You Dont Need To Be a Title to Be a Leader By Mark Sanborn - Book Report/Review Example

You Dont Need To Be a Title to Be a Leader By Mark Sanborn Introduction The book “You don’t need a title to be a leader” has a very positive and thought provoking message in it. Possessing a title cannot make a person to lead others. It takes an optimistic approach to be a leader, the one who believes in himself that he or she is capable of doing something that will have a positive influence will not ask for a title to execute what they believe in. The principles in the book refer a person as a leader who maintains relationship, outcomes and improvements in daily life. Nursing staff can set a remarkable example of leadership, as they have to be in relationship with people visiting hospitals. They are the first ones to attend the patients and communicate with their families. They are the ones who stay in constant contact with patients being treated in the hospital or clinic. A nurse can act as a leader in critical situations to calm down the family of a patient brought into the emergency room. In some case a proper monitoring is required to maintain health of the patient. Sometimes an error can be done by a nurse so the other fellow nurses among the staff should help and try their best to overcome the mistake. Such are the scenarios where a positive and sincere effort is required even if it’s beyond the duty. Similarly, in the situation of outcomes, nurses can play role of a leader by being generous and dutiful even if it requires some extra effort. A real leader will not expect some incentive in return to help the people who are in need. A person who has such an impact on the life of others is a leader. Such outcomes can lead to improvements in the workplace, hospitals and communities. Discussion The most effective principle mentioned in the book that can be practiced among nursing staff is “power with people”. Leaders have to earn their followers by influencing them. They never pressurize or command them. A leader should among the ordinary people understand their values and to access them easily. For example; nurses don’t stand in a position where they can order patients. They help the people by providing comfort and monitoring them. They work as a team with doctors and cooperate with patients too, so they have the power with the people. The principle “persuasive communication” can be widely practiced in nursing. With the help of strong communication a leader can gain trust of his followers. Nurses work in the environment where they have to communicate with patients and their families’ everyday. In order to be a leader, nurses should be good listeners for patients; they should win their trust and develop understanding. In such a way, patients will be happy to follow what the nurses suggest them. Another principle that can have impact in nursing is “giving”. This is a principle which makes an impressive leader. A leader believes in giving without expecting anything in return. A leader makes an effort to bring positive change in the surrounding. This can be applied in nursing, for example: if a nurse performs her duty with sincerity and without discriminating among people, then she is setting an example for the other nurses to follow. In this way, the whole nursing staff in a hospital will be exposed to positivity. An act of kindness never goes in vain. Florence nightingale, the lady who laid the foundation of “professional nursing” used to make several rounds on the night while serving as a nurse during the Crimean war where she was looking after the wounded soldiers. The principle “Self-Mastery” is also important in nursing. The first step towards leadership is to improve oneself. A person can only lead others if he becomes ideal for them. In order to be an ideal, one has to raise their values and character. The nursing staff should understand their work, they should educate themselves about the problems and conditions they are often exposed to and they should realize their job is to serve humanity. The principles discussed in the book can be very helpful if applied in nursing. To be a leader a nurse should understand the power of working with people. A nurse has to be in good terms with the other staff to build a healthy environment. Delegation of nursing activity also requires coordination with the other nursing staff. The assigned nurse should monitor the health status of patients, analyze the data and identify patient’s specific goal and nursing care needs. The principle of focus and self mastery are important in terms of nursing, a nurse should have the required knowledge about the health care needs of patients and the legal issues of the health care system. The book “Nursing Informatics” by Virginia Saba, Kathleen McCormick (2011) is about the topic that nurses should be educated, updated about the technology being used in the hospitals and information about current issues. This book supports the principle of self-mastery that before leading others a person should improve his or her character. In the book “Nursing Knowledge and Practice” by Maggie Mallik, Carol Hall and David Howard (2009) its discussed that mental health nurse should have strong communication skills to cooperate with patients. This statement validates the principle of persuasive communication in which the author defines that a genuine leader communicates to be understood by their listeners. Another quality of a nurse is mentioned in the book that a nurse should have an interest in working with people. This supports the principle of power with people, which emphasis on the idea that a leader works with people around them and he or she influence them. The book “Decision-making in Nursing: Thoughtful Approaches for practice” by S. B. Lewenson and M. Truglio-Londrigan (2008) stated the importance of group work in chapter Flattening the field: Group Decision Making, this correlates with the principle of power with people. Conclusion I would recommend this book as a valuable resource to a nurse leader or a manager. This book gives a positive message which can help nurses in being a better person both professionally and personally. It has a brilliant concept that no one needs to be in a strong position to inspire other people and lead them. This book contains the basic principle and examples that can be helpful to those who want be. References Saba, V. and McCormick, K. (2011). “Essentials of Nursing Informatics – 5th Edition”, McGraw-Hil Lewenson, S. B. and Truglio-Londrigan, M. (2008). “Decision-making in Nursing: Thoughtful Approaches for practise”. Jones and Bratlett Lerning Mallik, M. Hall, C. and Howard. D. (2009). “Nursing Knowledge and Practise”. Pearson Learning Read More