Compare and contrast at least Three theoretical perspectives on healthcare management and leadership - Essay Example

Leadership seems to be a trending topic even in healthcare where better leadership is considered to be a significant factor in improving quality of healthcare and organizational processes (Hartley & Benington, 2010). The study compares and contrasts three leadership and management theories that include transformational theory, Shared leadership theory and situational theory because leadership theories are dynamic and change with time. Transformational leadership Transformational theory usually goes beyond traditional style of transactional leadership and elaborates that people work effectively if the individuals have a sense of mission.

Healthcare systems experience various challenges and chaos as healthcare organizations increasingly face complex problems, which motivate organizations to embrace transformational leadership. Transformational leadership considers a leader to be an individual that is capable of enabling others to act and even converting the followers to become leaders who in turn can be agents of change (Roussel, 2013). This model influence arise from the power of being a leader although the leader never uses the power to control or even repress constituents but rather a transformational leader empowers the constituents to have vision regarding the organization.

In transformational theory energy initiates and sustains activities that translate intentions into reality; hence, in this perspective leadership is not concerned with so much exercise of power but rather focuses on empowering others (Borkowski, 2009). However, this does not imply that leaders in this approach relinquish power but instead emphasizes reciprocity exchange between leaders and constituents. The approach links the purpose of the leader to that of the constituent, which results in collective purpose which empowers staff and activates critical thinking in the staff’s roles in an organization and develops commitment in staff an essential asset for any organization (Goodwin, 2013).

Transformational leaders mobilize staff through focusing on the welfare of people in the work environment because leadership experts recommend styles that empowers and recognizes collaboration instead of competition (Roussel, 2013). When the working atmosphere is empowering, people get empowered and feel part of a team and consider themselves to be contributors to the success of an organization. In healthcare, empowerment may result in increased patient care, reduced staff sick days as well as reduced attrition.

Transformational healthcare leaders tend to have a staff that has high job satisfaction and who remain in an organization for a prolonged period (WHO, 2008). However, for healthcare leaders who always want to be in charge, the method may make them feel threatened by sharing their power with the staff. Moreover, although effective leadership supports shared power, the leader accepts responsibility in decision making even when the decision made is unpopular. In this approach, constituents like their wishes to be considered; however, there are times like in a crisis when constituents require prompt and clear decisions from the leader and this is where situational theory comes in.

Because of the flexibility of a transformational leader, a leader in this approach is able to adapt styles for