Running head: MY LEADERSHIP STYLE REFLECTION

My Leadership Style Refection

Angela DeVolder Blair
The Robert B. Miller College
Nursing Leadership BSRN 331-01
Professor Amy Fry-Arnie
August 11, 2015

MY LEADERSHIP STYLE REFLECTION

My Leadership Style Reflection

An excellent nurse leader strives to be the best they can be all of the time. Excellence is
not an isolated act, but a habit (Grossman, 2013). Leaders in nursing are located throughout the
entire organization from the Director of Nurses, Assistant Director of Nurses, Department
Directors, Nurse Educators, Charge Nurses, to individual bedside nurses. Great leaders foster a
positive work environment. A nurse leader is not necessarily a nurse in a position of authority
but rather a nurse that exemplifies excellence in themselves and challenges others to do the same.
Leaders not only consider employees knowledge, thoughts, and opinions but it is a learning
experience for the team involved to learn about others perspectives and challenges they face.
This attitude motivates employees to take initiative and to put effort and take pride in their work.
Rose Sherman writes in American Nursing Today that there are several key qualities nurses look
for in their leaders like commitment to excellence, clear vision and strategic focus,
trustworthiness, accessibility, respectfulness, and commitment to developing their staff
(Sherman, 2012).
I have worked at Oaklawn Hospital for twenty one years with amazing nurses under
department directors that are unable to lead the department in such a way that fostered or
persuaded staff to be willing partners in the department. It lead to mistrust, negativity, animosity,
and sometimes a hostile work environment. Our current director wears scrubs to work and jumps
in at a moments notice to assist us with anything we need. She encourages us to broaden our
education, promotes open communication and respect, and recognizes positives within our
department.
Oaklawn Hospital is a Magnet recognized hospital and our current nursing administration
uses the transformational leadership model. Transformational leadership style focuses on
building relationships and motivating staff members through a shared vision and mission
(AANAC, 2014). The transformational theory focuses on leaders to communicate their vision in

MY LEADERSHIP STYLE REFLECTION

a manner that is meaningful, exciting, and creates unity and collective purpose (Al-Sawai,
2013). The previous Chief Nursing Officer was secretive, blaming, and at times condescending.
This type of leadership fostered a negative and at times a hostile work environment. We have a
new Chief Nursing Officer at Oaklawn, Dr. Theresa Dawson. The other senior leadership
positions did not change. Dr. Dawson practices with transparency, communicates her vision, and
she understands the entire picture of healthcare. She is passionate about nursing and encourages
collaboration, creativity, and includes nurses in decisions that will affect nursing practice and
best care practices for our patients. She has earned the respect of many nurses not only with her
managerial skills but her clinical knowledge. Nurses feel that their opinions make a difference
and the feeling of optimism has returned. It is empowering to go to work and know that people
value your knowledge and hard work. That empowerment expresses itself in our attitudes toward
our patients, visitors, and each other.
Transformational leadership style includes emotional intelligence (Leadership, 2013).
My position as a staff nurse in the Oaklawn Emergency Department holds many roles. I am a
caregiver, teacher, patient advocate, and a leader. As a nurse, I am self-aware of my strengths,
weakness and limitations. My strengths include communication, problem solving, and using
critical thinking skills. I am not afraid to ask for input, help from others, or others opinions
regarding issues. I value others feedback and enjoy listening to others perspectives on subjects
that I may have not entertained yet. I believe that if I complain about an issue, I need to also
provide a suggestion to resolve the problem. Communication must be consistent, concise, and
knowledgeable of the subject whether it be policies and procedures, pathophysiology, or patient
care.
A significant portion of communication is active listening skills. As a nurse, I assist
patients with making informed decisions regarding their healthcare and advocate for them of

MY LEADERSHIP STYLE REFLECTION

their wants and needs. I explain, educate, and encourage rather than instructing or directing them
of what to do. Patients often feel as though they have no control and they are at our mercy, but
assisting them to make educated decisions is empowering and crucial to their healthcare
experience.
Patience has always been a hurdle for me. I like an answer now and I like immediate
resolve. It is the emergency nurse in me. I greatly respect my nurse director on her promptness of
returning emails, phone calls, and prioritization of issues. Another weakness is my struggle to
delegate to nurses of the same or more education than myself. I am often not assertive enough to
tell a fellow nurse to get up and take care of a patient and I find myself just doing it myself. My
other obstacle, patience, can get my mouth in trouble in situations such as these.
I try to also be aware of fellow nurses strengths and weaknesses and to recognize them
and express my appreciation. I appreciate the role models that I have and try to reciprocate the
same to others. I consider the group of nurses that I work with to be phenomenal and do not in
any way wish to disrespect them but rather celebrate our knowledge and strengths.
Transformational leaders are able to motivate beyond expectations through their ability to
influence attitudes (Al-Sawai, 2013).
My leadership goal is to become more active in my community and advocating for my
profession. I am a member of Emergency Nurses Association and would like to be more active in
the future. I now sit on the Nurse Professional Practice Committee which evaluates, researches,
and implements best nursing practices for our patients and our hospital. As part of the
transformational leadership theory, I also enjoy the networking and collaboration that takes place
on this committee and am interested in seeking out additional opportunities to make positive
changes within our organization. I look forward to furthering my education and acquiring my
Certified Emergency Nurse certification as these are concepts that are encouraged by current
leaders at Oaklawn Hospital.

MY LEADERSHIP STYLE REFLECTION

I believe that if a leader wants respect, they must treat their followers with respect and
demonstrate that they have the best interest of the organization and followers in mind. A great
leader inspires, empowers, and encourages. Leadership is successful when followers are inspired
to do their best, strive for excellence, and follow suite.

References
Al-Sawai, A. 2013. Oman Medical Journal. Leadership of healthcare professionals:
where do we stand? Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artciles/PMC3725246/
Frandsen, B. 2014. The American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination.
Nursing leadership management and leadership styles. Retrieved from: http://www.aanac.org
Grossman, S. Valiga, T. 2013. The New Leadership Challenge Creating the Future of
Nursing. F.A. Davis Company. Philadelphia.
Johnson, David, & Johnson, Frank. 2013. Leadership. In J. Johnston, M. Fossel, & A.
Whittaker (Eds.) Joining together (pp. 176-178). New Jersey.
Sherman, R. 2012. American Nursing Today. What followers want in their nurse leaders.
Retrieved from: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/771912_3