Poor Leadership: Does it Make any Difference in the Work Environment - Coursework Example

Poor Leadership: Does it Make any Difference in the Work Environment? Table of Contents Introduction 3 Effective vs. Poor Leadership Ability 3 Management in Times of Crisis 5 Multitasking in the Healthcare Environment 6 Attributes of Good Leaders 7 Important Questions That Leaders Ask 9 Conclusion 11 References 12 Poor Leadership: Does it Make any Difference in the Work Environment? Introduction Healthcare professionals are tasked with a myriad of responsibilities that can literally make the difference between life and death. No matter what function an individual worker might have within any given healthcare facility, the tasks performed are often critical to the health and safety of everyone within the building. As such, leadership often comes down to effective management skills. Many would question rather one truly needs to be an effective leader in order to be an efficient manager within a healthcare setting. Effective leadership, however, transcends moments of crisis, which all too often occur in any given healthcare facility across the developed and developing world (Adams, Erickson, & Paulo, 2009). Poor leaders fail to learn from mistakes, while effective leaders work continuously to evaluate their decisions in light of what is best for the patients and the facility. As such, it is the premise of this report that poor leadership does make a different in the work environment. Poor leadership contributes to poor management style and breakdown of communication that can be detrimental to the operation of an organization, particularly when considering a healthcare facility. Effective vs. Poor Leadership Ability Leaders must constantly be prepared during both times of crisis and non-crisis. This is particularly true of the healthcare professional. While leaders can often get by without much direct interaction with other employees when daily operations are flowing smoothly, it most often takes an effective leader to handle those crisis situations the pop up without warning on a periodic basis. As such, it can be argued that poor leadership all around contributes to poor crisis management. In effect, periods of non-crisis within a healthcare facility are similar to peace time situations for nations around the world. If a leader is not careful, they can quickly become complacent and ineffective when a strong leader is exactly what the situations calls for (Tomey, 2009). In regard to organization leadership capabilities and functions, it can be argued that an effective leader must not settle for the norm, but must constantly be looking for ways to better the team and move the organization progressively forward. Poor leaders do not do this, which means that opportunities for advancement are often neglected, and progressive ideas and concepts neglected. Even when times are good, leaders must motivate their subordinates to be looking for new ways to keep the facility running smoothly and to be even more effective in the future. Poor leaders become stagnant and do not look for opportunities to grow. During periods absent a crisis, for example, leader should be proactive in looking for ways to implement new ideas to ward off any possible difficulties that might arise, such as inadequate emergency room procedures. In addition, effective leaders make all the difference to a healthcare facility because they are a present and active force working right alongside their respective team members (Andrews et al., 2012). They are actively working to further their own knowledge, learn from others, and striving to continually perfect their own leadership styles. Poor leaders are attempting none of these concepts, which if left unchecked can quickly cause a facility to tumble in a pit of destructive decisions and actions. Effective management of most nearly any situation in a large organization requires clearly stated objectives and a vision that all can follow. Poor leaders simply do not work towards this end, which certainly leads to the conclusion that poor leadership certainly does impact the overall effectiveness of a healthcare facility. Effective leaders, for example, spend their time preparing their teams for possible times of crisis and difficult times ahead (Boin & Hart, 2013). In so doing, when these difficult situations crop up from time to time, and they definitely will at times when least expected, members of the organization that are given the responsibility of alleviating those problems will be prepared to help the facility effectively navigate the troubled waters. This is effective leadership, and poor leaders simply cannot accomplish this. Again, effective leaders work to remain actively engaged in all aspects of organizational operations, at all times, and are constantly evaluating new methods that can push the facility and its respective teams forward in a progressive manner. Management in Times of Crisis As mentioned previously, leaders in the healthcare profession must frequently manage times of crisis. It could be devastating to have someone with poor leadership skills be charged with the responsibility of leading a team through situations, leading once again to the conclusion that the presence of poor leadership skills do make a difference. Leaders must be prepared to lead through times of crisis. While it is certainly true that the methods utilized to prepare oneself for such times can vary greatly depending on the type of facility or organization being discussed, it