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Renesis Likert: PowerPoint on Likert

Dr Renesis Likert has studied human behaviour within many organisations.After extensive
research, Dr. Rensis Likert concluded that there are four systems of management. According to
Likert, the efficiency of an organisation or its departments is influenced by their system of
management. Likert categorised his four management systems as follows;
Exploitive authoritative system (1)
In this type of management system the job of employees/subordinates is to abide by the decisions
made by managers and those with a higher status than them in the organisation. The subordinates
do not participate in the decision making. The organisation is concerned simply about
completing the work. The organisation will use fear and threats to make sure employees
complete the work set. There is no teamwork involved.
Benevolent authoritative system (2)
Just as in an exploitive authoritative system, decisions are made by those at the top of the
organisation and management. However employees are motivated through rewards (for their
contribution) rather than fear and threats. Information may flow from subordinates to managers
but it is restricted to “what management want to hear”.
Consultative system (3)
In this type of management system, subordinates are motivated by rewards and a degree of
involvement in the decision making process. Management will constructively use their
subordinates ideas and opinions. However involvement is incomplete and major decisions are
still made by senior management. There is a greater flow of information (than in a benevolent
authoritative system) from subordinates to management. Although the information from
subordinate to manager is incomplete and euphemistic.
Participative (group) system (4)
Management have complete confidence in their subordinates/employees. There is lots of
communication and subordinates are fully involved in the decision making process. Subordinates
comfortably express opinions and there is lots of teamwork. Teams are linked together by
people, who are members of more than one team. Likert calls people in more than one group
“linking pins”. Employees throughout the organisation feel responsible for achieving the
organisation’s objectives. This responsibility is motivational especially as subordinates are
offered economic rewards for achieving organisational goals which they have participated in
setting.
Likerts Ideal System
Likert believes that if an organisation is to achieve optimum effectiveness then the “ideal”
system to adopt is Participative (system 4).

Nursing management is performing leadership functions of governance and decision-making

within organizations employing nurses. It includes processes common to all management like
planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. A good nurse manager should be open
to anything in the environment and be sensitive to the needs of the staff under her/his
management.
It is common for RNs to seek additional education to earn a Master of Science in Nursing or
Doctor of Nursing Science to prepare for leadership roles within nursing. Management positions
increasingly require candidates to hold an advanced degree in nursing.

Nurse manager
A nurse manager is a specialist in human resource management and information management.
Select from the list on the right to view more nursing profile.
What does a nurse manager do?
A nurse manager usually supports the clinical unit by providing information, assisting with
personnel management, recruitment, and business planning/budget management. Nurse
managers contribute to the strategic direction of the organisation, through unit business planning,
and incorporates innovative management planning. Nurse managers develop services to enhance
core business and respond to changing organisational needs.
What career opportunities are available for nurse managers?
Nurse managers' careers usually extend into information management/project type roles, or
proceed to higher level management positions.
Where can I get more information on becoming a nurse manager?
You should access information on becoming a nurse manager through a hospital and arrange to
meet with a Nurse Manager. For more information on postgraduate course availability in this
area, click here to go to the further education section.
 Leadership styles in nursing management: preferred
and perceived.
Sellgren S, Ekvall G, Tomson G.
Department of Nursing, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
stina.sellgren@karolinska.se
Abstract
AIM: The aim was to explore nursing leadership regarding what nurse managers and
subordinates see as important and to explore subordinates' opinions of their nurse manager's
performance in reality. Background The manager's style can be fundamental for subordinates'
acceptance of change and in motivating them to achieve stated visions and goals and high quality
of care.
METHODS: Nurse managers (n=77) and 10 of each included nurse manager's subordinates
received a questionnaire to assess 'preferred' leadership behaviour in three dimensions: change,
production and employee/relation orientations. The same questionnaire was used to assess
subordinates' opinions of their manager's leadership behaviour.
RESULTS: There are statistically significant differences in opinions of preferred leadership
between managers and subordinates, especially related to production and relation orientation.
The subordinates' perception of real leadership behaviour has lower mean values than their
preferred leadership behaviour in all three dimensions.
CONCLUSIONS: Subordinates prefer managers with more clearly expressed leadership
behaviour than managers themselves prefer and demonstrate.
PMID: 16787469 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Publication Types, MeSH Terms

hip Styles in Nursing

Leadership styles in nursing management play a very significant role in the
management of a nursing facility. This article throws light on management and
leadership styles in nursing.

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A nursing leader might either be a nurse manager who is assigned the obligation of
handling one unit or a nurse executive who is responsible for the operations of all
in-patient nursing units. Usually, a successful or effective nurse leader, typically has
a repertoire of leadership skills that she employs according to the situations that are
being faced.

Leadership Skills in Nursing

After a nurse graduates from a nursing school and gets her Registered Nurse (RN)
license, she normally possesses some fundamental leadership skills to apply to
direct patient care. As she gets more experienced and advances in her post, she
would be required to learn more on leadership. There are many leadership courses
that are available in colleges and universities, professional education facilities, and
even large public and private hospitals. It is truly crucial for a nurse to seek advice,
mentoring, and coaching from a senior nurse leader who would render honest
feedback regarding her leadership style.

Types of Leadership Styles in Nursing

Broadly speaking, there are two types of fundamental leadership styles, democratic
and autocratic. These styles are further divided into subcategories. For instance, a
nurse leader who is democratically inclined, would engage his nurses in decision-
making and let them carry out their work in an independent manner. Whereas, a
directive autocrat would provide instructions without looking for inputs and
superintend his nurses in an close manner. More on leadership.

