. Analyze one’s leadership strengths and weaknesses, in reference to one or more leadership theories or styles found in the literature. Analyzes one’s leadership strengths and weaknesses, in reference to one or more leadership theories or styles found in the literature, and acknowledges one’s own biases or underlying assumptions. 2. Explain how one’s specific leadership characteristics enable oneself to guide, educate, inform, and influence others in managing change. Explains how one’s specific leadership characteristics enable oneself to guide, educate, inform, and influence others in managing change; provides specific and relevant examples of past successes, strategies, or best practices that support assertions and conclusions. 3. Explain how one’s specific leadership characteristics help oneself to build and maintain interprofessional collaborative relationships. Explains how one’s specific leadership characteristics help oneself to build and maintain interprofessional collaborative relationships; provides specific and relevant examples of past successes, strategies, or best practices that support assertions and conclusions. 4. Explain how one can best apply the principles of ethical leadership, given one’s leadership style. Explains how one can best apply the principles of ethical leadership, given one’s leadership style. Includes examples of successes, areas of potential growth, and hopes for future accomplishment. 5. Explain why diversity and inclusion are important to employee relations and the provision of safe, high-quality health care. Explains why diversity and inclusion are important to employee relations and the provision of safe, high-quality health care, providing clear and conclusive examples that connect diversity and inclusiveness with safety and quality. 6. Explain how one’s specific leadership characteristics prepare oneself to develop and lead a diverse team of employees and serve a diverse community, within an ethical framework. Explains how one’s specific leadership characteristics prepare oneself to develop and lead a diverse team of employees and serve a diverse community, within an ethical framework; outlines specific and practical ways of addressing these issues. 7. Explain how research skills and critical thinking guide effective decision making and foster integrity in research and professional practice. Explains how research skills and critical thinking guide effective decision making and foster integrity in research and professional practice. Clearly articulates the implications and consequences for professional practice of unethical research and decision making uninformed by credible evidence. Running head: ETHICAL LEADERSHIP Ethical Leadership Sitara Monnappa Capella University Collaboration, Communication, & Case Analysis for Health Care Master’s Learners Ethical Leadership Preparation January, 2017 Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited. 1 ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 2 Ethical Leadership Leadership is the ability to empower the people in a team mentally and emotionally. Comment [A1]: The page recommendations are 8-10 pages. Pay special attention to length, organization, and precision in writing to the feedback. Convincing people about their own abilities and talents as well as persuading all team members to have a shared vision can help create an empowered team and, in turn, lead to effective leadership. An Evaluation of Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses Every leader has certain qualities that set him or her apart from the rest. I believe that some of my qualities will strengthen my leadership abilities while others may weaken them. Compassion is one of my strengths. It involves a desire to alleviate others’ suffering. In health care, one can exhibit compassion by responding to the suffering and vulnerability of patients and their relatives with kindness and sensitivity, which is a feature of compassionate leadership. Compassion is essential toward patients who may fear the uncertainty of the future and the Comment [A2]: Good identification of this style. This might be a good place to define this with the literature for support possible loss of their autonomy, dignity, and body control. However, compassionate leadership can be challenging and difficult to sustain in health care organizations. Sometimes, as a health care professional, I may not have the time to listen to patients. Instead, I may have to take quick actions that may seem harsh. These conflicts might cause me to experience burnout or an overload as a health care leader (de Zulueta, 2015). I also possess empathy and the ability to listen, both qualities that can be analyzed using Comment [A3]: Yes, this is an occupational hazard for many. How does an effective leader manage a balance, being compassionate while maintaining boundaries? Any thoughts about this? the servant leadership model. Servant leaders are empathetic and good listeners. They never hesitate to help others, even their subordinates (Boden, 2014). This quality will help me understand the issues and concerns of my team members and provide me the motivation to do everything in my capacity to help them. However, I might be taken for granted as I consider others’ needs first, which might affect my leadership. Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited. Comment [A4]: Yes…again this area of balance seems relevant. How might this be addressed in practice? ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 3 I also possess the ability to adapt. Adaptability helps leaders accept new challenges and Comment [A5]: A fine strength! change behaviors and policies to tackle these challenges. The ability to overcome challenges through collaboration is a primary characteristic of adaptive leadership (Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles, 2014). Collaborative leaders understand the needs of different functions and business units. They patiently interact with colleagues who may initially find the shared purpose of collaboration difficult to understand. They are open to multiple opinions and perspectives and empathize with colleagues whose positions are different from their own (Lash, 2012). Comment [A6]: Good identification of these traits with support from the literature… Along with my strengths, I will have to acknowledge my weaknesses, too. I have realized that I lack foresight and the power to persuade. I would like to develop the foresight to be able to anticipate possible roadblocks and guide my team in the midst of challenging circumstances. I would also like to develop the ability to persuade others to understand my vision and