Week One- Development of Self as A Practical Nurse: Leadership

Leadership Defined:
o Definition: the ability to influence other people
o A leader is someone who sets direction and influences people to follow that direction
o A process which involves both the leader and the follower(s)
o Leaders are nothing without followers
Followership:
o Followership and leadership are separate but have common or shared roles.
o Without followers, there cannot be a leader.
o Without leaders, there are no followers.
o We all play the role of follower much of the time--regardless of our position.
Followership Defined:
o Followership is not a passive, unthinking role.
o The most valuable follower is a skilled, self-directed employee.
Qualities of Followership:
o A good follower:
o Participates actively
o Invests his/her time and energy in the work of the group

Thinks critically and advocates for new ideas

Good Followership:
o Informs the team leader or manager about problems right away. Even better, includes a
suggestion for solving the problem in the report.
o Freely invests interest and energy in their work.
o Is supportive of new ideas suggested by others.
o If you disagree, explain why you do not support an idea or suggestion.
o Listen carefully, and reflect on what your leader or manager says
o Continue to learn as much as you can about your specialty area.
o Share what you learn with others (steps from a follower to a leader)
Primary Tasks of a Leader:
o Sets the direction: mission, goals, vision, purpose
o Builds commitment: motivation, spirit, teamwork, development of self and others
o Confront challenges: innovation, change, turbulence, problem solving
Management:
o Management is a process used to achieve organizational goals. It involves planning, leading,
organizing, and controlling. (Kelly, 2008)
o the managers function is to do whatever is necessary to make sure that employees do their
work and do it well. (Tappen, 2004)
o 2/3 of their time is spent on people management
o Remainder: budget work, meetings, preparing reports, and other administrivia (Lombardi,
2001)

Management:
o Potter & Perry (4th edition) Whereas leadership refers to a shared vision, values,
organizational strategy and relationships, management most often refers to the competencies
required to ensure that day-to-day delivery of nursing care according to available resources
and standards of practice.
o More pressure on managers in recent years to learn new skills related to business financial
and marketing (Kelly, 2008,p162). There has been a move towards more business
management styles in health care.
Leadership vs. Management:
o Visionary
o Inspirational
o Innovative
o Committed to challenging status quo
o Proactive
o does the right thing
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Bureaucratic
Rigid
Resistant to change
Static
Does things right

Leadership vs. Management:

o Can you be a manager and not a leader?

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Can you be a leader and not a manager?

Management refers to the actions used to achieve goals, whereas leadership is the effort to
envision, inspire, and facilitate change.

What Do Leaders Do?

o Individual Level:
Mentor
Motivate
o Group Level:
Build teams
Resolve conflict
o Organizational Level:
Build culture
Leadership Characteristics:
o Self-confidence
o Ability to influence significant people
o Initiative
o Visionary
o Critical thinker
o Charismatic
o Courageous

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Inquisitive
Approachable
Problem-solver
Open-minded
Humour
Passion
Goal-setter
Positive thinker
Challenges the status quo
Creates and shapes change
Detail-oriented
Able to see the big picture Listener
Excellent communicator
Confidence and trust in team members
Seeks consensus
Dependable
Flexible

Leadership Characteristics:
o Visible
o Integrity

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Good judgment
Respect for others
Imaginative
Professionalism
Energetic
Knowledgeable
Supportive
Personal development
Development of others
Emotional Intelligence
Fair

Emotional Intelligence:
o The most effective leaders demonstrate these 5 qualities:
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Motivation
Empathy
Social skills
Emotional Intelligence:

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize the meaning of emotions and their
relationships AND to solve problems on the basis of emotions. - the emotionally intelligent
nurse can identify, use and regulate emotions to maximize critical thinking resulting in sound
decisions that support both positive outcomes and inter-professional collaboration.

Leadership Behaviour:
o characteristics of a leader are less important than what a leader chooses to do. Potter &
Perry, 2001
Leadership Behaviour:
o Initiating Structure
Organizes and defines work to be done
Establishes work patterns
Establishes channels of communication
o Consideration
Behaviour that conveys mutual:
Trust
Respect
Warmth
Rapport
Leadership Styles:
o Autocratic leadership
o Democratic leadership
o Laissez-Faire leadership

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Situational leadership
Which is the best leadership style?

Autocratic Leadership:
o Leader retains authority
o Primary concern is task accomplishment
o Assigns clearly defined tasks
o One-way communication
o Decisions made by leader alone
o Stress prompt, orderly performance
o Uses power to pressure those who fail to follow expectations
Appropriate Use of Autocratic Leadership Style:
o Where most work group members are novices
o In situations in which immediate action is required
o No time for group decisions
Democratic Leadership:
o People-centred approach
o Primary concern human relations and teamwork
o Employees given more control and participation in decision-making

Facilitates goal accomplishment while stressing the self-worth of each employee

Appropriate use of Democratic Leadership Style:

o Works best with mature employees
o Groups that work well together
Laissez-Faire Leadership Style:
o Permissive
o Leader gives up control
o Avoids responsibility by delegating decision-making to group
o No establishment of goals, policies
o Abstains from leading
o Provides little or no direction
Appropriate use of Laissez-Faire Leadership Style:
o Effective with mature groups who are:
Confident, capable and highly motivated
Skilled people, who have produced excellent work in the past
Situational Leadership:
o The most flexible style

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Combines four styles in one

Leader adapts style to:
Work situation
Needs and abilities of staff
Four styles: Directing, Coaching, Supporting and Delegating

Directing:
o Leader provides specific, detailed instructions
o Supervises the accomplishment of the task
o Enforces rules and policies
Coaching:
o Monitors accomplishment of task while explaining decisions
o Asks for feedback or suggestions
o Recognizes good performance
Supporting:
o Supports efforts of others
o Facilitates goal accomplishment
o Shares responsibility for decision-making
o Willing to try new ideas
o Values growth not perfection; collaboration not competition
Transformational Leadership Approach:
o A more recent and popular approach to the theory of leadership in nursing.
o An exchange process between individuals and leaders relationship is valued
o Motivates both parties to achieve more
o Leader is a visionary and inspires people to follow
o Reference RNAO 2006 BPG for Leadership
CNOLeadership:
o Each nurse demonstrates her/his leadership by providing, facilitating and promoting the best
possible care/service to the public. CNO Professional Standard, 2002
o How do we demonstrate this standard??