Gardner’S Tasks OF Leadership nursing theory PDF

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nursing project final assignment and literature reviews with peer reviewed resources. additional assignments for nursing research and application...

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Running head: GARDNER’S TASKS OF LEADERSHIP

Gardner’s Tasks of Leadership Austin B. Smith Herzing University

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Introduction John W. Gardner developed a set of leadership tasks that can be applied to nursing. Nurses in leadership roles such as nurse manager, director of nursing, charge nurse, and floor nurses that act as leaders can all benefit from examining the tasks outlined by Gardner and applying them to their own individual settings. The ten tasks of leading, managing, and following by Gardner are all applicable to my own setting and if properly implemented could improve my role of a leader and the atmosphere of my unit and organization. Envisioning Goals Envisioning goals in partnership with others is an important task of an effective leader. By sharing the construction and implementation of goals with other staff and patients a collaborative atmosphere is created. As a leader in my clinical setting I would complete the task of envisioning goals with other by developing a team of staff to bring multiple perspectives and ideas about what the goal should be and ways that we could implement the plan to achieve the goal. I would also complete the task of envisioning goals with patients by assessing what their overall goal of treatment is and what outcomes are the hoping to achieve. By involving the patient, I could create a therapeutic relationship that would improve patient outcomes and satisfaction overall. One of the barriers I may face in the task of envisioning goals is creating a goal that would have everyone’s support, to overcome this having multiple goals that address everyone’s concerns would be a great approach and still accomplish the intended outcomes. Affirming Values The task of affirming values is an important task to the nursing leader in every clinical setting and decision. By following the company values that I work for that are outlined in our

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mission statement and philosophy principles as a leader I would reaffirm the values of employees and patients under my authority. A successful leader in my opinion, should assess the values of the employees, the organization, and the population being served in order to make competent decisions. One of the barriers to the task of affirming values is that individuals may have different personal values that conflict with one another. To overcome this barrier, when the occasion occurs, as a leader I would ultimately revert to the organizations stated values and assess whether my personal values are creating a bias to the decisions I make. Motivating The task of motivating can be a difficult one in nursing and especially in a nursing leadership role. With nursing facing staff shortages, multiple governing bodies, and long working hours, motivation of employees can be a challenge. As a nurse leader I would first want to understand what the motivating factors behind the nurses that is doing the difficult task of providing nursing care to mental health and detox patient populations. I would also create a system that recognizes employees with or without a reward. One of the barriers of successfully completing the tasks of motivation in nursing is overcoming some factors that cannot be immediately solved such as short-staffing, long shifts, and burnout. One of the ways to overcome these barriers is by engaging with employees to determine what changes I could make as a nurse leader to help with these issues. Sometimes just hearing the barriers that exist and genuinely trying to tackle these barriers is motivating enough to employees to continue working effectively and efficiently. Managing

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The task of managing for the nurse leader is a large part of what nursing leaders do daily. As a nursing leader in my setting I would accomplish the task of managing other nurses and personnel by staying organized, effectively communicating objectives and tasks, and by leading from the front on goals. By refining management skills as a nursing leader my leadership skills would also improve. One of the barriers that exist in the task of managing is making tough decisions that employees may or may not fully support. One of the ways that I would overcome this barrier is by communicating the purpose of the tasks and offer explanations of why the decision was made. I would always try to avoid the phrase “because I said so” as this is not a good management or leadership style and creates an environment of resistance rather than cooperation. Achieving Workable Unity The task of achieving workable unity is an important task of the nursing leader and is essential to achieving the desired outcomes of the unit and organization. Achieving workable unity is especially important when implementing changes in the workplace. Overcoming resistance from the parties involved in the change is the overall goal of achieving workable unity. As a nursing leader in my organization I would strive to achieve this workable unity by trying to plan for expected resistance. One of the barriers to achieving the task of creating a workable unity is accounting for the differences in opinions and feelings about workplace changes and practices. I would overcome these barriers by including members of all disciplines to gain insight into different perspectives and how the change could affect people differently, By doing this I would be able to create a strategy of implementation that represents the collective perspectives of the multidisciplinary treatment team. Developing Trust