A nurse leader who has a considerable amount of work experience would select a
leadership and management style that would work best in any circumstance. For
instance, he might play a democratic kind of a role when it is time to purchase new
equipment for his nursing section. He can arrange to buy the equipment that is
required by nurses, and then allow them to utilize it individually as needed. But
from the other point of view, he might act as a directive autocrat when dealing with
less experienced nurses, giving only one-sided instructions, while he closely
oversees their work. Nurse leaders most importantly need to be very stress and
tension-free while managing things, as they work in a critical life and death situation
where every moment counts. and where temperamental or emotional behavior is
not accepted. They need to be able to fully concentrate on what they do, as it may
be a question of someones life and health.

Some Considerations of Leadership Styles in Nursing

A nurse leader might change his leadership style according to the age and expertise
of the nurses working under his supervision. There can be many cases where
veterans would like to share their hard-earned expertise with new recruits who are
in responsible positions. Whereas, younger and less-experienced nurses might
benefit from close supervision along with sufficient guidance and feedback. Nursing
has veered towards a shared model of management which involves nurses in
decision-making. In this leadership model, a nurse leader employs a democratic
style of leadership, encouraging nurses to actively get involved in medical decision-
making activities along with monitoring their patient results. You may want to know
more on:

• Ethics in Nursing Jobs and Profession

• Communication Techniques in Nursing
This is in essence about the leadership styles in nursing, however, a nurse manager
may change his style according to situation and the way nurses respond to his
instructions. His/her style may also change according to situational demands of the
medical facility. Effective leadership would certainly make the nursing professionals
work in the best possible manner.

By Stephen Rampur

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• Leadership Styles in Management
• Leadership Roles in Nursing
• Nursing Leadership Qualities
• Participative Leadership
• Types of Leadership Styles
• Participative Leadership Style
• Leadership Theories and Styles
• Leadership Styles and Examples
• Different Leadership Styles
• Leadership Types and Styles
• Different Styles of Leadership - Six Leadership Styles
• Autocratic Leadership Style
• Types of Leadership Styles in Education
• Leadership Styles in Education
• Nurse Practitioner Salary
• Pediatric Nurse Salary Range
• Neonatal Nurse Salary Range
• Nurse Practitioner Vs Physician Assistant
• Neonatal Nurse Job Description
• Interview Questions for Nurses
• Vocational Nurse Salary
• Nurse Responsibilities
• Salary of a Nurse
• Nurse Practitioner Salary Range
• School Nurse Salary
• School Nurse Job Description
• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Salary
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Salary
• Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Salary
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Salary
• Nurse Salary
• Registered Nurse Requirements
• Registered Nurse Job Description
• Nursing: Prerequisites for Nursing
 • Qualities of a Good Nurse
• LPN Job Description
• Nurse Anesthetist Salary
• Traveling Nurse Salary
• Average LPN Salary
Business & Finance » Business Articles
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REFLECTIVE MANAGEMENT LEARNING PRACTICE MODEL

