The Nurse Manager Role - Essay Example

Nursing Leadership: Coaching on Emotional Intelligence

The nurse manager role expanded with more responsibilities resting upon the nursing leadership over the past few decades. Subsequently, skills and competence for the nurse manager has become a primary focus, for organizations, researchers and nurse executives. One of the competence areas is emotional intelligence; more so how nurse leaders can manage and control distress situations, interact or engage with their followers. However, coaching is paramount for nurse leaders to develop their emotional awareness especially on empathy, adaptability, and how to manage effective communication. Hence, the subsequent case study explores the need and vitality of emotional intelligence coaching in nursing leadership.

Case 3: The New Manager Needs a Coach

Flora is the newly appointed nurse leader having been selected out of three potential candidates. However, her first meeting with the nurses is unsuccessful, and strong emotions towards the team as being “good for nothing” and upon overhearing her outburst, the CEO recommends her for emotional intelligence coaching. Her reaction on the first meeting with the nurses on the recommendation on the need to have a Register Nurse highlights a problem with emotional intelligence. She is first assessed in emotional intelligence using surveys from family, friends and co-workers with the scores on major areas like empathy much worrying because despite being in the profession for so long, little does Flora notice how she limits the inputs from her team. It is a case of a leader misguiding her personality, skills, and capability to hold the position; hence, she has to go through training. Potential leadership capability has been identified in Flora. However, all will depend on how she counters situations because, from the first meeting, it seems Flora does not know how to control her emotions or reactions. The bottom line is that the current challenge with leadership in the case is emotional intelligence, with the CEO recommending her for training or coaching on emotional intelligence.

Training is being recommended to improve the poor sociability skills which the survey results have outlined as weakly developed in Flora including the average scores in self-motivation, social skills, social awareness, and self-regulation. Adaptability is a necessity which determines how a leader gets along with his or her followers, especially accepting their recommendations in problem-solving which Flora similarly lacks. She equally needs training in communication since clarity in communication similarly determines the leadership success (Taylor, 2017). Her problem with communication is seen when she recommends listening as the first major area that needs development. Flora outlines situations when she listens best like when relaxed, having a plan, data, notes, script, and trust the other party but worse when her suggestions or facts are refused, past history triggered or simply rejected. The challenge is also on emotional self-awareness and worse, Flora’s empathy. Briefly, the major issue with the case is that Flora has not yet fully developed emotional intelligence skills and competence necessary for leadership and as such, the urgent need for training. Hence, the case shows how a new nurse leader requires coaching as evident when Flora begins by aiming at developing her listening skills, listing out the conditions that enhanced her listening and those that are detrimental.

Organizational Behavioral Problem: Poor Leader-Follower Communication

The nature of the organizational behavioral problem is poor communication impeded by emotional barriers. Accordingly, emotional barriers, which emanates from emotional intelligence, inhibit individuals from effectively communicating with others (Borkowski, 2011). However, in the case, the nature of the problem is deeply rooted in the leadership and based on the mistrust and fear that locks Flora from understanding other's emotions; she lacks social awareness. For Flora's organization, she has failed as a new leader to develop or create an organic form of organization. Her problems with emotional intelligence or sociability skills imply that she does not encourage dispersed decision-making to allow nurses to be directly involved in deciding the current situation. An organic organization is characterized by informal relationships, flexible authority, constructive criticism, and few written rules for avoiding or regulating emotional conflicts and reactions (Lunenburg, 2012). Flora's reaction was full of emotions on the recommendation to hire a new RN; she is not flexible in dispensing authority, has created a tensed or formal relationship with nurses and as such, barely encourages constructive criticism. All the problems are because of her poor emotional intelligence skills which affect the communication with nurses based on social-awareness and empathy, possibly, because she has poor listening skills (self-awareness of her weaknesses).

Lack of empathy, Poor Listening Skills and Lack of Self-Awareness in the New Manager

Leaders with low emotional intelligence exhibit lack of empathy which leads breakdown in communication and engaging with their followers (Borkowski, 2011). Flora’s problem with emotional intelligence stems from her poor approach to communicating with others. For one, the problem is much attributed to lack of empathy. Notably, people who exhibit considerately low emotional intelligence do little to understand other’s emotions, barely get to know what others feel and do not consider other’s positions (Buchbinder, 2009). Her lack of emotional intelligence would also be attributed to the lack of trust on the team, and as such, it meant that she was devoid of empathy because of not having confidence in her team.

