Leadership Styles What is a Leader?

A person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal A person who guides others, showing the way by example, and creating an environment in which other members feel actively involved in the entire process I. Kurt Lewins Leadership Styles In 1939, Lewin led a group of researchers to identify different styles of leadership The 3 a. b. c. major styles of leadership are: Authoritarian/ Autocratic Participative/ Democratic Delegative/ Laissez-Faire

A. Autocratic Leadership Used when leaders tell their members what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers Works best when there is no need for input, and when any input would not strengthen the outcome of the decision Managers are less concerned with investing their own leadership development, and prefer to simply work on tasks on hand In Lewins experiments, he found that this caused the most level of discontent ADVANTAGES Enables a quick decision-making process Leaders will be powerful enough to control member Reduced stress due to increased control A more productive group while the leader is watching

DISADVANTAGES: Fear and resentment Dependency culture Poor leadership skills Increase workload for manager

B. Democratic Leadership Democratic leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say over the decision-making process Useful in highly competitive and complex industries where it allows the best ideas to rise to the top, and facilitates the rising and establishment of future leaders within the organization Normally used when you have part of the information, and your members have other parts Using this style is of mutual benefit- it allows them to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions

ADVANTAGES Positive work environment Creative thinking Reduced employee turnover DISADVANTAGES Lengthy decision making Danger of pseudo participation C. Laissez-Faire This style is to minimize the leaders involvement in decision-making, and hence, allowing people to make their own decisions, although they may still be responsible for the outcome While this style can be effective in situations where group members are highly qualified in an area of expertise, it often leads to poorly defined roles and lack of motivation Based on Lewins experiments, it is the least productive of all 3 groups ADVANTAGE: subordinates get all the decision-making power to make decisions so they may feel motivated

DISADVANTAGE: subordinates may not be coordinated and that work may be unstructured

II. Bureaucratic Leadership Bureaucratic leaders work by the book. They follow rules rigorously and ensure that their staff follows procedure precisely You will often find this leadership role in a situation where the work environment is dangerous and specific sets of procedures are necessary to ensure safety Leaders expect the employees to display a formal, business-like attitude in the workplace and between each other. Managers gain instant authority with their position Employees are rewarded for their ability to adhere to the rules and follow procedure perfectly Bureaucratic systems gradually develops over a long period of time, and hence are more commonly found in large and old businesses Bureaucratic leaders work by the book. They follow rules rigorously and ensure that their staff follows procedure precisely You will often find this leadership role in a situation where the work environment is dangerous and specific sets of procedures are necessary to ensure safety

POWER
I. Power Defined POWER is the ability to influence other people despite their resistance. Using power, one person or group can impose its will on another person or group The use of power can be POSITIVE, as when the nurse manager gives a staff member an extra day off in exchange for working during the weekend. or NEGATIVE, as when a nurse administrator transfers a bothersome staff nurse to another unit after the staff nurse pointed out a physician error.

II. Sources of Power There are numerous sources of power. Many of them are readily available to nurses, but some of them are: a. b. c. d. Authority - The power granted to an individual or a group by virtue of position. Reward - The promise of money, goods, services, recognition, or other benefits Expertise - The special knowledge an individual is believed to possess Coercion - The threat of pain or of harm, which may be physical, economic, or psychological

Various groups of people in a healthcare organization have different types of power available to them: 1. MANAGERS - are able to reward people with salary increases, promotions, and recognition. They can also cause economic or psychological pain for the people who work for them, particularly through their authority to evaluate and fire people but also through their responsibility for making assignments, allowing days off, and so on.

2. PATIENTS - at first appear to be relatively powerless within the health-care organization. However, if patients refused to use the services of a particular organization, that organization would eventually cease to exist. Patients can reward health-care workers by praising them to their supervisors. They can also cause problems by complaining about them.

3. ASSISTANTS AND TECHNICIANS - may also appear to be relatively powerless because of their low positions in the hierarchy. Imagine, however, how the work of the organization (e.g., hospital, nursing home) would be impeded if all the nursing aides failed to appear one morning.

4. NURSES have expert power and authority over licensed practical nurses, aides, and other personnel by virtue of their position in the hierarchy. They are critical to the operation of most health-care organizations and could cause considerable trouble if they refused to work, another source of nurse power.

How to increase your expert power: Participate in interdisciplinary conferences Attend continuing education offerings Attend professional organization meetings Read books and journals related to your nursing practice Problem-solve and brainstorm with colleagues Return to school to earn a higher degree

III. Empowering Nurses POWER is the actual or potential actual ability to recognize ones will even against the resistance of others, according to Max Weber Empowerment is a psychological state, a feeling of competence, control, and entitlement. Given these definitions, it is possible to be powerful and yet not feel empowered. Power refers to ability, and empowerment refers to feelings.