Tunc Medeni, JAIST, Japanese Advanced Institution of Science and Technology,
8-1 Asahidai, Tatsunokuchi, Nomigun, Ishikawaken, 923-1211
medeni@jaist.ac.jp
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
In discussions of the interrelations of Management, Development, Knowledge,
Practice, and Learning, the concepts of Reflection and Transfer of Knowledge hold an
important place. While transfer of knowledge can be described as “how we transfer
what we have learned in one place or time to another place or time, when we need to
make use of this learned knowledge”; reflection has several interpretations, like
reflection-on-action and critical reflection, in addition to various basic definitions that
enable us make use of the concept to understand learning, knowing and acting.
Using Peter Checkland`s Appreciative System and Soft Systems Methodology we can
also conceptualize reflection as a systematic approach to the process of inquiry into
problematic situations, approaching the issues in a soft, purposeful way (instead of a
hard, goal-oriented one), in appreciation of the important concerns of a given situation
(like maintenance of existing relationships). We can also use natural science
phenomena to explain reflection in a more systematic way. It seems that many issues
about reflection have their origins in the natural sciences, and we can use these as
metaphors to explain and make use of the term as a psychological and social concept.
For example, when we discuss reflection, inevitably we must also consider refraction.
This is the natural phenomenon we observe in prisms; when light passes through the
prism it is refracted and split into the colors of the rainbow. The effect of the prism
on the sun ray passing through it can be interpreted as an individual dimension of
reflection: As the prism turns white light into different colors with refraction and
then again into white light with reflection, individual can freely and creatively think in
various enriching ways, and then come up with a single refined plan of action. In
addition, psychoanalytic a “reflecting mirror” can help an individual reflect
himself/herself. This can be done individually or in front of another person, which
also helps the other person reflect him/herself, and highlights the interpersonal
dimension of the reflection. Moreover, the freethinking associated with reflection
coincides with the ‘emancipatory’ nature of the term, as an important social dimension.
This stresses being critical and evaluative towards an outcome that is liberating, in
effect, for society.
BAI 2004 (International Workshop on Business and Information)
Ⅶ-2
We have come a long way from ancient discoveries about how to reflect or refract
lights and images using mirrors to our current use of similar principles in the transfer
of data and information. This transferability can also be applied to knowledge for our
future. Here temporal and spatial concerns are very important, relating to the
inter-social dimension of reflection. For example, light passes through various
contexts, but our minds have a tendency to simply perceive the course of light in a
linear fashion. Thus, we mistakenly see a break in the handle of a teaspoon in a glass
of water. That simple misperception of the eye and mind can be explained according
to the laws and rules of classical physics. This linearity can also be observed in other
human activities. In thinking and decision-making processes, we can question the
misperception caused by the refraction in our mental processes. There are many
other important natural phenomena that we cannot yet explain completely; as new
discoveries, like those in quantum mechanics, are made, they can be used to
understand these natural occurrences and also as analogies to increase our
understanding in the social sciences.
Finally, using the mathematical features of the ellipse, and conceptualizing the practice
of management and learning, both as a product and process, we can develop the
following illustration for a reflective management-learning model:
The model I have developed in this work has important implications like equally
signifying the importance of learning in action and action in learning in a visible way
for maybe a very first time.
Other than its highlighting some special points, I think its value as a general systematic
frame was limited among the receivers of my work. Even if bound to be limited the
use of natural sciences phenomena in this way in social sciences was an interesting
attempt, where even the exchange among similar, closest fields are uncommon because
of the isolating expertise of the individual fields.
BAI 2004 (International Workshop on Business and Information)
Ⅶ-2
This is somewhat related to discussions of soft and hard systems methodology, in
which, simplistically, the former stresses the process and the latter signifies the product.
Initially desired, the ideal is to be able to obtain both the process and product.
Second, if we place learning, and management (or) practice as he two loci in an ellipse,
the resulting figure provides a useful expression for the attainment of process and
product. This elliptical diagram is recognition of the equal importance of both
learning and management or practice, moving beyond the perception of previous
circular models like learning cycles, etc. Moving along the ellipse, one can obtain the
process, then process and product together, and finally the product by itself, which is
transferred to the other side with a reflective object passing through the middle of the
whole figure. In this way we can visualize both the spatial and temporal meanings of
the possible transfer of the rich experience and knowledge gained from learning and
management practice.
REFERENCES
Checkland, P. 1999. Systems thinking, systems practice. Chichester: John Wiley &
Sons. References...
  Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. (1974). Theory in practice: Increasing professional
effectiveness. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2003). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and
leadership (3rd edition). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 McWhinney, W. (1992). Paths of change: Strategic choices for organizations

and society. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

 Schön, D. A. (1991). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco,

CA: Jossey-Bass.

 Sergiovanni, T. J. (1989). Informing professional practice in educational

administration. Journal of Educational Administration, 27(2), p. 186.

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Perceptions of Nurse Managers' Leadership Style by Nurse Managers and RN Staff: Job
Satisfaction as Perceived by RN Staff
Richard McElhaney, DNS, RN, Nursing, University of Mobile, Mobile, AL, USA
Learning Objective #1: Describe, compare, and explore the nurse managers' perceptions of their
leadership styles versus RN staff members' perceptions of the nurse manager' leadership style.
Learning Objective #2: Ascertain if leadership effectiveness and leadership flexibility on nurse
managers are predictive of job satisfaction.

ABSTRACT The nursing profession is changing rapidly due to changes in healthcare

such as: shifting social values, downsizing, and federal regulations. Most nurse managers are ill
prepared for changes associated with their role today. Effective nursing leadership is essential to
meet the challenges that these complex changes present to the healthcare profession. This
descriptive, comparative, study was conducted to compare perceptions of leadership style of
nurse managers as perceived by the nurse managers and their RN staff using Hersey and
Blanchard’s (1991) Situational Leadership Model. A convenience sample of 11 nurse managers
and 79 Registered Nurse staff from one hospital setting was used to compare perceptions of
nurse managers’ leadership styles. A second purpose of the study was to determine RN staff
perceptions of leadership style effectiveness and leadership flexibility of their nurse managers
were predictive of job satisfaction using Stamps (1997) Index of Work Satisfaction.
Nnurse manager respondents were female, average age of thirty-one. Majority had a
master’s degree in nursing, had between 6-10 years of experience in their position and in their
assigned unit for more than five years. Majority of the RN staff were female, average age of RN
staff was 36,had a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and worked in their unit for 1-5 years.
RN staff perceived the leadership style effectiveness of the nurse manage as being
significantly less effective than did the nurse managers. The leadership effectiveness styles of
nurse managers as perceived by RN staff were predictive of two components of job satisfaction:
nurse-nurse interaction and total interaction. Comparing perceptions of the nurse
managers’ with those of RN staff will help nurse managers identify areas that may improve their
leadership ability in various situations.
See more of Strategies in Nursing Administration
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based
Practice (19-22 July 2006)
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to look at manager and staff perceptions of the
manager's leadership style and to determine what effect transformational leadership style has on
job satisfaction.
Background: Nursing job satisfaction is a critical element in addressing the nursing shortage.
Literature supports that job satisfaction is related to nurse manager leadership style. This fact has
caused nurse managers to carefully consider their leadership style and the impact it has on the
nurses they manage.
Methods: A descriptive correlational, comparative design was used in a convenience sample of
nurse managers and their direct report nursing staff (n = 92).
Results: A correlation was found between nurse manager transformational leadership style and
nurse job satisfaction (r = 0.348, P < .05).
Conclusion: Transformational leadership style was associated with higher levels of job
satisfaction. The findings added to the knowledge about variables that are correlated with job
satisfaction, which is a critical issue to nursing.

