Characteristics that Make a Poor Leader
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Characteristics that Make a Poor Leader
The characteristics that make a poor leader are poor communication, lack of vision, poor integrity, and lack of accountability. Integrity is a valuable quality of excellent leaders. Leaders who engage in unethical behaviors influence followers to behave unethically. Successful leaders have visions that direct their future (Tracy, 2017). However, poor leaders are contented with the status quo. Also, leaders who do not focus on the future or lacks clear plan to improve themselves, their followers, or their organizations are unlikely to report any progress. Poor leaders blame others for their mistakes and credit themselves for efforts made by others (Tracy, 2017). Such behaviors demoralize followers. Poor communication skills are an attribute of poor leaders. Excellent communication skills enable leaders to communicate their vision in a motivating and transparent way. However, leaders’ inability to share their expectations and ideas to followers renders them ineffective.
How the Nursing Profession can Create Great Leaders
Strong leaders are crucial for transforming the healthcare system. However, most nurses do not commence their professions with the thought of assuming a leadership role. Regardless, the nursing profession should develop leaders from the boardroom to the bedside to deliver high-quality and safe care while collaborating with other health professions. In this context, the nursing profession can create great leaders through mentorship and lifelong learning. Pursuing additional training and education improves nurses’ leadership skills (Joseph & Huber, 2015). Mentorship programs also develop great leaders. Through the program, mentees identify mentors whose leadership skills they admire and learn from them. Thus, inexperienced nurses and other healthcare workers acquire existing and new skills through mentorship (Butterworth & Faugier, 2013). Ensuring that healthcare workers get involved in healthcare committees exposes them to different leadership roles. These committees provide networking opportunities with great leaders. Attending national and state nursing conferences is also a great way to develop great leaders. In these conferences, nurse leaders share their knowledge with those who wish to become great leaders.
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Whether “Leadership Skills Were Part of Their RN Curriculum Program
Some of my staff claimed that leadership skills were part of their RN curriculum program. Their leadership course focused on helping them understand the differences between a manager and a leader, the different leadership styles they can employ when exposed to different situations, and the importance of emotional intelligence in enhancing their leadership performance. Additionally, the course emphasized the importance of effective communication in promoting a healthy work environment and working with diverse individuals. As a result of the leadership skills obtained, they can now lead their healthcare team and patients to enhance patient and organizational outcomes. Specifically, the nurses noted that their study of emotional intelligence has helped them acknowledge their emotions and their effect on team collaboration. Therefore, they use emotional intelligence to develop and promote interpersonal relationships and help others handle the stressors that characterized their jobs as nurses.
Whether the Nursing Profession has a Responsibility to Teach Leadership as a Core Skill
I believe that the nursing profession should teach leadership as a core skill in nursing programs. Leadership influences nurses’ roles and responsibilities, including providing care at the bedside (Amestoy et al., 2017). Therefore, making leadership a core skill will enhance nurses’ competence in directing and supporting healthcare teams and patients when providing care. Developing leadership skills is mandatory for nurses to deliver safe and high-quality care while involving themselves in other leadership roles. Therefore, nursing education programs should partner with healthcare organizations to prepare nurses for future leadership roles in the new era defined by a rapidly evolving healthcare sector and patient population.
References
Amestoy, S. C., Trindade, L. D. L., Silva, G. T. R. D., Santos, B. P. D., Reis, V. R. D. S. S., & Ferreira, V. B. (2017). Leadership in nursing: from teaching to practice in a hospital environment. Escola Anna Nery, 21, 1-7.
Butterworth, T., & Faugier, J. (2013). Clinical supervision and mentorship in nursing. Springer.
Joseph, M. L., & Huber, D. L. (2015). Clinical leadership development and education for nurses: prospects and opportunities. Journal of healthcare leadership, 7, 55-64. https:/doi.org/ 10.2147/JHL.S68071
Tracy. B. (2017). Leadership weaknesses: How to spot qualities of a bad leader. Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/11/29/leadership-weaknesses-how-to-spot-the-qualities-of-a-bad-leader/?sh=76f0f0c77a56