point of view. The transformational leadership model states that this ability is important when one wants to empower others by making them believe in their abilities (Malloch, 2014). I have identified my strengths and weaknesses after self-introspection. However, they are Comment [A7]: Good. How might this be accomplished? What steps will you need to take to integrate these characteristics into your repertoire of skills? based on my opinions about myself and what my friends and family have said about me. Therefore, biases may be present as these qualities are not a result of any personality test that measure personality traits objectively. What I consider strengths may be considered weaknesses by others. For example, my adaptability may be considered a lack of decision-making ability by Comment [A8]: Good point about potential biases and the difference between subjective and objective data from supervisors/subordinates, etc. others. Similarly, my compassion may be regarded as an excess of patience while dealing with peers and patients. I will have to be aware of these biases as I grow as a leader. Leadership Characteristics and Change Management As one grows in one’s leadership roles as a health care leader, one will face new challenges such as insufficient funding and complicated treatment dilemmas. In these Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited. Comment [A9]: Yes, the ability to be selfaware and present is so important for leaders in the field. Excellent point ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 4 circumstances, leaders will have to implement a few changes in organizational policies, which may not be readily accepted by team members. Some of the barriers to successful change management are overly strict guidelines, ineffective leadership, unrealistic planning, lack of collaboration, and unclear goals and performance expectations (Longenecker, & Longenecker, 2014). Ensuring compliance to policies, encouraging all team members to be part of the decision- Comment [A10]: Good identification of these factors. making process, and clearly communicating the organizational goals can help leaders overcome Comment [A11]: A great strategy, communicates the value of each member to the group. obstacles in change management effectively. Thus, effective change management becomes an essential skill that health care leaders should possess. The complexity model of leadership may help my team thrive in the midst of organizational changes. This model is based on understanding the external environment, adaptive capacity, and connecting with the internal organizational culture. This model can improve collaboration among teams. My adaptability will help me guide my team to face new situations and resolve issues collaboratively. I can help my team members adapt to the changes by addressing their concerns and projecting the positive aspects of the changes. My communication skills will allow me to facilitate interprofessional collaboration as I will be able to ensure that the views of the members of each department are communicated to other departments to set parameters to guide the organization. By communicating with different departments, I will be able to build a strong network and implement distributed decision-making, which will help the organization adapt to the pressures of change quickly. (Weberg, 2012). Ensuring that my compassion is reflected in my team members, while treating and handling patients may foster collaboration as compassion is found to make teams self-organizing and able to solve problems creatively (de Zulueta, 2015). Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited. Comment [A12]: An excellent section; showing respect for team members and establishing relationships with departments leads to trust, effective communication and collaboration. ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 5 Communication skills have been proven to be key while handling organizational changes. I understand that to communicate effectively, straightforward words should be used. For example, if an organization is planning to change its rules, the rules should be simple so that team members can remember and understand them. It increases the chances of team members following these rules in daily practice. Simple rules have been found to facilitate effective change management in health care systems. In my experience, I have noticed that strong networking and distributed decision-making, which depend on strong communication, help an organization adapt to the pressures of change quickly and effectively (Weberg, 2012). The Comment [A13]: Yes…Shared decision making may lead to ownership of the process. personal characteristics of a team leader, such as communication skills and adaptability, have been found to be tied to the success of the interprofessional relationships among team members Comment [A14]: A fine section. in a team. Personal Leadership Characteristics and Interprofessional Relationships Different leadership models have different approaches to facilitate collaboration within and between teams. The different qualities I possess will have different effects on my ability to lead interprofessional teams. My compassion will help me understand my team members’ concerns and motivate me to help them. This would in turn strengthen my relationship with my staff and encourage collaboration among my team members. As a leader, I can ensure that I nurture compassion among team members by creating systems that can help control anxiety, support the individuals involved, and harness positive adaptive responses to challenges. I will strive to promote an environment of openness, which will allow new learning and the sharing of errors, mistakes, and hazards (de Zulueta, 2015). Adaptability is another quality I possess that will help me foster collaboration among my team members. Adaptive leadership involves leading a group or many groups of people in times Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited. Comment [A15]: Great points. How might this be accomplished in practice? Can you provide an example? ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 6 of change. Adaptive leaders ease the distress of team members created by change and facilitate collaboration. Adaptive leaders try to solve problems through group discussions and collaboration rather than only by providing technical solutions. However, adaptive leadership may not foster teamwork in emergency situations that require immediate attention (Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles, 2014).Leadership Self-Assessment-Master’s