Low emotional intelligence is equally attributed to poor listening and compromised communication. So often, persons with low emotional intelligence listen to respond and not to understand what others say (Fallon & McConnell, 2007). If any case, the suggestion to hire a new RN would also cut costs given that there are changes and this professional gap needs to be fulfilled by an individual who has held the position. An experienced RN would help in streamlining, coordinating and organizing the nurses to reduce redundancies within the hospital and as such, help in cutting or lowering costs. However, the breakdown in the communication with nurses is because Flora failed to regard their input and suggestion. Specifically, people who have low emotional intelligence think that they are ever right and as such, will ever defend their position with outright vigor but fail to listen what others are saying (Buchbinder, 2009). In the same sense, Flora considered her team as “good for nothing” and having nothing to offer. However, she equally failed to realize a suggestion that could similarly solve the current problem. Although Flora is surprised with her results on empathy because she always asked her people for input, all depends on how she ta takes input. However much an input may be recommended, if the leader or manager does not put it into practice, then he or she still does not recognize other's ideas and will always consider their position as the most suitable (Fallon & McConnell, 2007). Such is the situation with Flora as the new leader.

Finally, the issue of concern with Flora's case is her lack of self-awareness (difficult in asserting herself). Usually, individuals who exhibit lower emotional intelligence lack kindness, good manners, and empathy (Buchbinder, 2009). Equally, such people are unlikely to show boundaries and as such, not capable of handling conflicts. Conversely, persons with proper emotional balance strive to steer away from unfiltered emotional reactions (Fallon & McConnell, 2007). It enables the individuals to confront or address challenging situations without necessarily getting on people's nerves or creating enemies. However, Flora lacked this attributed, showed the inability to assert or steer way from emotional outbursts.

Addressing Lack of Emotional Intelligence Management Skills and Experience

Leadership requires experience that enables one to assess his or her skills and identify areas that need improvement (Buchbinder, 2009). The primary reason that led Flora out bursting and criticizing her team is that she did not have prior experience to leadership situation, especially how to handle emotions as a leader. Somehow, Flora had problems with controlling strong emotions, partly because her communication was based on listening what she wanted to hear but not opinion of others. Her problem with handling emotions would come from Flora not adaptive and fearing to face a new challenge of individuals who would recommend what is supposed to be done within the situation. Flora’s fear of being challenged brought out the uncontrollable emotional outburst.

So often, low emotional intelligence implies that an individual does not entertain new ideas, philosophies, and experiences (Buchbinder, 2009). Flora was used to her ways of doing things, and as such, was happy with her routine and would not welcome any challenge. In most cases, such leaders never accept challenges, especially in unfamiliar ways. Also, for Flora, what she has never considered or heard before would easily be disregarded as not being applicable.

Equally, Flora's problem is primarily due to how she communicated without having an open-minded approach. She went to the meeting with a prior misguided conception that the team has nothing to offer and with the response she gave, it exemplified how Flora was never open-minded in her communication with others. Hence, while listening to the response from the nurse, she was not open-minded to consider the possibility of the solution having a positive impact in cutting costs.

The problem in Flora's case is that she barely lacks emotional self-awareness, especially how she can express her emotions (Buchbinder, 2009). In this sense, the issue boils down to her problem with communication and listening skills as she misunderstood the nurses. Accordingly, part of effective communication is feedback but in the same sense, a nursing leader needs to be careful in choosing the specific words and expressing emotions in a manner that will not have detrimental effects on followers (Borkowski, 2011). Lack of self-awareness meant that Flora did not understand how to express feelings, resorted to outburst or argument, expressing herself in anger. In this sense, the situation portrayed her inability to communicate effectively in emotionally complicated or challenging circumstances. She did not express herself as a leader who is awareness of her emotions, able to control her anger and at best, efficacy in understanding the emotions or feelings of others (Taylor, 2017).