With a 20% deficit of nurses predicted by 2010,1 every nurse executive in the nation is striving
to recruit and retain nurses and identify what the nursing workforce really wants in their
leaders.2 Although the evidence indicates that nurse managers with transformational leadership
styles have a positive effect on nursing staff job satisfaction,3-6 organizational commitment,7
and retention,8 not all nurse leaders have adopted this style of management. Many nurse leaders
aspire to this style of management and often assume that they demonstrate transformational
leadership behaviors, but what do their subordinates say about their manager's leadership style?
How does the manager's leadership style affect the subordinates' job satisfaction? This study
examined managers' leadership styles from their perspective and from that of their subordinates
and the association between their leadership styles and their subordinates' job satisfaction. It was
expected that nurse leaders who demonstrated transformational leadership styles would have
more satisfied subordinates as compared with managers with transactional or laissez-faire styles.
Conceptual Framework
The transformational and transactional leadership theory suggests that that there is a relationship
between the manager's leadership style and the followers' motivation and satisfaction levels as
indicated in the Augmentation Model of Transactional and Transformational Leadership
conceptual model.3 Bass and Avolio3 indicated that transformational leaders influence the
followers' perceptions of what is important through 5 critical strategies: (1) idealized influence or
instilling employee pride in the leader's vision and mission,9 (2) idealized or behavioral
influence or using leader behaviors to demonstrate his/her values and mission to employees, (3)
inspirational motivation by increasing staff's awareness and acceptance of the desired mission,
(4) intellectual stimulation by influencing followers to think in new ways, and (5) individualized
consideration by mentoring followers or expressing appreciation when the mission and related
goals are accomplished.
In contrast, transactional leaders use exchange transactions to reward staff performance3,10
using 2 major strategies: (1) contingent rewards by giving constructive recognition for the
employees accomplishing the leader's vision and (2) active management by exception by giving
corrective feedback to ensure that specific delegated tasks are accomplished.
A third style of leadership, "passive/avoidant behavior," or a laissez-faire style is the absence of
either transformational or transactional leadership and is considered to be a nontransaction or
nonleadership style10,11 and is thought to be ineffective resulting in negative outcomes.
When leaders augment transactional with transformational leadership, "…a greater amount of
Extra Effort, Effectiveness, and Satisfaction is possible from employees…."3(p22) Therefore,
successful leaders must use a mix of both transformational and transactional styles and can
influence staff by demonstrating behaviors that meet subordinates' needs through interactional
encounters that motivate them to achieve outcomes beyond what they would ordinarily
accomplish in any other style.
Leadership is "one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth"12(p2)
because it is complex and multidimensional.13 Kouzes and Posner14 described leadership
as the "relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to
follow."14(p20) Leaders do not exist without followers, and the 2 separate roles are
complementary.13 Leadership style affects the work environment,7 job satisfaction,15 and
retention.16
Transformational leadership has been associated with strong subordinate emotional
affiliation with the leader influencing the subordinates' behavior and their perceptions of
the leaders' effectiveness. The transformational leader creates an environment that
stimulates individual growth among his/her subordinates8 and energizes his/her
subordinates to perform beyond their expectations, because the subordinates have
internally adopted their leader's vision and mission.12,17
Bass18 described differences in how subordinates perceive the transformational and
transactional leaders' effectiveness. Transformational leadership and subordinates' view of
leaders' effectiveness were reported to be significant and highly correlated as compared
with transactional leadership and perceptions of a leader's effectiveness.18 Similarly,
McGuire and Kennerly7 reported significant and moderate correlations between
transformational leadership and organizational commitment (r = 0.39, P < .01) as
compared with a significant and negative association between a laissez-faire style and
subordinate's organizational commitment (r = -0.20, P < .01). Organizational commitment
is often viewed as a result of a satisfied workforce.
Job satisfaction is a multidimensional construct that describes workers' feelings of
enjoyment, fulfillment, and appreciation for their work at a level they believe it should
be.15,19,20 Bratt et al19 reported significant and strong associations between
organizational work satisfaction and nursing leadership behaviors (r = 0.56, P < .001). Rad
and Yarmohammadian15 indicated a relationship between a hospital manager's years of
experience and 2 leadership dimensions of employee-oriented leadership (r = 0.736, P = .
024) and task-oriented leadership (r = 0.706, P = .023), which are likely the result of
experience and confidence in the manager role. Job satisfaction has also been associated
with staff empowerment5; magnet designation with participatory management styles6;
patient-centered care and staff opportunities for independent thinking, input into the
organization, and professional growth21; and transformational leadership and
professionalism among the staff.22 Job dissatisfaction has also been studied in association
with leadership styles and organizational attributes. Job satisfaction was related more to
patient care, professionalism, autonomy, and opportunities for learning and growth.21 Job
dissatisfaction was related to organizational factors such as threats to personal safety, lack
of fairness, organizational politics, and threats of possible layoffs.21,23
The importance of nurse job satisfaction cannot be overstated because it impacts many
variables including patient satisfaction, quality of patient care, intent to stay or leave,
satisfaction and trust in management, and the overall work environment.16,19,21,23,24
Furthermore, the reported studies indicated that if nurse managers desire to positively
influence nurse job satisfaction, the managers must identify strategies that will empower
nurses by adopting and implementing transformational leadership styles.5,15 This study is
important because being a transformational leader is a highly desired trait, and many
nurse managers aspire to be and perceive themselves to be transformational leaders, but
this self-reported perception may not be validated by subordinates' perceptions of their
manager's leadership style.
Methodology
This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive correlational and comparative design with
self-administered questionnaires. Approval to conduct this study was obtained from the
