Course Outcomes addressed in this Assignment HA405-5: Contrast the leadership st
ID: 423997 • Letter: C
Question
Course Outcomes addressed in this Assignment HA405-5: Contrast the leadership styles of healthcare managers. Instructions In this unit, you will explore opposing leadership styles found in managers In a 1-page paper, elaborate on two leaders: one which you determine as effective and the other as an ineffective leader. These individuals do not need to be in healthcare. Include two (2) academic references and submit your assignment in APA format. Requirements: . Discuss your example of an effective and an ineffective leader . Address the similarities and differences of your leaders . Include specific characteristics of each type of leader based on identifying their effectiveness. . Include two (2) academic referencesExplanation / Answer
The very nature of Healthcare organizations, which provide care to all and at times to critical patients, and overall operate in a segment where sensitivity to patient needs and excellence in service, in the terms of identifying and providing optimal care to a patient, become the basis for success and survival of the organization, leadership takes on special significance at every level of the organization. Competition has similar implications for every industry and segment within an economy. The more the competition the better the quality of goods and services offered to lure the consumers, and to lower the pricing, by cutting costs wherever possible, to ensure maximum value at minimum cost. Considering the sensitive nature of the Healthcare industry as it provides services to save lives as well as protect quality of life available to the population at large, quality care and optimal services are the required asset and not competitiveness or maximization of profitability, therefore, ethics and compassion need to be essential qualities for leaders within this sector.
We are in a very competitive economic environment today largely due to the massive impact of communication technology putting the world at our fingertips. In this scenario most of the successful brands and large organizations worldwide are creating fresh milestones in leadership excellence and over the top management, a no bars no boundaries mindset and out of the box thinking has taken business management to an altogether different sphere. Hence, most managements are very much aware of the need to carry the team along with the organization to achieve its core goals of maximization of profits and global growth. They do not want to handle crises within the organization when they have so many to handle externally. Therefore, a leader should have the ability to promote harmony and avert or manage crises effectively internally and externally. The leader needs to have a clear strategy to be able to achieve excellence. Strategic means related to strategy in other words it is the identification of overall aims and the means to be adopted for achieving them. It consists of devising a plan for achievement of specific goals and following through with perfect implementation of the plan together with adequate control measures to ensure the goal is achieved. Actually, what finally matters is always the goal. Strategic leadership and management both emulate these basic features of strategizing within their jobs. So, a strategic leader whether at top, middle or department level needs to absolutely understand and be attuned to the objectives to be achieved, the plan for the same and how they will manage the people and processes to derive optimal results and what control measures they will implement to ensure success. A leader has to motivate his entire team through performance and maintain a human element through inclusion and encouragement for each individual to explore their talents and excel. Strategy is the most important management tool at the disposal of leaders for successful achievement of goals, and also to exceed expectations.
A leader with lack of a well formulated strategy to lead and motivate others towards achievement of goals as a unified team, is sure to lead to failure or average results at best. Transactional leadership style consists of extensive focus on the operations, as the name suggests. These leaders are extensively involved in the supervision, monitoring and control of the performances of individuals, groups and the organization as a whole. The entire planning implementation and management of the organization is based on this style. The goals are identified, the plans are laid out for the strategy to achieve them, the jobs allocated, and all the employees and departments at every level are monitored and controlled, through either reward or punishment towards achievement of the goals. These leaders follow the path goal theory absolutely true fixing a goal planning a path towards the goal and through rigid control measures, control and fix deviations from the path swiftly and efficiently. This kind of leadership style is not suitable for adhocratic or other dynamic structures, as it is not comfortable with making changes and prefers analyzing existing efficiency and implementing measures to enhance output. This type of leadership is more effective in organizations that are not in initial stages of development and requiring constant change and achievement of results within chaos. It is suitable for organizations which have achieved most of their goals and apparently in the stage of sustenance through continuing standardized practices which have been in operation for long periods and generated optimal results. Transactional leaders utilize the carrot and stick approach to optimize performances as well as to extract loyalty. This is absolutely unsuitable for a healthcare facility manager, as the stress and chaos which prevail may be further magnified through this approach. They do not promote free communication as they feel power should be centralised and communication also unidirectional from top to bottom, with reporting being the only communication from the bottom. Interpersonal skills are one of the most important life skills that are required for achieving success in both professional and personal life, but a mandatory skill set for effective leadership. A lot of our success depends upon inherent ability to communicate effectively rather than extensively, as this is very essential to solving problems as well as finding solutions to overcome the numerous obstacles that we encounter in our personal and professional lives. Interpersonal skills do not only consist of verbal communication but communication and understanding of every type physical, emotional and mental. Communication when effective, is a great motivator in any organisation.
Transformational leadership is a contrast to transactional leadership, in the sense that, it is highly proactive and focuses on achievement of goals through motivation of the employees and Organization as a whole. This is a dynamic form of leadership and proposed to implement constant changes within the organization, through introduction of new ideas, as well as, dynamic analysis of the goals and the plans set to achieve them, with implementation of changes within them whenever and wherever required. This dynamic approach believes in motivating every individual and group to achieve personal goals through excellence in performance. This is the form of leadership embodies change and encourages individual growth is everything in developing future leaders. The goal of the organization is projected as the goal of every individual as inclusive management is a hallmark of this leadership style. As a result entire organization operates as one and becomes motivated to achieve organizational goals as part of personal goals because an individual grows along with the organization and relationship between the organization and the workers is cooperative and the growth of one simultaneously benefits the other. Such leaders always lead both from the front and from within, meaning they represent all the required leadership qualities, they exemplify leadership by themselves being super achievers and motivate the rest to follow by example. Thus, it promotes an environment of growth and learning within the organization which mimics growth for the organization externally. This leadership is extremely popular presently and works well in organizational structures such as adhocratic and market. They are able communicators and ensure free flow of communication both ways throughout an organisation to minimise risk and failure and facilitate immediate damage control.
At the outset, I would like to convey my opinion on the role of leadership within any organization, as well as, the responsibility of any excellent leader. A good leader requires vision, power to enthuse and mostly ability to lead from the front. Every organization requires adequate push of responsibility downwards as no large organization can survive without delegation, this has to be however tempered by retaining power at the top during crisis management. It is these crisis situations that are the true test of a leader, when he/she is expected to jump into the arena to face and manage the crisis effectively, at the same time setting a befitting example for all the employees, as well as a standard. It also restores employee faith in the leadership and the organization and induces unity rather than fear of the outcome amongst all cadres. Mark Zuckerberg has exhibited superlative leadership skills as well as exemplary crisis management. His extensive appearance across all media restored not only employee but public faith in the organization, that the top man was himself handling the issue and interpreted it as concern for public welfare and compassion. He is a classic example of a leader leading from the front, becoming the face of the company and taking responsibility for mistakes but including the entire organization for finding the solution. His use of I for the mistake and We for the solution are clear indicators of differentiation. He could have said “we made a mistake” and “I will find a solution”. Superlative leadership.