can be said that general principles of leadership do apply in such situations (Boin & Hart, 2013). In addition, it can be further argued that the course of leadership is, in the end, affected by natural and innate abilities to stand at the ready to lead others through difficult situations. Poor leaders will simply be ineffective in this regard. In order to effectively see a team through any given crisis, the individual needs to be prepared and standing at the ready to accurately define the problem that exists, and then work out a solution that fits within previously decided upon organizational objectives. Doing so will serve to enable the leader to actually anticipate when a crisis is looming on the horizon, enabling them to then be much more equipped and capable to act decisively when it begins (Kara et al., 2013). That being said, the leader who is highly effective is not afraid to confide their weaknesses to others with whom they can quickly go to for assistance in such situations. Poor leaders typically do not rely on others, opting to go it alone, further exacerbating an already precarious situation. Finally, good leaders work to communicate effectively, and they are prepared to do so from the very first moment that a crisis hits an organization, while poor leaders are often nowhere to be found (Chiemi & Soo, 2012). Multitasking in the Healthcare Environment Leaders are expected to navigate multiple events within any given organization that might be encountered at any time, some severe and some not. During a crisis, for example, the situation will be much easier to deal with if the individual has strong leadership and management skills. Leaders need to be on the constant lookout for troubling signs that are on the horizon in an effort to begin implementing a course of action that can prove useful moving forward (Casida and Parket, 2011). Poor leaders simply do not possess such visionary thinking. Consider a situation involving a corporate business and a non-governmental organisation. An example of the latter would be a healthcare facility. The business may actually determine how to deal a crisis using a variety of different methods. Some employees, for example, may be leaving the company suddenly and the company has no idea what the reasons behind this are. Others begin to lose trust in the company, and stock prices begin to fall. Soon after, the moral of the employees begins to fall, and profit shares continue to rapidly shrink. It is during such times that many would blame the leadership and look to new direction to right the course (Boin & Hart, 2013). A local healthcare facility can face their own type of crisis, such is in the case with patient satisfaction levels are on the rapid decline. Many healthcare professionals are fleeing this particular center because of their lack of faith in the leadership, and the government is looming at the ready to implement policies that will be punishing in nature. If these symptoms are noticed early on in the process, then effective leadership and management can be proactive in intervening (Casida & Pinto-Zipp, 2008). Attributes of Good Leaders Good leaders are often willing to accept that they must adapt to various roles within an organization during a time of crisis, whereas poor leaders typically either refuse to do so, or simply do not have the skills to branch out into other areas. Again, this certainly impacts the organization as a whole. Leaders are often judged, either in a positive or negative light, by examining the ability of the facility to come out of a crisis relatively unscathed, and even having excelled in many respects. (Jennings et al., 2007) Because of this, the leader is often expected to work tirelessly, and to do anything within their power, to lead the organization through perilous times, in so far as such actions and activities are within ethical and moral guidelines, thereby demonstrating responsible leadership. Poor leaders are often reluctant to go above and beyond the call of duty, often neglecting the very actions that are required of them in order to provide direction to a struggling facility. Thus, again, poor leadership does make a difference, and it is not a positive one (Henderson, Winch, & Wolzhauser, 2009). Managers and leaders who get lulled into a sense of complacency during times of non-crisis must stand at the ready to adapt when the situation calls for it. They must have as their main objective to maintain a semblance of control over the team and to lead through adversity. Leaders must use this time to actively push the company towards maximizing their potential and weathering the storm (Cowden & Cummings, 2011). Effective leaders also have the ability to lead a facility through a crisis, and can realize when the most difficult of times are over. One possible method to accomplish this is to constantly monitor the insight and perceptions of the ground level staff. Most workers within a company are a reflection of the general attitude of the entire organization, so they are able to provide insight about what is happening within the company to make others feel the way that they do (Failla & Stichler, 2008). Leaders should be cognisant of the perception being expressed by their employees and work to correct any minor issues before they become major ones moving forward (Smith & Riley, 2012). Important Questions that Leaders Ask It is also critically important that leaders work towards learning from each crisis that occurs in order to become more effective at managing the