institutional review boards of the authors' hospital and university. The convenience sample
(n = 92) included 15 nurse managers and their respective nursing staff drawn from a
population of nurse managers and nurses in a not-for-profit metropolitan hospital campus
consisting of an acute care hospital, a women's hospital, an outpatient pavilion, and a
psychiatric hospital located in southern California. Managers were included if they had
been in their current position for at least 6 months, had 24-hour accountability for 1 or
more patient care areas, and had at least 3 direct-report staff nurses who also agreed to
participate.3 A significance level of a = .05 was set, and a power analysis was done with
methodology described by Polit and Beck.25 It was determined that a sample size of 88
would be sufficient to obtain a power of .80 and a medium effect size of .30 to prevent types
I and II errors. Of the 155 research packets distributed, a total of 92 were returned (59%
response rate), with 14 nurse managers matched with 76 staff nurses submitting usable
surveys.
Data were collected by distributing self-administered questionnaire(s) to nurse managers
and to their direct-report nursing staff during staff meetings. Each study participant
received a cover letter explaining the study's purpose, methods to ensure anonymity and
confidentiality of the participants' responses, and the process to participate in or opt out of
the study. The return of completed research packets by participants indicated consent to
participate.
Instruments with known psychometric properties were used with the authors' permissions
to operationalize the study's variables of interest.
Bass and Avolio's Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ)26 was used to measure the
leadership characteristics of nurse managers. The questionnaire contains 12 subscales and
45 items that identify and measure leadership effectiveness behaviors shown to be strongly
associated with both individual and organizational success.3 Five subscales measure
elements of transformational leadership; 2 subscales measure transactional leadership; 2
subscales measure laissez-faire/passive avoidant leadership; and the last 3 subscales
measure leadership outcomes. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to confirm the
construct validity and to identify subscales. Construct validity was further determined by
correlating the MLQ with the Gordon Personal Profile and the Thinking Scale of the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.26 The instrument has been used in multiple studies and has
demonstrated stable psychometric properties.27
The MLQ uses Likert-like scoring ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (frequently, if not
always). When scored, the resulting values indicate the leadership characteristics most
frequently used and the predominant leadership style of the leader. Two versions of the
instrument were used: the self-assessment Leader Form (5x-Short) completed by nurse
managers and the Rater Form (5x-Short) completed by staff nurses to record their
perceptions of their managers' leadership characteristics. Both forms have demonstrated
acceptable psychometric properties in multiple studies with Cronbach [alpha]'s on the
Leader Form subscales ranging from .60 to .78 and Cronbach [alpha]'s on the Rater Form
subscales ranging from .70 to .84. For this study, Cronbach [alpha]'s for the Leader Form
ranged from .39 to .84 and on the Rater Form from .61 to .84. The lower Cronbach
[alpha]'s in this study are likely the result of a small sample size of nurse managers.
The concept of job satisfaction was operationalized using the Stamps28 Index of Work
Satisfaction Questionnaire-Part B (IWS-B), measuring staff nurses' job satisfaction
through an attitudinal scale with total scores reflecting the level of job satisfaction. The
IWS-B is a 44-item questionnaire with 6 subscales measuring the following dimensions: (1)
pay, (2) autonomy, (3) task requirements, (4) interaction, (5) professional status, and (6)
organizational policies. The instrument uses a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1
(agreement) to 7 (disagreement) yielding interval-level data, with higher scores indicating
higher levels of job satisfaction. Previously reported studies reported high internal
reliability with Cronbach [alpha]'s ranging from .69 to .83 for the entire scale.28 Content
validity was reported to be CVI = .87, and the test-retest reliability to be r = 0.83.29 In this
study, the Cronbach [alpha]'s for the subscales ranged from .56 to .88.
Two separate demographic forms were developed for nurse managers and staff nurses to
describe the samples and to control for possible confounding variables such as sex, age,
race, marital status, highest nursing and nonnursing degree attained, years in the nursing
profession, years of experience as a line manager, years of experience as a manager in
current unit(s), and the average hours worked per week. The clinical staff nurse form
included similar items but included additional items such as current position, work shift,
and work status.
Data were analyzed using the SSPS, version 15.0.1,30 with descriptive statistics used to
describe the sample; Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to
evaluate the relationships among study variables and demographic variables; and a 1-way
analysis of variance was used to test differences between the nurse managers' perceptions
of their leadership style as compared with the subordinates' perceptions of their leader's
style. Each individual nurse manager's data were compared with his/her aggregated unit
data obtained from his/her subordinate nurses.
Results
The nurse managers in the sample ranged in age from 29 to 66 years (mean, 49.1 years),
with a mean of 24.9 years of experience in nursing and 3.3 years in their current position.
Years in a line-management position ranged from 1 to 17 years (mean, 7.5 years). The
nurse managers were mainly women (92.9%), white (85.7%), and divorced (50.0%). The
nurse managers in the sample were educationally prepared as follows: diploma (7.1%),
associate (14.3%), baccalaureate (64.3%), or master's prepared (14.3%). All worked full
time, and respondents claimed they worked nearly 50 hours weekly (mean, 48.07 hours).
The staff nurse sample was slightly younger than the managers and ranged in age from 45
to 71 years (mean, 43.4 years) and had a mean of 17.2 years' experience in nursing. The
staff nurses were mainly women (88.2%), white (73.7%), and married (59.2%). Most staff
nurses in the sample were educationally prepared at either the associate (26.3%) or
baccalaureate (53.9%) level, with the remainder being diploma (15.8%), master's (1.3%),
or doctoral prepared (1.3%) nurses. The majority worked full time (86.8%). Most staff
nurses worked either 12-hour day shift (43.4%) or 12-hour night shift (32.9%). In addition,
some held degrees in fields other than nursing including associate degrees (16%),
baccalaureate degrees (13%), and master's degrees (3%). None of the demographic
variables were significantly correlated with leadership style or job satisfaction.
The following research questions were generated:

