Leadership in Nursing - Essay Example

Leadership in Nursing Introduction Leadership in the mental health care affects the day to day running as well as the effectiveness of the practitioners. Role models have a duty to play to influence positively the rest of the staff and those that look up to them. This essay analyses the different styles of leadership that can be used in the mental health care. The main aim is to understand how role models can effectively influence other people while at the same time executing their duties effectively. The essay discusses the characteristics of a good role models then analyses leadership theories that underpin this characteristics. According to Stuecker (2010) successful leaders have to be good role models. This ensures that there is a guaranteed continuity in leadership. Freeth (2007) adds that role models in mental health care play a key role to both the patients as well as the rest of staff they work with. Role models and leadership A role model simply means that one is a person who is looked up to and also revered by someone else. They are people who other people aspire and admire to be like mostly in the present but also in the future. They can be indivdual whom a person interacts with on regular basis or even a person one has never met like a sportspersons or professional or celebrities. Common role models that are known include celebrities, actors, professionals, managers, family members, political leaders, corporate leaders, teachers among others. According to OLynn (2013) role models play a key role in shaping Careers. Yoder-Wise and Kowalski (2012) say that in any profession, the role models help new practitioners set a standard for themselves. The idea of a role model gives an individual a sense of leadership. Defining leadership can be a bit challenging because every person has their own view of what a leader is. There are those who see a leader as a person who guides and lead others to complete particular tasks while others see it as more to do with the motivation and inspiration that the individual offers to the subjects they lead. According to Kunreuther, Roiguez and Kim (2013) definition of leadership is much dependent on what is perceived by the leader as leadership and what is understood by those who are led. The role model becomes a leader to the person they inspire. Leadership can be hard to define in some context. This is because leadership can be subjective and varies in different situations. Nonetheless, leadership skills can be practiced in all levels in workplace. An individual may be a role model but have not been given leadership roles but as role models, they become leaders to people they inspire. Role models in mental health Nursing Mental health nursing is considered to be complex and at times demanding. However, the practice is rewarding and comes with satisfaction. Dealing with human psychological problems and behaviour can be challenging and therefore calls for unique experience and positive attitude towards the practice. The role models in this field play a key role in ensuring that new and even old practitioners have had a positive impact that will help them excel in their field. According to Norman and Ryrie (2013) role models in mental nursing have a duty to positively influence their patients as well as other practitioners and students in the field. Characteristics of a good role model in mental health nursing A good role model in mental nursing possesses various characteristics. Austin and Boyd (2010) mental health nursing comes with experiences that overtime help the nurses develop skills and other characteristics that can only be acquired while in the field. One of the characteristic is ability to form supportive relationship with other staff and patients. According to Ralph and Taylor (2014) a good role model should establish relationships with other staff as well as patients in order to ensure that they are defective. A good role model should also possess relevant knowledge and clinical skills. This forms the most important part of their practice. They should also have good communication and listening skills. This helps effective feedback and swift floor of information to ensure that there are no mistakes made due to misinterpretation. According to Morrissey and Callaghan (2011) leaders who have better communication skills are likely to influence positively the rest of the staff because they will know the right information to give and the right moment. A good role model in mental health nursing should also show commitment to offer leadership and supervision even if it is not their duty. Ethically, every fractioned has a responsibility and obligations and when situation calls, the fractioned should step up to the need when it arises. According to Stacey, Felton and Bonham (2012) all forms of leadership in the mental health nursing as well as supervision should be involved in making sure that it provides good role model and support to the rest of the nurses and this encourages good nursing. Other necessary characteristics include ability to effectively control their emotions and behaviour, good management skills, ability to solve conflicts and crisis when they arise. Leadership Styles The most common leadership style includes authoritarian, paternalistic, democratic, laissez-faire, transactional and transformational. This essay will focus on authoritarian, democratic and laissez-faire since the mix of these three has proven to be more effective in mental health leadership. According to Basavanthappa (2007) the combination of the three leadership style ensures that a leader is able to control the staff while at the same time give them freedom to explore solutions to different problems in the organization. This also helps in ensuring specific goals and objectives have been achieved. Authoritarian leadership Also referred to as autocratic, the leadership style gives the leaders strict and close control over the rest of the subjects by keeping close regulations on policies and guidelines offered. This leadership style creates strict professional relationship between the leader and the subjects. According to Levin and Becker (2010) this style offers great productivity but has a limitation in terms of morale and motivation among the subjects. Democratic leadership This involves the leader letting the members of the group they lead participate in decision making. The abilities, opinions and interest of the group members are considered in decision making. It involves debates, discussions and sharing ideas and encouragement of the group members