Leadership for Policy and Product Innovation

Question: Discuss about the Leadership for Policy and Product Innovation. Answer: Introduction: Mrs. Katie is one of the senior nurse leaders working in the X hospital, Australia for more than 15 years. She is in-charge of the infection control department and is accountable for the infection control practices in the entire hospital including operation theatre. She is an all-rounder and gets respect from all the hospital staffs irrespective of their managerial heads such as doctors, surgeons, pharmacists, technicians, managers, housekeepers, etc. She has previously worked in the Y hospital for nearly 10 years and has quit it as it doesnt pave way to transform based on the changes in nursing field. Then, she has joined in the current hospital as senior staff nurse and transformed to nurse educator within one year. When I was posted in the oncology ward, I came across an incident in which the junior nurse named A has not taken care of her assigned patient properly. She has just finished her nursing degree and has 6 months experience. The ward in-charge has assigned two patients wi th one neutropenic and other breast cancer patient to her. The neutropenic patient was in strict isolation but Sr. A doesnt follow any aseptic technique while taking care of that patient. She has not used any barrier techniques, didnt washed her hands and applied hand sanitizer, etc before entering the patients room and has given sponge bath and started IV fluids. After few hours, the patient complained of having increased temperature with shivers. At this time, Mrs. Katie has entered the ward and asked about the patients complaint. One of the attendees told that Sr. A has not worn mask while caring the patient. Katie has asked Sr. A to answer as why she has not followed any barrier techniques while caring neutropenic patient and by the answer given by A, Katie understood that she is only a fresher and has no clear idea about the aseptic technique. Katie found that A has studied in a college where she has not come cross any neutropenic patient. Katie thought that the organizational vision, mission, structure, functions and job responsibiliti es for nurses should be revised. She has collected all the nurse educators and senior staffs and discussed about the learning needs of their departmental staffs and who in turn will take classes for the nurses. Katie has to face challenges as to provide best care to patients, maintain the fame of the hospital as well as maintain the staffs with clinical efficiency. She cant terminate the staff for this reason as the hospital requires adequate staffing and proper education will help to empower these staffs. Katie has taken classes to all the staffs about inflection control practices, precautions for care of neutropenic patients, etc. She has made staffs to demonstrate all the techniques. She was a friendly, talented, dedicated and sincere person. She always motivates and directs the staffs. She communicates in a good manner and many staffs were inspired by her personality. She has not punished but transformed the nurses into effective Smart nurses. Mrs. Katies behavior suggests that she is a nursing leader with inspiring personality. The leadership style adopted in this situation is trans-formational leadership. Mrs. Katies profile that I have observed in my clinical area has been discussed with trans-formational theory as it is the appropriate leadership theory that describes ones performance; its effectiveness and leadership styles used by a leader that aids in achieving the objectives of my work-place. In the future, I wanted to adapt trans-formational with quantum and innovative leadership. This essay discusses about the leaders role and their achievement by using trans-formational theory will be analyzed based on various perspectives. Initial reflections of the events Mrs. Katie, a senior nurse leader has been working in- charge of the infection control department in the X Hospital, Australia since 15 years. She is an all-rounder in nursing and other departments of the hospital. She is a friendly and intelligent person. I have observed her hard working, dedication and motivational attitude. She is a good communicator and has strong personality by inspiring the staffs and is taken as a role model by many nurses. She has good problem- solving skills and great clinical experience with specialized knowledge in infection-control practices and in leadership and managerial aspects. Moreover, she is the member of quality department and staff-welfare committees. She is in-charge of operation- theatre infection- control and involves in planning and coordinating its schedules. I greatly admire Katies leadership style. Her motivation, sincerity, hard-working, controlling, inspiring and evaluating personality of the staffs is the needed qualities for a leader. The leadership style practiced by Katie is trans-formational style which involves interaction between people for a definitive purpose of an organization by transforming, motivating and enhancing the actions of subordinates (Simola, 2012). Basically, a person who gives hope to others even in a desperate situation is called as a true leader (Prasad, 2009). Similar to this, Katie is a motivational and inspirational leader. Katies leadership style will transform the subordinate to a positive side leading to the attainment of desirable changes through the organizational strategy (Geib, 2013). She acts as a role model to her followers and has good communication skills that are needed for a leader to achieve her goal. Wang (2010) states that trans-formational leadership should be both individual and group- focused and it should empower the individuals to gain their full- potential and enhance the abilities and promote the self-esteem. Katie possesses all the characteristics of a trans-for mational