Assignment:
Introduction
Leadership in health care has changed dramatically since the 1950s. In 1970, the book Future Shock by A. Toffler, warned that organizations would change to more open systems composed of many work groups. In reaction to some of the projected changes, leadership executives across the nation created a new leadership direction and terminology. They identified that the wave of the future included a need for adaptability and the ability to create rapid institutional change.
Future leadership trends are both stimulating and challenging to the current leadership in traditional health care systems. One challenge for leadership is attaining a conceptual understanding of new terms, such as integrity, balance, diversity, community, adhocracy, resource reallocation, conservation, and responsibility for future. Leadership faces another challenge in adapting their styles to the new directions of the future. They are challenged to use their skills and talent to implement changes, such as shared governance, differentiated practice, participatory management, decentralization, and flattened fluid organizations.
It is important to clarify terms before learning about leadership. Leadership and management are two key terms that require definitions. Leadership and management are distinct concepts but are often lumped together as a single term. Management is defined as the "ability to forecast, plan, organize, coordinate, and control the plan of action" (Swansburg, 1996). According to Roach & Behling (1984), leadership's most popular definition is "the process of influencing an organized group toward accomplishing goals" (Hughes,
Ginnett, & Curphy, 2002). A leader uses interpersonal skills to influence others to accomplish specific goals, and a manager is responsible for efficiently accomplishing the goals of the organization (Sullivan & Decker, 2005).
Many theorists have researched leadership principles over the decades. According to Sullivan & Decker (2005), leadership theories are divided into four areas: trait theories, behavioral theories, contingency theories, and contemporary theories. Trait theories were explored in the 1900s and focused on the inherent traits of a leader's personality. Research for behavioral theories began in the 1930s. These researchers focused on the behaviors of leaders. The thought was that "real leaders are made through education, training, and life experiences" (Sullivan & Decker, 2005). Contingency theories focused on the adaptation of leadership styles to the environment or situation faced. Finally, contemporary theories are derived from quantum mechanics. They focus on the synthesis of all trait, behavioral, and contingency theories (Sullivan & Decker, 2005).
This week's discussion relates to the concepts of leadership and management and the exploration of theories in leadership. The concepts learned in this course are fundamental for any leadership role in health care. As your learning continues through your health care program, continue to build on these concepts. For example, if you identify ways to reduce conflict and enhance morale in a long-term care setting, you can build on this knowledge as you enter another health care setting, such as home health care. Leadership tactics may differ in both settings, but the outcome should be the same. Health care leadership is affecting change in the health care services. Discussing and understanding these leadership concepts are critical to your understanding of how leaders effect change and improve service delivery in every aspect of health care.
Application of This Week's content
In today's health settings, organizations frequently conduct reviews of their business objectives. Hospital leadership develops strategic plans and then evaluates the achievement of each business objective in the strategic plan. An example may be an organization that made the health care environment safer by decreasing medication errors by 5%. Health care leaders must understand the basics of business leadership as they improve or build health care services. Leadership is not being a parent to workers. In fact, if leaders use parenting skills as a leadership tool, the environment can become dysfunctional. Leadership must be delivered, adult to adult, with distinct accountabilities, alignment of roles, and honor and respect for the ideas that are generated (Porter-O'Grady & Malloch, 2007).
Hints for a reading strategy of the assigned materials
Readings related to health care leadership are provided on the student website. As you begin to read about leadership and management, apply these concepts to a health care setting and experiences in your own health care organization. You may want to observe how managers in your current health care setting perform various functions and compare those functions to the organization's leader functions. You may find that the managers are closer to operations such as scheduling resources and maintaining supplies, whereas the leaders are focused on the measurement of outcomes and driving their vision. You may also want to compare the variations in job descriptions for each position you observed. Applying real-life health care examples will assist you as you work on your course-related assignments. It is also important to apply theoretical concepts in the readings to real leadership situations in the organizations. Consider what you would do as a leader to create rapid change in the organization.
Some questions to ask as you hone your critical thinking
1. How would you define leadership?
1. What effect does competent health care leadership have on health care delivery in the United States?
2. What are the major differences between leadership and management? Which do you believe is more effective in creating change?
3. What are the barriers and difficulties applying theory to the work setting?
4. Does every successful leader have a value theory of leadership? Why or why not?
Summary to send you on the learning path
You will embark on a learning path to analyze the complex process of leadership in health care. Applying this knowledge to your organization is critical and will assist you in learning how leadership makes adjustments to various environments, cultures, and situations.
References
Hughes, R. L., Ginnett, R. C., & Curphy, G. L. (2002). Leadership: Enhancing the lessons and experience (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Porter-O'Grady, T., & Mallock, K. (2007). Managing for success in health care.St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.
Sullivan, E. J., & Decker, P. J. (2005). Effective leadership and management in nursing(6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Swansburg, R. C. (1996). Management and leadership for nurse managers. Boston, MA: Jones and Barlett.