I may also run the risk of violating ethics by being too adaptable about Comment [A16]: An important distinction in health care. certain organizational policies and patient procedures. Balancing adherence to ethics and Comment [A17]: What might be an example of this? Is it possible to be “adaptable” while maintaining ethical practice? adaptability will be key to using my adaptability to improve outcomes. I also believe that my empathy and ability to listen will help foster collaboration. The Comment [A18]: Yes…How might this be accomplished? servant leadership model encourages collaboration by focusing on listening, empathy, and awareness (Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles, 2014), which are skills of collaborative leaders (Lash, 2012). Many of the qualities of servant leaders, such as empathy, awareness, and the commitment to the growth of people, involve interpersonal interactions and foster trust among leaders and others (Trastek et al., 2014). Thus, servant leadership can be practiced to facilitate collaboration in interprofessional teams. The importance of empathy and adaptability can be observed in the functioning of the Dutch home-care provider organization, Buurtzorg Nederland. The organization model of Buurtzorg has garnered attention for providing good, low-cost home-care services through the deployment of self-governing teams of nurses. The nurses are guided by coaches who guide the teams to work collaboratively and listen to and resolve issues within teams amicably. Although the work hours of the nurses are tracked, the nurses do not have to report to managers, giving them enough flexibility to complete their daily tasks. The nurses work in self-governed teams, where they have sufficient autonomy while working (Kreitzer, Monsen, Nandram, & de Blok, 2015). From this example, one can see how important empathy and adaptability are. However, Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited. Comment [A19]: Yes, this is an important point. Self-awareness and emotional intelligence are important factors related to effective leadership. Comment [A20]: This would be correct as it is the second citation of the same author within a paragraph.Leadership Self-Assessment-Master’s
ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 7 the implementation of these qualities should be balanced with ethical practices. While it is important to be flexible while dealing with team members, it is equally important to keep one’s practices within the ethical boundaries of the health care profession. The Ability to Implement Ethical Principles Comment [A21]: Yes, an absolute must. How does this example translate to your current practice? How might this model be useful to you in practice? To ensure ethical practices, leaders should set an example for health care professionals by carrying out their daily duties ethically. As a leader, I will have to maintain integrity and a strong character to lead my team effectively (Derr, 2012). I will have to ensure that my team members abide by the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence in their practice. The principle of beneficence was developed to ensure that a health care professional’s actions are only for the benefit of patients. It is also meant to ensure that health care professionals weigh and balance possible benefits against possible risks of a treatment option. The principle of non-maleficence is meant to ensure that health care professionals do not bring harm to patients. By being too flexible, I may make unethical decisions. For example, I might easily accept a patient’s refusal for undergoing a particular treatment, which is medically beneficial. I will have to use my discretion to decide when to be flexible and when to be rigid while making choices. of different treatment procedures to patients so that they can give their informed consent. These Comment [A22]: Yes, is part of this flexibility being able to balance between competing ethical principles such as beneficence and autonomy or the right to self determination?Leadership Self-Assessment-Master’s
How does an “ethical” leader address ethical dilemmas in practice? How might one’s code of ethics or other resources serve in this situation? qualities would also help involve team members in shared decision-making, which will help Comment [A23]: Good point here. Informed consent is essential to ethical practice. Adaptability, empathy, and the ability to listen are qualities that an ethical leader should have. My ability to listen and empathize will ensure that I state the benefits and adverse effects resolve issues such as patient deception and wastage of financial resources. This way, I can ensure that all my decisions about patient care are ethical. My adaptability will allow me to explore the different ethical options with which I can deal with a problem (Nelson, n.d.). Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.Leadership Self-Assessment-Master’s
ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 8 However, I may need to be cautious about being too adaptable to avoid violating the ethical principles of health care. Comment [A24]: Can a leader be adaptable without compromising ethics in practice? As a leader, I will need to keep improving my ability to apply ethical principles in my profession to set a good example for my team members as well as other practitioners in the health care industry. Creating clear and simple ethical policies might help employees understand and implement those policies in their daily duties. Training and monitoring employees might ensure that the changed policies are implemented effectively. Ethical issues and ethical dilemmas could be discussed with other health care professionals, ethical committees of health care organizations, or with experts to ensure that my decisions are grounded in ethics (Nelson, n.d.). Comment [A25]: Excellent strategies My adaptability and compassion have helped me succeed as a leader in the past. One of the cases that I handled illustrates the importance of these qualities. This particular case involved a patient in her mid-60s who was in the end stage of life and made a strange request that she be preserved cryogenically until she could be brought back to life. However, neither the woman nor her daughter, who was the woman’s health care proxy, had got any official approval from a Comment [A26]: Word choice…received? cryogenics company to go ahead with this process. Although patients and their families can make decisions about treatment, the health care staff of a hospital has the right to decide how to proceed with patients’ treatment if these decisions are not in the best interests of the patients. I was faced with an eth …