to feel good about their workplace and the general environment as a whole. According to Townsend (2014) productivity in this form of leadership is relatively low compared to the other leadership styles as it takes allot of time and it might be hard to incorporate the interest of each member of the group. Laissez-faire leadership This leadership styles gives the members of the group or the staff complete power to make decision. It is often referred to as "hand-off" leadership as the leader delegates tasks to the members of the group without any direction or making decision on the right move. According to besides and Kendall (2014) this style has been found to least effective and productive as the members of the group are likely to make the wrong decisions. The style is also limited by the fact that the employees may go into conflict as each person want their opinion to count more. Application of leadership styles in mental health care Autocratic leadership This kind of leadership is effective when handling issues that are likely to be challenges and objected by the rest of the staff members. Introduction of new policies may need a leader to be autocratic in ensuring that all members adhere to the new regulations. In situations where there is difference in personal ideas among the employees, autocratic leadership might prove effective in solving the problem. Kunstler and Daly (2010) say that autocratic leadership can be used to implement an organizations strategy especially in situations where employees have difficulty in understanding the culture of the organization. Democratic leadership There are situations where a leader may be short of insight and opinion. By discussing the issue with the rest of the staff, the leader is able to gain extensive opinion on the subject and hence decision making becomes more informed. In situations where the decision is going to affect the rest of the practitioners directly, like the change in working schedule, democratic leadership will help cater for the interest of the nurses and any other staff. According to Tyrer (2009) a leader who practices democratic leadership is likely to achieve the goals of the organization as the decisions made are rich. Laissez-faire The use of this style should be limited to decisions that do not have a great impact to the organizations. Decisions based on daily operations and informal running of the organization can call for this style of leadership. The leader should use this style on experienced members of the group as they are likely to know the right decision to take. According to Varcaloris (2013) Laissez-faire leader is considered successful because of the fact that he gives the rest of the group members’ freedom to make decisions and this strongly promotes the morale of the employees. Contemporary leadership theories that support good role models in mental healthcare Great man theory A good role model and a leader in mental health care who has great charisma, skills and knowledge are likely to be effective in their job. As a leader, they can easily affect the perception and attitude of the rest of the members of the group. Their extensive knowledge ensures that they are able to make sober decisions and as well develop structures that will help improve organizational goals. This theory can be effective in that people with charisma tend to have good communication skills which are very vital characteristics of a good role model. Swanwick and McKimm (2011) say that great man theory clearly gives a picture of what a role model should look like in clinical practice. A leader should be admired by the rest of the followers because of the greatness in their job. Power and Influence theory A role model should be able to use their power and influence to effectively execute their duties. In situations where there might be opposition or challenge, a good leader will use their influence to convince the rest of the members of the group on the right direction to take. The power can either be based on the official mandate in the organization or simple powers of their position. Whichever the case, the leader should be able to use this. In situations of conflict between the staff members a role model may use their influence to solve the problem. According to Mumford (2010) an autocratic leader is likely to use their power and influence in making decisions and leaders members of a group. Their powers ensure that the employees follow their decisions without questioning. Behavioural Theories This theory, focus on specific behaviours of the leaders. This approach of behaviour to leadership is closely related to human relations. The way a leader behaves significantly affects the productivity and success of the organization. The behaviour of a role model forms part of what is admired and revered by other people. Whichever form of leadership style decides to use, it is affected by their behaviour. A leader should not dictate what needs to be done and expect cooperation without being involved. A good role model equally, is expected to behave in a more welcoming manner. According to Bertocci (2009) personal reaction and behaviours of leaders when subjected to certain circumstances will influence their leadership especially if the subjects they lead are aware of these behaviours. According to Hoffmann and Luisser (2009) leadership has allot to do with human behaviour and for this reason, it can be studied and learned in order to develop positive behaviours. Situational leadership theory This theory recognises that there is no particular style of leadership that can be considered to be the best. Effective leadership is seen as being task-relevant and the most successful leaders are the ones who shift their leadership skills depending on different situations and tasks. Effective leadership varies not only to the group or individuals being led but also tasks, situations and functions that need to be accomplished. According to Martin et al (2006) leaders should be sensitive and alert to deploy different styles of leadership in different situations. This is the only way that a leader will be relevant to the people they lead and ensure productivity. An effective leader can use a mix of leadership styles depending on the issue in subject. In mental health, a good leader is able to analyse a situation and advise the rest of the staff on the right decision to make. They may equally give the staff the freedom to make their own decision. According to Adams (2015) the nursing health care is changing rapidly and this needs advance leadership skills they will help adapt to new