Aspiring Leadership Qualities

Urmila Singh Nandy

Nursing 250
Professor Paul Jeffrey
Reflection Part A
January 23rd, 2015

The notion of leadership is constantly changing, with many different theories and
frameworks. Todays healthcare industry face increasing changes and needs a more adaptive
flexible leadership with emotional intelligence allowing leaders to take emotions and use them
to influence others towards getting the job done.
My idea of leadership is one in which a leader has a vision, are moralistic and their
honest, charismatic nature has the power to influence me to follow their example so that I can
achieve the envisioned goal and become a leader myself. The leadership theory that most
resonates with my ideals, values beliefs and expectations is the transformational leadership
theory. It is defined as a process that motivates followers by appealing to higher ideas and
moral values where the leader has a deep set of internal values and ideas and is persuasive at
motivating followers to act in a way that sustains the greater good rather than their own interests
(Burns, 1978). It has four components: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual
stimulation, individual consideration. Transformational leadership provides a supportive
environment where responsibility is shared and staff feels safe to take risks to become creative
and innovative. In my opinion transformational leadership fulfills the criteria needed for the
success of the healthcare industry.(Kelly, P and Crawford,H .,2013)
My experience as a teaching assistant in the University of West Indies, in Trinidad
prepared me for a leadership role that I was unaware of. One of the course required being in
charge of 30 students on a three day trip, camping on a deserted island. In order for this mission
to be a success I had to envision a goal to be achieved on the trip, prepare and prioritize the
required materials and motivate the students to take up the challenge of living in the wilderness. I
took the first step to show the students how to utilize natures resources and they trusted me and
followed suite. The result was a great success with students taking home a life learning

experience. I was not appointed as a leader but took the initiative to help the students. In this way
I have projected my transformational approach to leadership and have helped students in
transforming their lives. Other examples of such visionaries bringing about a change to the
worlds were Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi. Through their honesty, charisma and sacrifice
they envisioned freedom for all and the vision became real.
As a nursing student, I intend to bring about a transformation in the lives of the patients
Ill be looking after by taking good care of them according to best practices and making them
healthier. I will have open communication with these patients so as to concentrate on patientcentered care, I will win the trust of patients, staff and all stake holders. I will be in regular
contact with my peers and provide them with positive feedback as well as receiving feedback
from them. I will show consideration to all levels of personnel.
I will be a role model for both my peers and other staffs which will help build confidence
admiration, respect and trust providing employees with a sense of mission. I will also encourage
others to achieve the goals and aspirations of the organization as well as their own aims. In my
opinion motivation is, without doubt, an important element of healthcare, as it transforms staff
performance and client care. I will also support the proposal of new ideas to approach problems
in new ways using evidence-based practice. I will continue to educate myself and keep up to date
with technology.
I am confident that transformational leadership is favored as leaders have the power to
produce future generations of successful leaders who have the proficiency to create effective
solutions to some of the healthcare industrys most crucial issues. Balancing complex demands
in unstable environments in the healthcare industry so as to reach a favorable goal for the
quality of care that clients, families and communities deserve is one such issue.

References
Burns, J.M. (1978). Leadership. Harper and Row. Pg 2.
Kelly, P. & Crawford, H. (2013). Nursing Leadership and Management. Nelson 2nd edition