., & Larson, C.E. (2001). When teams work best: 6,000 team members and
leaders tell what it takes to succeed. Thousand Oakes, CA: SAGE.
Northouse, P. G. (2010). Theory and practice. In Shaw (Ed.), Leadership (5th ed.). Thousand
Oakes, CA: SAGE.
Tomey, A. M. (2009). Nursing leadership and management effects work environments [journal].
Journal of Nursing Management, 17, (pp.15-25).
Yoder-Wise, P. S., & Kowalski, K. E. (2006). Leadership and Creating Teams. In Y.
Alexopoulos (Ed.), Beyond leading and management, Leadership and creating teams (pp.
163-213). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.