situations and circumstances. Leadership styles are equally affected by these changes and therefore the leadership should be able to change their styles too. Evidence-base review of effective leadership styles in mental healthcare Autocratic leadership According to Bradbury and Reason (2006) the use of Autocratic leadership can be effective in the mental institutions not only among the staff but also the patients. It is important to note that the mental health care field is full of challenges and the practitioners may be affected in their productivity. The use of autocratic leadership ensures the set standards have been followed. Clegg, Harris and Hopfl (2011) make analysis of the use of other leadership of styles and conclude that autocratic leadership can only be effective is it is incorporated with other leadership styles. The National Health Service in United Kingdom has setup training programmes that help healthcare supervisors and practitioners gain skills that enable them decide the best styles to use at work. Democratic leadership The use of democratic leadership can be termed as being inevitable. In any given organization, including the mental health care field, there is needed to have some sense of democracy among the practitioners. The leadership in the mental health care field have to work together with the rest of the members. Decisions should be made based on experiences and opinions of the rest of the staff as they posses valuable information from their different departments. Weiss and Tappen (2015) say that a senior member of management may not have every detail concerning particular issues and therefore may need opinion of the people they lead. According to Weinberger and Harrison (2010) leadership among the top offices in mental healthcare in UK is so much based on cooperation and relation of the all organization including the junior staff. Laissez-faire leadership Laissez-faire style of leadership is thought to be the least productive but with combination with other styles, the method guarantees that mental health practitioners are motivated and in good moral in doing their duties. According to Washington and Leaver (2015) in the UK, the mental health department has developed and grown overtime because of the freedom the nurses and other health care facilitator have been given in executing their mandate. Vincent (2010) adds that the use of laissez-faire leadership has helped students and new employees in mental health care institutions gain knowledge and skills rapidly. Leadership styles of the role model The role model has been using a mix of three leadership styles i.e. autocratic, laissez-faire and democratic. This combination ensures that the role model is able to deal with different situations as they arise. Flint (2011) says that the mix of the three leadership styles can be used to promote cooperation and organization integration as each member plays a role in decision making. A good role model would use democratic leadership to involve the rest of the staff in making recommendations in strategic planning. Shives (2008) adds that the experiences and opinions of every member in a workplace are significant in planning and strategizing for the future. A good role model will ensure that the standard of operations is not compromised. By using autocratic leadership, the strict guideless and policies set are easily implemented. According to Martin and Tulgan (2012) the autocratic leader puts more emphasis on following guideless and delivery as expected. Derval (2010) adds that autocratic leadership gives the leader power and control over the rest of the members of the group. Patel and Jakopac (2012) say that some leadership information can affect how employees execute their work. Authority is so much based on the fact that the rest of the employees cannot access some information and plans from the top management. Autocratic leadership would be more effective when dealing with new graduates to the mental healthcare. According to Rosdahl and Kowalski (2008) new graduates may be comfortable with autocratic leadership as the tasks come with definite instructions which become easier for them to execute. Schyns and Hansbrough (2010) say that the use of Laissez-faire creates an environment that is welcoming and integrating. By allowing the members of staff make their own decisions, they are exposed to experiences and new skills are learnt. According to Lloyd, King and Deane (2009) a new leader may use Laissez -faire to learn about the different strength as well as weaknesses of their team and this helps them plan better. Conclusion There are role models who do not need to be part of management in the mental health care. The role model can be any member of the staff. Leadership is hard to define because different people have different understanding of what leadership is. A role model becomes a leader since there is a person looking up to them. There are many leadership steles that can be used in mental health care, they include autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire. There is no specific style that is superior to the rest but rather mixing the three styles has proven to be very productive and effective. There are many leadership theories than can be used to elaborate the style of leadership. Great man theory can be used by leaders who possess great charisma and wide range of knowledge and skills. Situational leadership recognises that there is not specific leadership style that is superior to the others. Leadership styles vary depending on tasks, relevant goals among other factors. Power and influence theory explains who leaders can use their power and influence to affect their leadership where as behavioural theory explains how personal behaviours and traits of the leaders affect their effectiveness. The use of the three leadership styles in the UK mental health care has proven to be successful. The styles give the leaders as well as the rest of the staff a chance to grow. A good role model should be able to exercise all the three leadership styles as relying on as single leadership style may not be productive. Reference list: OLynn, C. E. (2013). A mans guide to a nursing career New York, Springer Pub Co Top of Form Yoder-Wise, P. S., & Kowalski, K. (2012) Fast facts for the classroom nursing instructor: classroom teaching in a nutshell. New York, Springer Pub. Co Bottom of Form Norman, I. J., & Ryrie, I. (2013) the art and science of mental health nursing: principles and practice Top of Form Austin, W., Boyd, M., & Austin, W. 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