Nurse managers as transformational and transactional

leaders
Nursing Economics, July-August, 2006 by Elaine McGuire,
Susan M. Kennedy
The effective leader achieves a balance between transformational and transactional behaviors,
thus creating a leadership style that matches the needs of followers. The leader can then help
followers to realize greater individual and organizational achievements (Bass, 1998). Followers
who feel more self-confident and involved, have a sense of belonging, and share a common
sense of direction tend to emerge as committed and loyal employees of the organization. The
strength or degree of this commitment is reflected by a strong value in and acceptance of the
organization's goals and values. There is a readiness to expend considerable effort on behalf of
the organization and a strong desire to remain a member of the organization.

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore the transformational and transactional leadership
characteristics of nurse managers in relation to the organizational commitment of RNs working
on their respective unit(s). Each manager's predominant leadership style was self-identified and
then re-examined in contrast to staff's perceptions of the leadership style used.
Research questions
1. What is the relationship between the nurse manager's self-assessment and the RNs' assessment
of the manager as it relates to transformational and transactional leadership characteristics?
2. What is the relationship between the RNs' perception of the nurse manager's transformational
and transactional leadership characteristics and the degree of organizational commitment
demonstrated by the same RNs?
3. What is the relationship between the self-assessed transformational and transactional
leadership characteristics of the nurse manager and the degree of organizational commitment
demonstrated by the RNs reporting to that nurse manager?
Methodology
This descriptive correlational study examined the relationship between two key variables: the
leadership style of nurse managers and the organizational commitment of staff nurses.
Similarities and differences in nurse manager and staff nurse perceptions of leadership
characteristics were also explored.
Sample
The chief nursing officers of 21 not-for-profit hospitals with greater than 150 beds located in the
Midwest region of the country were contacted to obtain permission to include nurse managers of
their respective acute care nursing units in the study. Eleven of the 21 eligible hospitals agreed to
participate. A convenience sample comprised 63 nurse managers who had been in their current
position for at least 6 months. Each manager had 24-hour accountability and directed, planned,
coordinated, and controlled the operational activities and personnel for one or more patient care
areas. For a nurse manager to be a participant in this research, at least 5 of their 15 or more
direct-report RN staff also had to agree to participate.
The nurse manager sample's demographic characteristics reflected the general nursing
population. The sample was predominantly female (94%) and between the ages of 36 and 55.
The managerial experience of the group showed a wider variation ranging from as few as 6
months to as long as 33 years. The majority of nurse managers (76%) held either a baccalaureate
or master's degree in nursing. Over half (59%) of the nurse managers had operational
responsibility for more than one nursing unit and supervised an average of 64 employees. The
nurse managers often managed multiple specialty areas and multiple cost centers.
Volume 34, Issue 5, Pages 403-409
(October 2008) 9 of 40

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The Impact of ED Nurse Manager Leadership Style on Staff

Nurse Turnover and Patient Satisfaction in Academic
Health Center Hospitals
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 yes platform+medline author author

Glenn

H. Raup, PhD, MSN, RN, CNA-BC

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published online 13 June 2008.

Introduction
Nurse managers with effective leadership skills are an essential component to the solution for
ending the nursing shortage. Empirical studies of existing ED nurse manager leadership styles
and their impact on key nurse management outcomes sush as staff nurse turnover and patient
satisfaction have not been performed. The specific aims of this study were to determine what
types of leadership styles were used by ED nurse managers in academic health center hospitals
and examine their influence on staff nurse turnover and patient satisfaction.
Method
ED nurse managers were asked to complete the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and a 10-
item researcher defined nurse manager role and practice demographics survey. Completed
surveys (15 managers and 30 staff nurses) representing 15 out of 98 possible U.S. academic
health centers were obtained.
Results
Fisher’s exact test with 95% confidence intervals were used to analyze the data. The sample
percentage of managers who exhibited Transformational leadership styles and demographic
findings of nurse manager age, total years experience and length of time in current position
matched current reports in the literature. A trend of lower staff nurse turnover with
Transformational leadership style compared to non-Trasformational leadership styles was
identified. However, the type of leadership style did not appear to have an effect on patient
satisfaction.
Discussion
The ED is an ever-changing, highly regulated, critical-care environment. Effective ED nurse
manager leadership strategies are vital to maintaining the standards of professional emergency
nursing practice to create an environment that can produce management outcomes of decreased
staff nurse turnover, thereby enhancing staff nurse retention and potentially impacting patient
satisfaction.
Perceptions of Nurse Managers' Leadership Style by Nurse Managers and RN Staff:
Job Satisfaction as Perceived by RN Staff

Richard McElhaney, DNS, RN, Nursing, University of Mobile, Mobile, AL, USA

Learning Objective #1: Describe, compare, and explore the nurse managers'
perceptions of their leadership styles versus RN staff members' perceptions of the
nurse manager' leadership style.