Feeling empowered includes the following: Self-determination. Feeling free to decide how to do your work Meaning. Caring about your work, enjoying it, and taking it seriously Competence. Confidence in your ability to do your work well Impact. Feeling that people listen to your ideas, that you can make a difference Self-determination. Feeling free to decide how to do your work Meaning. Caring about your work, enjoying it, and taking it seriously Competence. Confidence in your ability to do your work well Impact. Feeling that people listen to your ideas, that you can make a difference The opposite of empowerment is DISEMPOWERMENT. Inability to control ones own practice leads to frustration and sometimes failure. Work overload and lack of meaning, recognition, or reward produce emotional exhaustion and burnout. Nurses, like most people, want to have some power and to feel empowered. They want to be heard, to be recognized, to be valued, and to be respected. They do not want to feel unimportant or insignificant to society or to the organization in which they work.

DIRECTING I. What is Directing? Is the issuance of orders, assignments and instructions that enable the nursing personnel to understand what are expected of them. Is a physical act of nursing management, the interpersonal process by which nursing personnel accomplish the objectives of nursing. It is the connecting link between organizing for work and getting the job done. Included in Directing 1. Supervision and guidance - so that in doing their job well, nurses can maximally contribute to the organizations goals in general and to the nursing service objectives in particular. 2. Delegation of work to be performed 3. Utilization of policies and procedures 4. Supervision of personnel 5. Coordination of services 6. Communication 7. Staff development 8. Making decisions II. WHAT IS DELEGATION? Delegation is the act of giving someone else the responsibility, even the power, to do something, whether it is a work task or a non-work task. Effective delegation must be two-way: responsibility given, responsibility received. -Stephen Covey in First things First. A. WHY DELEGATION IS REQUIRED? Delegation is an effective tool in grooming the future managers or leaders. Delegation helps in time management, when work is in high volume. Managers can demonstrate professionalism and effectiveness with the help of delegation. Delegation creates the WIN-WIN situation The manager and organization gets the work done faster, the member gets sense of accomplishment, trust, opportunity to grow and recognition B. WHY DELEGATION IS NOT PERFORMED OFTEN? Here are the few reasons why managers do not delegate work. I dont have enough time to delegate properly. I dont have the skills to delegate well. Its easier to do it myself than to ask someone else. The people to whom I could delegate are already too busy; dont have the knowledge, skills, or experience required; or arent ready to accept this level of responsibility.

 Ive been let down in the past, and if they dont get the job done, Ill end up looking bad. Risk taking is not encouraged in this organization, and delegation is risky. C. PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION? 1. Select the right person to whom the job is to be delegated. (give accountability & authority) 2. Delegate both interesting and uninteresting tasks. (to bring out the best in them) (To challenge) 3. Provides subordinates with enough time to learn. (Expertise can be achieved through training & experience) 4. Delegate gradually. (They will not assume full responsibility) 5. Delegate in advance. (Describe the specific results expected out of the activities to be performed) 6. Consult before delegating. (Clarification minimizes problems & promote teamwork) 7. Avoid gaps (Occurs when a job is left out w/ no one taking responsibility) and overlaps (2 or more people have responsibility for the same job). D. What Cannot be Delegated? 1. Overall responsibility, authority and accountability for satisfactory completion of all activities in the unit. (They will loose trust to mgr) 2. Authority to sign ones name is never delegated. (Whoever performed the task will be the one to sign it) 3. Evaluating the staff and/or taking necessary corrective or disciplinary action. (Due process) 4. Responsibility for maintaining morale or the opportunity to say a few words of encouragement to the staff especially to the new ones. (boost morale & build up self confidence) 5. Jobs that are too technical and those that involve trust and confidence. Hot potato (It will cause clinical nurses to assume that mgrs are incompetent to handle these concerns) III. SUPERVISION Is providing guidelines for the accomplishment of a task or activity with initial direction and periodic inspection of the actual accomplishment of the task or activity. It is the active process of directing, guiding, and influencing the outcome of a persons performance of an activity. A. FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN SUPERVISION 1. Quantity and quality of work performed (How many? What is the result?) 2. The time within which the work is accomplished (Meet deadline) 3. The proper and economic utilization of resources(Cost cutting)

