Strategic Leadership for Organizational Improvement - Assignment Example

The good use of resources can ensure that a hospital operates effectively. To manage the resources of the hospital I would appoint an industrial engineer for the job. Investing in a good management team can make a lot of difference in the bottom line of the hospital. The most valuable asset in most organizations particularly in hospital settings is its human capital. Recruiting top talent in the medical field has become a very difficult task due to the shortage of medical professionals available in the marketplace.

Today hospitals often recruit new doctors from foreign locations. A hospital that is run effectively has a higher employee retention rate because the workers achieve employee satisfaction. The industrial engineer on staff should also be in charge of the project management function at the hospital. The use of project management and logistics can help streamline a business operation. Hospitals that are able to increase the motivation and morale of the employees are able to achieve higher levels of performance.

The two statements concerning change and the involvement groups have in change are true to a certain extend. I think that groups sometimes inhibit the ability to implement change whenever subcultures are built among the members of the group. For instance in a company many social groups might form that have the ability to influence the behavior of others. Peer pressure influences the behavior of members of the group. Members of groups want the acceptance of the other members. These social interactions among groups within a company negatively impact the power hierarchy within the organization.

Sometimes another member of a group has more influence over the work behavior of an employee than his boss. The second statement which says that the only effective way to implement lasting change is through involving groups can also be true depending on the circumstances. In work settings where there is a lot of inertia and friction among the workers sometimes the best way to shake things up to improve the situation is by rearranging the workers in group units. An effective group is one that achieves high levels of task performance, member satisfaction and team viability (Schermerhorn, et al.). The general manager of the hospital has to monitor the work of the different teams to ensure that social loafing does not occur within the teams.

Social loafing occurs when people work less hard in teams than they would individually. The most effective size for groups is between five to seven members. The five stages of group developing that will occur in the different teams are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. One of the critical variables that must be present in order for change to occur is for the managerial staff to have good communication with the employees. The use of technology can enhance communication in the workplace.

Honest, inspiring, forward-looking, and competent are important characteristics for a leader to have. The characteristic out of these four that I would consider least important is inspiring. A leader has to be honest. Honesty is associated with attributes such as respect, acceptance, and prestige. A manager has to have the capability to visualize the future by forward looking. The general manager of a hospital facility should have a detail plan of the operation for at least a year. One of the aspects that should be evaluated using forward