Learning Objective #2: Ascertain if leadership effectiveness and leadership flexibility

on nurse managers are predictive of job satisfaction.

ABSTRACT The nursing profession is changing rapidly due to changes in healthcare

such as: shifting social values, downsizing, and federal regulations. Most nurse managers are ill
prepared for changes associated with their role today. Effective nursing leadership is essential to
meet the challenges that these complex changes present to the healthcare profession. This
descriptive, comparative, study was conducted to compare perceptions of leadership style of
nurse managers as perceived by the nurse managers and their RN staff using Hersey and
Blanchard’s (1991) Situational Leadership Model. A convenience sample of 11 nurse managers
and 79 Registered Nurse staff from one hospital setting was used to compare perceptions of
nurse managers’ leadership styles. A second purpose of the study was to determine RN staff
perceptions of leadership style effectiveness and leadership flexibility of their nurse managers
were predictive of job satisfaction using Stamps (1997) Index of Work Satisfaction.
Nnurse manager respondents were female, average age of thirty-one. Majority had a
master’s degree in nursing, had between 6-10 years of experience in their position and in their
assigned unit for more than five years. Majority of the RN staff were female, average age of RN
staff was 36,had a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and worked in their unit for 1-5 years.
RN staff perceived the leadership style effectiveness of the nurse manage as being
significantly less effective than did the nurse managers. The leadership effectiveness styles of
nurse managers as perceived by RN staff were predictive of two components of job satisfaction:
nurse-nurse interaction and total interaction. Comparing perceptions of the nurse
managers’ with those of RN staff will help nurse managers identify areas that may improve their
leadership ability in various situations.
See more of Strategies in Nursing Administration
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based
Practice (19-22 July 2006)

Leadership Styles in Nursing

Leadership styles in nursing management play a very significant role in the
management of a nursing facility. This article throws light on management and
leadership styles in nursing.
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A nursing leader might either be a nurse manager who is assigned the obligation of
handling one unit or a nurse executive who is responsible for the operations of all
in-patient nursing units. Usually, a successful or effective nurse leader, typically has
a repertoire of leadership skills that she employs according to the situations that are
being faced.

Leadership Skills in Nursing

After a nurse graduates from a nursing school and gets her Registered Nurse (RN)
license, she normally possesses some fundamental leadership skills to apply to
direct patient care. As she gets more experienced and advances in her post, she
would be required to learn more on leadership. There are many leadership courses
that are available in colleges and universities, professional education facilities, and
even large public and private hospitals. It is truly crucial for a nurse to seek advice,
mentoring, and coaching from a senior nurse leader who would render honest
feedback regarding her leadership style.

Types of Leadership Styles in Nursing

Broadly speaking, there are two types of fundamental leadership styles, democratic
and autocratic. These styles are further divided into subcategories. For instance, a
nurse leader who is democratically inclined, would engage his nurses in decision-
making and let them carry out their work in an independent manner. Whereas, a
directive autocrat would provide instructions without looking for inputs and
superintend his nurses in an close manner. More on leadership.

A nurse leader who has a considerable amount of work experience would select a
leadership and management style that would work best in any circumstance. For
instance, he might play a democratic kind of a role when it is time to purchase new
equipment for his nursing section. He can arrange to buy the equipment that is
required by nurses, and then allow them to utilize it individually as needed. But
from the other point of view, he might act as a directive autocrat when dealing with
less experienced nurses, giving only one-sided instructions, while he closely
oversees their work. Nurse leaders most importantly need to be very stress and
tension-free while managing things, as they work in a critical life and death situation
where every moment counts. and where temperamental or emotional behavior is
not accepted. They need to be able to fully concentrate on what they do, as it may
be a question of someones life and health.

Some Considerations of Leadership Styles in Nursing

A nurse leader might change his leadership style according to the age and expertise
of the nurses working under his supervision. There can be many cases where
veterans would like to share their hard-earned expertise with new recruits who are
in responsible positions. Whereas, younger and less-experienced nurses might
benefit from close supervision along with sufficient guidance and feedback. Nursing
has veered towards a shared model of management which involves nurses in
decision-making. In this leadership model, a nurse leader employs a democratic
style of leadership, encouraging nurses to actively get involved in medical decision-
making activities along with monitoring their patient results. You may want to know
more on:

• Ethics in Nursing Jobs and Profession

• Communication Techniques in Nursing
This is in essence about the leadership styles in nursing, however, a nurse manager
may change his style according to situation and the way nurses respond to his
instructions. His/her style may also change according to situational demands of the
medical facility. Effective leadership would certainly make the nursing professionals
work in the best possible manner.