leader. Critical Analysis The nurse leaders should posses the leadership skills as it is a most needed criterion for them. Katie is friendly to staffs and is a member of quality and staff development committee that helps to gain cooperation for achieving organizational goal as leadership is an art that involves mobilizing subordinates to struggle for shared aspirations (Heidenthal, 2004). Simply, it is an interaction between the leader and followers and influencing the followers to achieve their goals in work place as Katie is a good communicator that helps to attain the goal. Katie plans, controls, directs and organizes the infection control department including operation theatre which is supported by Basavanthapa (2003) that leadership is a dynamic- interactive process involving different dimensions as planning, directing, controlling and organizing. A leader should manage the activities of a group and influence them to attain goals (Roussel, 2006). A wise leader should induce the individuals/ group based o n leaders purpose as Katie does. The leadership could be formal, if a nursing manager exhibits power within a framework based on legal aspect of organization and informal, if nursing staffs could influence others to attain the vision (Sullivan, 2004). Trans-formational theory is the best theory to discuss Katies role, its nature and achievement as it focuses on the way by which the followers could be motivated, directed and controlled to attain the leaders goal (Sullivan, 2004). It involves promoting the subordinates commitment to the organizational vision (Sullivan, 2004). Katie empowers her subordinates to pursue the goal by maintaining unity to attain the organizational vision in the future (Kelly-Heidenthal, 2004). Geib (2013) states that the trans-formational leaders are good in influencing subordinates as the subordinates trust, admires, maintains loyalty and gives respect to their leader and so they will work hard to achieve the objectives. Trans-formational leaders should motivate the people to gain self-interests and should be a model for unity, integration and fairness. They should set clear goals with higher expectations, encourage and support the people (Warrick, 2011). This leadership will promote subordinates satisfa ction, which will determine the organizational performances (Stevens, 2010). Trans-formational leader should be a charismatic, influential and motivational person and inspire confidence (Northouse, 2010). By having motivation, Katie will carry her subordinates along with her and inspire them to attain the desired change in an organization. Roussel (2006) revealed that trans-formational leadership involves 4 components as managing- trust, gaining attention, self meaning. In case of managing- trust with reliability, the nurses will respect, follow and execute the organizational decisions that are fair, honest and equal, which was made by a trans-formational leader as exhibited by Katie. The judgment of these leaders will be consistent and worth. The management of attention will be achieved by adhering to vision, goal and sense of outcome (Roussel, 2006). All the health- care organizations will have a vision to define its role in the community which is credible, highly attractive with realistic objective. Understanding the staffs skills and the method to utilize them is defined as the meaning of a self (Roussel, 2006). Nurse leaders promote their leadership skills by continuous education in leadership and organizational- management that help them to reduce the stress faced in hospitals. In case of management of meaning, they should promote commitment in organizational staff by introducing their vision, mission and creating a standard culture between the staffs by group- discussions, staff meetings, agreement and con-senses building that supports staff innovation and creativity which is similar to Katie as she discusses about organization in her staff meetings. When the objectives are achieved, reward and appraisal should be given to the staff. In 2009, Roussel has clearly stated that the goals that benefit organization and staffs are attained by empowering the staffs to have a vision about organization and to develop trust in leaders is called as trans-formational leadership. Trans-formational leadership could be practiced in emergencies and operation theatres as these areas will change rapidly. So , the leaders in these areas should be flexible, assertive, motivate and respect the values as well as needs of the staffs (Roussel, 2009). Katies motivational and inspirational talk with good communication motivates her subordinates to work for the patient and organization. Generally, the transformational leaders should have common characteristics such as the ability to introduce the sense of capability and trust, offer vision, motivates to perform tasks and to take risk, manage the issues and take appropriate action at the time of conflict, to direct, control and communicate with others effectively. In relation to trans-formational leadership aspect, Katie treats her staffs equally, respectfully and friendly with good communication skills that are acceptable by all (Heath, 2004). This makes her to be respected in the entire hospital that aid in co-operation in patient care. This builds a trusty relationship among her subordinates. Additionally, she involves her subordinates in the vision of the organization by treating them equally (AANAC, 2014, p. 5). Due to this, the self-determination as well as self-confidence of her subordinates will be restored. She holds meetings individually in a routine basis to promote their values by asking about their probl ems, needs, suggestions for improving patient care and feelings in the organization and addresses these issues. Katie holds various positions and power with nursing staffs and hence they will feel more responsible