Lesson 2: Successful Leadership and Management

There are many styles of leadership and management....

I think that is is very important to be an authentic leader. Without authenticity, how can the employees ever be expected to also uphold the values of the company?  If the values of the leader are not congruent with the company, then problems definitely will result.

I think it would be hard to always be a good transformational leader, but it is very important to look beyond the day to day to the future with a vision of where the unit/company is going. Most employees I think are on the transactional level, but need to be brought up to the transformational level; the manager is the key person who can lift them up to that level.

Managers are not always good natural leaders, but leadership is a necessity to be a good manager. My favorite leaders are servant leaders.  Just knowing that management has your back and is willing to help you however they can helps to boost the morale of the employees.  Sometimes my manager cannot do anything to help me, but just having her ask me if there is anything she can do for me helps me get through a crazy shift.

I do not work very well under an authoritarian leadership style.  Just because you are the boss and you say it is that way is not motivating for me.  I have to  know why ... changes are needed.  If I understand the importance, then I will follow completely. 

I think some people have very little emotional intelligence, but understanding emotional intelligence is a very important characteristic in the workplace. 

Management can be key player in the role of cultural bridging.We definitely have generational issues.  The younger generations have an attitude of entitlement, which does not mesh well at all with the older generations. It is also damaging to the company when they show little patience with difficult clients. 

Thought leadership is very intriguing to me; by being an example of how risk taking and vision leads to innovation and others then can follow suit by example. Intermountain  Health Care is a good example of a company set upon good thought leadership. We need more thought leaders in the world.  Quantum leadership although a new theory, has clear application as management/environment definitely have an impact on productivity.

The future of nursing is dependent upon good leaders and managers. Health care has changed and will continue to change as it adapts to its needs.  The guarantee for good outcomes always starts with good leaders and managers with extraordinary vision.