They are often noted to encourage and support others through actions and service to meet their needs to do the job well. Servant leaders are often noted to share power, listen actively, conceptualize problems, empathize with others and prioritize others over themselves. Servant Leadershipįinally, servant leadership is defined as a supportive style in which the leader provides team members with skills, tools and relationships they need to perform to the best of their ability.
Autocratic leaders are generally characterized as self-reliant, highly structured, rapid decision-makers, authoritative and ultimately “the boss.” This leadership style may be useful in healthcare during emergency situations, traumas, or disaster management when clear, definitive, rapid decisions and directions benefit all involved. These leaders are intolerant of innovation and error and are the opposite of laissez-faire leaders. Autocratic LeadershipĪutocratic leadership is a unilateral style in which the leader delegates to others with rules and orders. These leaders must be critical when necessary, but they allow and encourage the group to make decisions and develop solutions to work related problems, reserving the ability to step in and take over for those times when deemed necessary. This is the opposite of autocratic leadership.Ĭharacteristics of laissez-faire leaders are often reported as “hands off,“ trusting, encouraging and tolerant of innovation as well as error. Instead, this style of leader facilitates the group to drive decision-making and develop solutions to work-related problems with a “hands-off” approach. Laissez-faire LeadershipĪ laissez-faire leadership style is a facilitative one in which a leader makes few decisions. For instance, in healthcare, when a system or process improvement is imperative, a democratic leader may step in to direct a group of assigned nurses to identify changes to a policy or guideline. In healthcare, democratic leaders may be best suited for situations where new relationships are being built between leadership and a group. Democratic leaders are often characterized as mutually respectful, collaborative, encouraging, empowering and supportive of innovation but only tolerant of error. Sometimes, this is called participative leadership. Democratic LeadershipĪ democratic leader engages in a shared leadership style in which they use participation of members of the group to guide decision-making and management.
In healthcare, transformational leaders are most successful in situations where the system is in need of larger changes or overall improvements that can be directed, encouraged and overseen by a unifying, guiding force. These leaders are often described as extroverted, open to new experiences, charismatic, secure in their sense of self, creative and future oriented in vision.Ī transformational leader encourages innovation, and is tolerant of error. Transformational leaders use a collaborative leadership style that leverages a shared vision, encouragement and inspiration to facilitate change. In order to accomplish this, 5 leadership styles can be noted and emulated among successful nurse leaders. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has declared that “all nurses are leaders.” As such, all nurses share the unique responsibility to demonstrate skill and competency in leadership. Regardless of their title, nurses in all roles are expected to demonstrate leadership, and must challenge themselves and the profession to develop effective leadership styles. However, nurse leaders are becoming more visible as educators, mentors, preceptors, advocates, researchers, financial consultants, data analysts, case managers and through other formal and/or informal roles. Traditional examples of leadership in nursing included directors, managers, supervisors, administrators, chief officers and other authoritative roles.
As the healthcare system in the United States stretches to respond to this pandemic, leadership roles are becoming more visible. Nurse leaders are crucial guides in a growing and rapidly changing profession. Less visibly, nurse leaders can be found paving the way for this juggling act through many roles within the healthcare system from the bedside to the boardroom. For example, simply giving a medication to a patient requires a background of knowledge, the physical skills and the ability to administer it in whatever way the patient requires, the cognitive ability to manage time and educate the patient appropriately as well as the caring attitude that is the hallmark of nursing care. A skillful nurse balances the needs of patients with the technical demands of doing the job well. Tuition & Financial Aid Tuition & Financial Aidĭuring the current COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are recognized by the media, on the “front lines,” caring for patients.