for their work and try to work hard. She has given awards for staffs under various categories. This will motivate the staffs to attain the organizational goals and vision. She holds meetings to develop working strategies and newer ideas by involving all the staffs. Thus, Katie is an admirable trans-formational leader. Implications for my leadership practice Leadership is most important skill for a nurse leader. I previously believed that autocratic leadership is most needed for nurses as they deal with human life. This clinical situation has removed my older thoughts about leadership. This situation has thought me that trans-formational leadership suits well for nurses as it empowers and motivates them to contribute to patient care and build trustworthy relationship with others (Kelly-Heidenthal, 2004). Trans-formational leadership involves each and every staff in the decision making process that makes them to feel as a part of the hospital organization and aid in organizational success. I learned that the staffs should be motivated by giving adequate training and rewards for their excellence in patient care (Roussel, 2009). Trans-formational leadership will help to bring positivity in the staffs mind with self-interest and influence them to achieve societal goals (Warrilow, 2012, Tan, 2006). I understood that, the trans-formational leader who is acting as a role- model will influence the subordinates and make them feel accountable for their duties and responsibilities (Mc-Naron, 2009, p. 589- 560). Higher level of competencies could be gained when this type of leadership is demonstrated to provide quality care. A great deed of job- satisfaction will be attained by adapting this style. A leader should share power and involve other staffs in decision making process. I understood the need for group involvement and ways to create it. It is clear that staffs should be motivated by rewarding them for their excellence. I learned that a leader should mobilize the support (man power, money and time), possess good communication style with ability to make the subordinates to follow (Humphrey, 2002). A nurse leader should be a good listener and empower staffs by training them continuously (Vitello-Cicciu, 2002). A leader should continuously learn and update her to sustain in a competitive environment. An efficient leader should be able to initiate a change, implement a change, empower the staff members, act as a role model, specify the roles and responsibilities for staff members and carry staffs to come along (Northouse, 2010). I believe that job design plays a great role in regulating the effects of trans-formational leadership. Roussel (2006) suggests that a leader should achieve a common goal and mission with the help of appropriate measures. I learned that a group could be transformed into more functional and useful organization by this leadership style. From Mrs. Katies clinical situation, I learned that a nurse leader should transform based on changing situation so as to adapt to needs of the patients. Nursing profession requires politeness, compassion, hard- working with great integration into the leadership hierarchical structure and so trans-formal leadership will be more apt for nursing department. Many hospitals and centers follows this type of style as it has to be modified based on the advancements. A nurse should be transformer as well as undergo transformation to be an effective carer. I will use vision, mission, passion, integrity, ceremonies traditional rituals and enthusiasm to reshape the changing society by adapting proactivity, functioning as a catalyst for creativeness and innovation, serving as a team lead and promoting learning within organization (Roussel, 2014). I learned that intellectual stimulation should be focused on the ability of the staffs to encourage practicing problem- solving and critical- thinking skills with creative as well as innovative approaches in daily tasks and other situations. I will balance the effort between productivity and staffs effic iency, create trust with organization, manage change-process, make appropriate decision and promote organizational learning (Institute of medicine, 2004). In the future, I will adapt tans-formational leadership with quantum and innovative style. Quantum style involves whole, personal-integration and synthesis of organizational goals. It helps to transited from chaos, conflicts, rules, scripts and loss (OGrady, 2015). Innovative involves critical and creative thinking which is much needed for nurses. Conclusion Leadership is most important for nurse leaders as they manage with life. Katies profile has been analyzed and discussed in this essay. Her nature, vision, goals, competencies and achievement has been discussed by using trans-formational leadership theory and found more similarities than differences. She has used trans-formational leadership skills effectively and used them to improve the staffs and organizations productivity. I have enjoyed working with Mrs. Katie in the Oncology department under her leadership and I believe that I will adapt trans-formational leadership with quantum and innovative style in the future. I wish the best for Mrs. Katie to continue in trans-formational style. Reference AANAC- The American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination. (2014). Extras Nursing Leadership Management Leadership Styles: 1-10. Retrieved from www.aanac.org Basavanthappa.(2003). Nursing Administration. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=8171796710 Geib, P., Swenson, J. (2013). China: Transformational Leadership for Policy and Product Innovation: Advances in Management. 6(5): 3-10. Heath, J. (2004). Healthy work environments. A validation of the literature: Journal of Nursing Administration. 34: 524- 530 Humphrey, R.H. (2002). 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