Authentic Healthcare Leadership

[dimpeez]

I was once told that leadership is about inspiring people to do work they would not normally want to do. I agree to an extent on that statement but I also feel that leadership is about showing your character in a way that allows people to see you as a human being who is also flawed. Leadership is about many things but if I had to pinpoint it, I would say that leadership is about being trusted and being trustworthy. In this article I will share my thoughts on health care leadership, and traits of authentic leaders.

In my life I have had many leaders. There have been personal and professional ones. The examples that people provide you in everyday life are examples that you grow and learn from. Personally my mother has been the best leader I have known. She has lead by example using servant leadership. She is always willing to serve her children by being there and doing whatever is necessary. This is the example of leadership that was bestowed upon me and it has been the example I have used to help craft my leadership style. In health care, I have taken servant leadership to a different place by choosing a profession that is all about serving others than yourself. (Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, n.d.) I became a nurse to help people. I then transformed that approach into helping others new in the profession in my health care specialty helping them to succeed.

I have come to know that leadership in health care has become very complex. As organizations face the constant challenges health care presents it requires leaders who can change along with it. Health care has become very complex requiring the specific need for organizations to be pliable in an industry that until recent years operated on its own terms. With the relatively new concepts since health care inception such as evidenced based practice, and technological advances in health care, organizations are faced with the task of keeping up with new requirements. Regulatory agencies, payers, and customers are constantly demanding better care from health care organizations. We need leaders who can meet the demand from its stakeholders.

A health care leader needs to be authentic in order to succeed in health care. There are tools and traits that leader needs to possess to be successful. Dr. Riggio describes an authentic leader as someone who has self-awareness, transparency, moral scruples, and is fair minded. (2014) An authentic leader can hone in on their traits by practicing skills around emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence encompasses four skills. Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. (Bradberry, 2009)

As a leader embarks upon emotional intelligence practices they become trusted and trust worthy. A leader will be able to manage emotionally charged scenarios, they will not displace their emotions on others. This will foster trust with those who work in capacity with the leader thereby making this leader trustworthy. Using the skills of emotional intelligence will help propel a leader's authenticity. People in contact with leaders want to feel a sense of control from a leader, they want to know that their leader is rational, approachable, and a human being just as they are.

 

References

Bradberry, T., & Greaves, J. (2009). Emotional intelligence 2.0. San Diego, CA: TalentSmart.

Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. (n.d.). What is Servant Leadership? Retrieved April 25, 2018, from What is Servant Leadership? - Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership

Riggio, R. (2014, January 22). What Is Authentic Leadership? Do You Have It? Retrieved April 25, 2018, from What Is Authentic Leadership? Do You Have It? | Psychology Today