4. The amount of assistance needed by the worker (What can you offer) 5. The need for staff development or CPE. B. Qualities of Good Supervision Good technical, managerial and human relation skills; Ability to communicate well in both spoken and written language; ability to listen; Firmness with flexibility to adjust to the needs of the situation; Fairness in dealing with employees; Familiarity with hospital and nursing policies that affect patient care; Good decision-making skills; Willingness to grow and develop; Ability to accept changes and consider them as challenges; Dignified and pleasing personality Ability to motivate employees and provide opportunities for continuing professional growth and development; and Advocacy for nurses and nursing. C. Techniques in Supervision Observation of the worker while making the rounds (Charting @ 8 am. How the workers do their job) Spot checking of charts through nursing audits Completion of entry) Asking the patients about the care they receive (If satisfied) Looking into general condition of the units (Identify the needs of the units) Getting feedback from co-workers or other supervisors or relatives (To assess) Asking question discretely to find out the problems they encounter or drawing out suggestions from the workers for improvement of their work or work situation. (This will accept willingly & as a challenge) (given harshly, esp in public it build resentment, poor quality of work) IV. Conflict A dynamic process. It is a type of behavior involving two or more parties in opposition to each other. A clash between two opposing and oftentimes hostile parties. Conflict is a warning to managers that something is wrong and needs solution through Problem solving and clarification of objectives Establishing of group norms, and Determination of group boundaries. A. Factors that provoke conflicts 1. Failure to provide assistance or complete information on patient care. 2. Varying perception of work situation can be caused by difficult responsibilities 3. Unstable staffing and work schedules

4. Highly differentiated work positions or role change 5. Disagreement over policies and procedures 6. Competition for scarce resources (Insufficient resources). 7. Poorly expressed relationships including unfulfilled expectations. (Diff. perception of the events by supervisor & manager.) B. Types of Conflict 1. Overt and Covert a. Overt Conflict - Obvious or unconcealed b. Covert Conflict is more dangerous because it is not what it appears on the surface. It results in harbored feelings that drain both physical and psychological energy. 2. Vertical and Horizontal a. Vertical conflict Differences in opinions between superiors and subordinates are caused most often by: Inadequacy in communication Opposing interest, and Lack of shared perception and attitudes.. b. Horizontal or line or staff conflict

arises as a common struggle or strife (Trouble) between departments or services wherein

the degree of interdependence and collaboration determines the success in achieving shared goals and objectives. 3. Conflict can be viewed from both BEHAVIORAL and PROCESS standpoints. a. Behavioral it is a perceived condition that exists between two parties. Individual or Group or Department due to goal incompatibility & opportunity for interfering achievement of the other. b. Process conflict can be defined as what occurs when real or perceived conflict exists in goals, values, ideas, attitudes, beliefs, feelings, or action of two or more parties. 1. Intrapersonal occur within one individual 2. Interpersonal occur between two or more individuals 3. Intra group occur within one group 4. Intergroup occur between two or more groups i.e Difference in opinion C. Conflict Resolution

1. Avoidance - method commonly used by groups who do not want to do something that may interfere with their relationships. Neutrality is maintained at all cost The participants never acknowledge that a conflict arise 2. Accommodation - Self-sacrifice. The person neglects his own needs to meet the goals of the other party. It is appropriate when: The person is wrong The opponent is more powerful The issue is more important to someone else. It is used to preserve harmony and gain social credits that can be used later.

Focus on minor problems but the real problem still exist & need to attend to. 3. Collaboration This is the most effective method of conflict resolution. Inspires mutual attention to the problem and utilizes the talents of all parties. (Sharing of opinions to solve/address the problem) It focuses on problem-solving to find mutually satisfying solutions. (Building 1 goal w/c is to solve problem) Problems are identified, alternatives are explored, and threats are considered until disagreements are resolved. 4. Competition exertion of power at the subordinates expense. (By Supervisor or Manager) It is expressed through suppression of conflict through authority obedience approach. This enforces the rule of discipline.

It is an assertive position that fosters conflict resolution on the part of the subordinates. 5. Smoothing where disagreements are ignored so that surface harmony is maintained in a state of peaceful co-existence. This is accomplished by: Complementing ones opponent Downplaying differences Focusing on minor areas of agreement, as if little disagreements exist.

This method maybe appropriate to solve minor problems but issues also remain unresolved & may later resurface 6. Withdrawing one party is removed thereby making it possible to resolve the issue. It produces the same results as smoothing.

7. Forcing method that yield an immediate end to the conflict but leaves the cause of the conflict unresolved. (The superior may issue orders but the subordinate will lack commitment) It may be appropriate in life or death situations but is otherwise inappropriate.

Some of the basic rules on mediating a conflict between two or more parties are:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Establish clear guidelines and make them known to all. Do not postpone indefinitely. Select a time that is best for all parties. (Set a specific date to talk & arrange & fix the concern) Create environment that makes people comfortable to make suggestions. (Open forum to voice out other concern) Create a two-way communication. (Interaction Verbal or written) Stress a peaceful resolution rather than confrontation. Build a bridge of understanding. (Focus on issues & not on personality, establish & protect self-respect) Emphasize shared interests. Examine all solutions and select the most acceptable to both parties. (Develop a plan for successful resolution) Follow-up on the progress of the plan. (Give feedback to participants regarding their cooperation in resolving the conflict)

Conflict management keeps conflict from escalating, makes work productive, and helps translate conflict into a positive or constructive force.