The Qualities of Transformational Leadership
Career News April 12, 2013An effective nursing staff is highly dependent on an interactive behavior agreement that reflects the values and benefits of the staff members in their relationship to themselves and others. Each of us carries qualities of cultural and environmental influences that shape our nursing values. Transformational leadership involves incorporating these various learning experiences into an organized, meaningful policy of effective nursing practices.
Leadership: An Essential Quality
The primary responsibility of the staff leader is to organize a unified philosophy among the diverse group. This involves encouraging debate while demonstrating support for each member. Diversity is desirable in crafting a staff philosophical statement. The statement should be written in clear, common language, and posted for unit staff, the patients and inter-disciplinary staff. It should reach a common agreement and be compatible with all members.
Transformational leadership uses a contemporary model that reflects the highest community standards of nursing practices. The staff leader encourages members to explore their full potential by discussing the career options available and providing opportunities for each staff member to perform within their primary field of interest. Members should feel rewarded for good teamwork and group achievement, as well as given acknowledgment for their nursing contributions, marking the development of their professional growth.
The Most Important Components of Transformational Leadership
A good team is dependent on the participation of the individual members. Individual roles should be based on prior experiences, individual needs and group needs. An individual’s expertise could be invaluable to performing specific tasks, or help fill a group need. An effective leader designates tasks that help the group maintain good relationships with each other, but care should be taken to discourage roles that hinder group, such as those directed toward personal needs without consideration for the group as a whole.
Evaluating and diagnosing group decisions is an import aspect of transformational leadership. The leader evaluates the group accomplishments and goals and determines the difficulties and possible stumbling blocks that may occur in their progress. The leader waits for feedback and asks for opinions as to whether they are acquiring a group consensus. The leader mediates where there is tension, facilitating the group where there are differences in viewpoints or negative feelings.
Finally, the leader must be willing to go along with group decisions. The willingness to work within the philosophical policy of the unit, sets the example for the rest of the group to follow and to new employees who are not yet familiar with the nursing unit.
Effective transformational leadership uses a progressive viewpoint, incorporating the standards of technology set forth by the community and incorporating the best in nursing practices. The transformational leader seeks a unified philosophy of commitment, using the diversity of the individual members, their skills and cultural knowledge.
Each individual is a valuable asset, lending an area of expertise that will enhance group performance and activities. The individual contribution is a statement of professional career development and should be acknowledged and rewarded with career opportunities.
Transformational leadership respects the decision making skills of the group, seeks to create a clear, defined philosophy and accepts the consensus of the group in its final declaration. The goal is a flexible policy that meets the demands of new technology, considers the environmental and cultural influence and remains open to new thoughts, creativity and innovation.