Flora also behaved the way she did because she lacked trust on the team. Flora seemed to have had no faith in the team in its capability of problem-solving and this triggered an emotional outburst thereby exposing her poor listening skills. Besides, Flora is shown as a leader who does not welcome criticism and being corrected, dislikes challenges or being attacked (Buchbinder & Shanks, 2012).

Trust, Open-mindedness, and Emotional Stability Creates an Emotionally Intelligent Leader

The first thing that Flora should do is engaging with the nurses in the meeting because effective listening depends on how one is actively involved and the other party also feels that they are on the same page (Buchbinder, 2009). For instance, if the nurses will share their ideas, Flora should even ask questions by encouraging them to elaborate or expand on their perspectives. The first meeting failed because the suggestion from one of the old workers was not given a chance for discussion or Flora did not ask her why the solution would cut costs. Listening through engagement gives the employees the impression of a responsible leader who follows up what they are saying and as such, giving them the notion that the leader is listening, paying attention and listening to understand (Fallon & McConnell, 2007). Conversely, active listening, involves empathy and for Flora, her next meeting should be defined or guided by empathy towards the team. Although it is her second meeting, all she needs to do is to avoid preemptive judgment. For instance, the first meeting was a flop because she did not ask why the nurses are always complaining (hence failed to consider their emotions and feelings) and what her words would have implied or meant to them when she outright suggested that they "had nothing to offer." Hence, listening will also entail showing empathy to the nurses in the next meeting.

To be adaptable or flexible to other’s ideas, Taylor (2017) would suggest that Flora should make sure that her encounter with the nurses is defined explicitly by trustful engagement, by trusting them to provide sound suggestions. Trusting will enable Flora to specifically pay attention to what others will contribute in the meeting. Conversely, she should not go into the meeting preoccupied with her agenda. Instead, the meeting should be open, not only to drive her agenda, but also to have an open-mind of listening to what others might contribute (Taylor, 2017). Besides, she has to practice reflex by taking a deep breath and ensuring that her mind is in the present and not any distraction can trigger history that can lead to negative emotions. If possible, fifteen minutes of yoga before the meeting can help her with mind meditation to focus on the present meeting.

Emotional intelligence entails remaining calm in turbulent and emotionally charged situations (Buchbinder, 2009). Accepting people’s ideas and being open-minded in the meeting will mean that counteraction for her ideas or suggestions is bound to happen. Therefore, Flora should be prepared to remain calm and composed even when she fills her ideas are being criticized. In the age of technology, Flora can carry with her visual presentation materials like a projector to allow her to implement the meeting plan. Aside from taking notes, the projector can help her in engaging the meeting, especially in highlighting the solutions and possible outcomes. Possibly, a notebook and a comprehensive plan for the meeting will also lead or mean her success in this particular meeting.

Personal Reflection: Emotional Intelligence Coaching Is a Necessity for Leaders

Through my work experiences, severally managers have failed because of lack of feeling and empathy towards others. I reflect on a particular nurse manager who never accepted corrections and mistakes and would react by victimizing the subordinates. He was mean in his reactions, giving negative comments and feedback, especially when schedules were missed. He was never a team player, barely engaged the workforce in planning and decision making. The result was a high employee turnover, low morale and lack of motivation which contributed to lower quality in service provision and overall, undermined or derailed the productivity of the organization. In my opinion, Emotional Intelligence coaching highlights different areas to improve or enhance how leaders manage their emotions, reaction to others, relate and interact with others (Taylor, 2017). Emotional intelligence coaching is a necessity for any leader because some skills and attributes are rather learned and not personality traits. For instance, one can learn how to be active listener, being aware of their emotions when communicating with others and the approaches they can use to compose, relax and engage themselves with the communication context to avoid being overly distracted by their emotions. I believe that coaching on emotional intelligence helps the leader or a leader to understand the necessity of adaptability, accepting criticisms and as such, valuing the views or perceptions of others.

Conclusion

Emotional Intelligence Coaching is necessary more so for leaders who have not been exposed to emotionally distressful situations. Low emotional intelligence denotes lack of self-awareness, lack of empathy and concern for other’s emotions. Moreover, it denotes poor communication especially listening skills and lack of adaptability. Flora exemplified the attributes of a leader with low emotional intelligence as the case discusses. To address her problems, Flora ought to have an open-minded approach, trust her team and be emotionally stable when communicating.