Quiz Findings
Trying to find out my leadership style, I have completed a quiz offered by About.com Psychology (n.d.). According to the results, I am a democratic leader. It is stated that such type of leadership is good when working with those teams that are well aware of their objectives and roles. They are participative leaders, who are ready to give the group members some independence and value their ideas but still have a right to make the final decision.
When facing problems, such leaders also consult with the team so that they can develop a plan of actions together. Due to such treatment, the participants feel encouraged and motivated. They are ready to do their best while working. Professionals believe that under this leadership style, the team can make the most effective and efficient decisions because they have an opportunity to share their knowledge in different spheres that cannot be obtained by one person only.
I am satisfied with my results because I believed that this is my leadership style even before this quiz. I have previously dealt with similar tests and also had this result, which proves that it is correct. I think that neither my group nor I can know everything, so it is critical for us to cooperate when making vital decisions. I am also sure that people require support and approval when they work to be motivated to achieve more.
However, I realize that I am the leader of my team and I should have more power than others that is why I tend to monitor their actions from time to time and can insist on particular things when needed. In addition to that, I realize that I should also be able to use authoritarian and declarative styles when working with other groups whose knowledge of particular activity is better or worse than mine.
Attributes of Leadership for Graduate Level Nurses
Various attributes of leadership are critical for graduate level nurses, but I believe that enormous attention should be paid to flexibility (Carlson, 2015). Nurses should be able to work with different teams that are often rather diverse. Their members tend to have different levels of knowledge and personal characteristics. Realizing this fact, leaders need to develop different leadership styles so that they can use an appropriate one when needed. Even when working with one particular group that is familiar to the leader, different styles can be used depending on the task that is to be completed and such alteration should not be considered as something problematic.
The vision of the future is also critical because when developing a plan of actions, nurses should take into consideration what results they want to achieve (Nickitas, 2010). Self-confidence and self-reflection can ensure one’s ability to be an effective leader. It is significant not to be afraid to make a final statement and take responsibility for it because such actions determine the way the group treats its leader. What is more, when evaluating personal actions, one can find out own strengths and weaknesses. Understanding of diversity can also be very beneficial. Groups consist of several individuals who have a different background, value alike but not the same ideas and maintain various routines.
A leader is the one who can ensure that the work environment perfectly meets their needs allowing to reach success. Finally, personal attributes of any leader can affect greatly the way one is perceived by the team (Giltinane, 2013). The professional is expected to meet the demands of the group so that one can support, encourage and motivate them without problems.
Personal Leadership Attributes
I believe that my personal attributes that will help me in my graduate nursing role include the ability to cooperate with the team members and to value their contribution. When working with a group, I pay much attention to their experience. I encourage them to take part in the decision-making process so that they can use their knowledge in practice and share responsibility. I also believe that I have well-developed interpersonal skills. When interacting with my team, I try to show them that we are on the same level. I let them share their ideas and support them or encourage the development of new ones. Even though I am the one who makes conclusions, all members feel that they are heard, which improves our relations.
Still, there is no limit to perfection, and I should work more on my leadership attributes. I should improve my self-confidence because sometimes I am not sure that the decisions I make are the best ones. Connected to this issue is the readiness to take risks. Even though I try to be proactive and creative, it is sometimes difficult to have enough courage for the implementation of new ideas. Still, I believe that I can improve my drawbacks with the help of my team so that we can reach even better outcomes because we value and support one another. “Celebrating the beauty of people growing and excelling beyond what the leader can do alone is the way to live an enlightened, fulfilled, and accomplished life. Good leadership practices are all in your head and also in your heart” (Kerfoot, 2013, p. 151).
References
About.com Psychology. (n.d.). Quiz – What’s your leadership style? Web.
Carlson, K. (2015). 5 positive traits of a high-caliber nurse leader. Web.
Giltinane, C. (2013). Leadership styles and theories. Nursing Standard, 27(41), 35-39.
Kerfoot, K. (2013). Are you tired? Overcoming leadership styles that create leader fatigue. Nursing Economist, 31(3), 146-151.
Nickitas, D. (2010). A vision for future health care: Where nurses lead the change. Nursing Economist, 28(6), 361-385.