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To be an effective and respected leader in nursing it is critical to develop trust with all parties involved. In a person-centered field like healthcare, establishing trust can make or break the relationship between the nursing leader and other staff. As a nursing leader I would develop trust with my employees and patients by following through with the promises I make, address questions and concerns in a timely manner, and give staff and patients an active role in the decisions that affect them One of the barriers I would face in developing trust is not fully meeting the expectations of the other party. The way that I could overcome this barrier is by setting realistic goals and expectations and reviewing with the other person the cause of falling short. When discussing the reason, the goal was not fully met I would also encourage feedback from the party affected on how the goal could have been met easier and what areas could be improved. By working with others as a leader a sense of trust is developed and the responsibility in achieving stated outcomes is shared. Explaining As a leader in nursing the task of explaining may be a difficult task and can be the task that often faces resistance. As nursing leader one of the most important aspects of completing the task of explaining is developing an approach to sharing the information or message. In my setting as a nursing leader, I would accomplish the task of explaining by determining what information needs to be shared, who the information needs to be shared with, and what approach will I take in explaining the message or information. One of the barriers I might face in my clinical setting is resistance to the information being explained. One way I would overcome this obstacle is by addressing the issue head on and giving a purpose to the information being shared. Even if the information being explained is a negative one, by being honest and upfront about the

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purpose of the discussion, I can create an environment that is honest in nature and resolve some of the resistance to follow. Serving as a Symbol The task of serving as a symbol is also another important task of the nursing leader. Setting the example for those that are under the nurses’ leadership can determine the morale and unity of the entire unit. In my own clinical setting, I would complete the task of serving as a symbol by being the example in implementing changes, learning with my employees and peers, and conducting my nursing practice according to the organizations mission statement and guiding principles. One of the barriers that is present to this task is the reality of personal flaws. I would overcome this barrier by addressing when I made a mistake, fell short of the organization’s principles, or let my own personal ideas determine my actions if they are not aligned with good nursing practice. Serving as a symbol for other nurses is a difficult task and comes with a lot of pressure and spotlight on the leader’s actions. Holding yourself accountable as well as others in a fair and transparent manner is the best approach in my opinion to achieve this task. Representing the Group The task of representing the group is especially important to the nursing leader. Nurses’ are advocates for patients daily, as a nursing leader the role of advocate is also applicable to nursing staff. The nursing leader should represent the group under their charge in all aspects throughout the organization. Nurses’ should have representation on committees, boards, and planning teams to ensure that the perspectives and values of nursing staff are considered throughout the organization. As a nursing leader I would represent my group of nurses through

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advocating for the issues determined through meetings and other communication events. One of the barriers to this task is achieving equal representation for my discipline. One example of this may be in the business department wanting to cut staff or spending on new equipment. One way that I could overcome this barrier is by gathering peer-reviewed data to support the groups position and to plan for resistance to the points being made. Renewing The task of renewing involves assessing the energy and motivations of the group and keeping the level of energy at sustainable and positive levels. The nursing leader also has to address the challenge of achieving adequate rest, intake, and mental renewal of the employees under their charge. As a nursing leader I would achieve this task by planning education of the importance of self-care, offering incentives to those that are positive and efficient in their work, and work with other members of the organization to develop a plan to create a healthy work-life balance for employees. One of the barriers to this task is that in general nurses work long shifts and are often too busy to eat a well-balanced meal at work and instead opt for convenience in fast food or snack items. I would overcome this barrier by implementing a change to provide healthy alternatives to employees and try out different break schedules to see which schedule benefitted employees most while still maintaining productivity. Conclusion The tasks outlined by Gardner for leading, managing, and following are all important considerations for the nursing leader. Nurses’ face unique challenges separate from most of the workforce, these include under-staffing, long shift hours, and a fast-paced environment. To be and effective and efficient leader, manager, and follower, assessing the barriers to achieving the

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tasks is the first step. Working with other staff and member of the organization can improve the success rate of desired outcomes and improve the environment of the workplace. As a nursing leader I would incorporate all the tasks outlined into my leadership and management style and would also delegate the task to the employees I lead.

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