process in the future. Poor leaders do not possess such an ability and, as such, crisis situations are likely to repeat themselves over and over again. Research theory reveals that good leaders will typically use the time after a crisis to address questions that they did not have time to address when in the midst of a storm. This will make them strong managers in the future, and become more respected by their respective teams as they desire to push the facility towards greatness. One such question is to determine what precipitated the crisis in the first place. In order to anticipate possible solutions to a problem, a leader can benefit from a bit of forward thinking to consider solutions that can be implemented before a crisis hits in the future (Fulop & Day, 2010). A second question that effective leaders in a healthcare facility should ask is related to who or what was the cause of the events leading up to the situation that was just encountered and resolved. Poor leaders do not follow through after the fact to determine what the causes of the even were, while effective leaders view this is a critically important part of the process. Good leaders want to determine what the cause of a situation within a healthcare facility was in order to provide proper direction related to avoiding the same occurrence in the future. If an individual needs more training in a certain area, for example, then an effective leader will work to make certain that it happens. If a negative situation was encountered because the leader him or herself was negligent in a certain area, then that should be taken into account as well and the individual be willing to acknowledge their shortcomings and work to improve for the future. If the problem is related to an organizational issue, then determining that is essential to ensuring that the same situation does not occur in the future as well. If there is an issue with protocol related to the proper staffing of nurses in an emergency room, for example, then a leader needs to realize that and implement measures to avoid it in the future (Germain & Cummings, 2010). Poor leaders neglect to ask these questions, however, which simply compounds problems for the facility in the future. One further question that is useful for leaders to ask is related to determining what can be done to avert such issues from occurring in the future. Leaders can often not prevent unique problems from happening, but they can work to avoid them in the future. To do this, good leaders will implement on the commonly accepting decision making models into determining future course of actions in any given area. Finally, leaders can certain benefit from ascertaining what the organization or facility can learn from a time of crisis in order to better be prepared in the future. Good leaders view a crisis or difficult times as a learning experience, not only for themselves as leaders, but for the entire organization. A leader has the important task of representing the organization and making certain that its best interests are taken into account at all times. To do this, effective leaders are constantly striving to understand how the entire organization can move forward in a positive and progressive manner (Failla & Stichler, 2008). The questions previously mentioned are vitally important to a healthcare facility, but there is not often time a crisis to address them. As such, leaders must go back and revisit the situation after the fact in order to determine ways that the facility could do better in the future. In addition, employees need to be focused on in order to determine their role in the crisis and to discover the various needs that they may have in the future in order to do their job more effectively. If employees feel that they have been left to take the blame for certain events that occurred, and this belief is justified, then even more issues can arise in the future. In essence, the job of the leader is to lead before, during, and after the crisis in order to constantly be assessing ways that the facility can improve upon the services that it offers to the patients and the community. Conclusion In conclusion, poor leaders typically do not push the organization towards excellence and they are often mired in mediocrity. Good leaders, however, aim to transform an organization through their ingenuity, ability to learn from their mistakes, and their desire to see everyone under them succeed. Such leadership is essential in a healthcare facility. Leaders needs to be inspirational and motivational, all the while communicating high expectations to everyone involved in the facility. They also need to strive to provide for and receive intellectual stimulation. Leaders need to be constantly learning, and they need to encourage their charges to do the same (Kara et al., 2013). Finally, leaders of healthcare facilities should be constantly aiming to promote leadership skills in others. This separates the good leader from the poor leader, and it certainly impacts their ability to positively impact an entire organization. References Adams, J., Erickson, J., and Paulo, L. (2009). An evidence based structure of transformative nurse executive practice. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 33(4), 280-287. Andrews, D., Richrad, D., Robinson, P., Celano, P., and Hallaron, J. (2012). The influence of staff nurse perception of leadership style on satisfaction with leadership: A cross-sectional survey of pediatric nurses. 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