By Stephen Rampur

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manager's leadership style and to determine Nursing Liability Center
what effect transformational leadership style has Brought to you by Nurses Service
on job satisfaction. Organization

Background: Nursing job satisfaction is a critical

element in addressing the nursing shortage.
Literature supports that job satisfaction is related
to nurse manager leadership style. This fact has
caused nurse managers to carefully consider
their leadership style and the impact it has on the
nurses they manage.
Methods: A descriptive correlational,
comparative design was used in a convenience
sample of nurse managers and their direct report
nursing staff (n = 92).
Results: A correlation was found between nurse
manager transformational leadership style and
nurse job satisfaction (r = 0.348, P < .05).
Conclusion: Transformational leadership style
was associated with higher levels of job
satisfaction. The findings added to the
knowledge about variables that are correlated
with job satisfaction, which is a critical issue to
nursing.

With a 20% deficit of nurses predicted by

2010,1 every nurse executive in the nation is
striving to recruit and retain nurses and identify
what the nursing workforce really wants in their
leaders.2 Although the evidence indicates that
nurse managers with transformational leadership
styles have a positive effect on nursing staff job
satisfaction,3-6 organizational commitment,7
and retention,8 not all nurse leaders have
adopted this style of management. Many nurse
leaders aspire to this style of management and
often assume that they demonstrate
transformational leadership behaviors, but what
do their subordinates say about their manager's
leadership style? How does the manager's
leadership style affect the subordinates' job
satisfaction? This study examined managers'
leadership styles from their perspective and from
that of their subordinates and the association
between their leadership styles and their
subordinates' job satisfaction. It was expected
that nurse leaders who demonstrated
transformational leadership styles would have
more satisfied subordinates as compared with
managers with transactional or laissez-faire
styles.
Conceptual Framework
The transformational and transactional
leadership theory suggests that that there is a
relationship between the manager's leadership
style and the followers' motivation and
satisfaction levels as indicated in the
Augmentation Model of Transactional and
Transformational Leadership conceptual
model.3 Bass and Avolio3 indicated that
transformational leaders influence the followers'
perceptions of what is important through 5
critical strategies: (1) idealized influence or
instilling employee pride in the leader's vision
and mission,9 (2) idealized or behavioral
influence or using leader behaviors to
demonstrate his/her values and mission to
employees, (3) inspirational motivation by
increasing staff's awareness and acceptance of
the desired mission, (4) intellectual stimulation
by influencing followers to think in new ways,
and (5) individualized consideration by
mentoring followers or expressing appreciation
when the mission and related goals are
accomplished.
In contrast, transactional leaders use exchange
transactions to reward staff performance3,10
using 2 major strategies: (1) contingent rewards
by giving constructive recognition for the
employees accomplishing the leader's vision and
(2) active management by exception by giving
corrective feedback to ensure that specific
delegated tasks are accomplished.
A third style of leadership, "passive/avoidant
behavior," or a laissez-faire style is the absence
of either transformational or transactional
leadership and is considered to be a
nontransaction or nonleadership style10,11 and
is thought to be ineffective resulting in negative
outcomes.
When leaders augment transactional with
transformational leadership, "…a greater amount
of Extra Effort, Effectiveness, and Satisfaction is
possible from employees…."3(p22) Therefore,
successful leaders must use a mix of both
transformational and transactional styles and can
influence staff by demonstrating behaviors that
meet subordinates' needs through interactional
encounters that motivate them to achieve
outcomes beyond what they would ordinarily
accomplish in any other style.
Leadership is "one of the most observed and
least understood phenomena on earth"12(p2)
because it is complex and
multidimensional.13 Kouzes and Posner14
described leadership as the "relationship
between those who aspire to lead and those
who choose to follow."14(p20) Leaders do not
exist without followers, and the 2 separate
roles are complementary.13 Leadership style
affects the work environment,7 job
satisfaction,15 and retention.16
Transformational leadership has been
associated with strong subordinate emotional
affiliation with the leader influencing the
subordinates' behavior and their perceptions
of the leaders' effectiveness. The
transformational leader creates an
environment that stimulates individual
growth among his/her subordinates8 and
energizes his/her subordinates to perform
beyond their expectations, because the
subordinates have internally adopted their
leader's vision and mission.12,17
Bass18 described differences in how
subordinates perceive the transformational
and transactional leaders' effectiveness.
Transformational leadership and
subordinates' view of leaders' effectiveness
were reported to be significant and highly
correlated as compared with transactional
leadership and perceptions of a leader's
effectiveness.18 Similarly, McGuire and
Kennerly7 reported significant and moderate
correlations between transformational
leadership and organizational commitment (r
= 0.39, P < .01) as compared with a significant
and negative association between a laissez-
faire style and subordinate's organizational
commitment (r = -0.20, P < .01).
Organizational commitment is often viewed
as a result of a satisfied workforce.
Job satisfaction is a multidimensional
construct that describes workers' feelings of
enjoyment, fulfillment, and appreciation for
their work at a level they believe it should
be.15,19,20 Bratt et al19 reported significant
and strong associations between
organizational work satisfaction and nursing
leadership behaviors (r = 0.56, P < .001). Rad
and Yarmohammadian15 indicated a
relationship between a hospital manager's
years of experience and 2 leadership
dimensions of employee-oriented leadership
(r = 0.736, P = .024) and task-oriented
leadership (r = 0.706, P = .023), which are
likely the result of experience and confidence
in the manager role. Job satisfaction has also
been associated with staff empowerment5;
magnet designation with participatory
management styles6; patient-centered care
and staff opportunities for independent
thinking, input into the organization, and
professional growth21; and transformational
leadership and professionalism among the
staff.22 Job dissatisfaction has also been
studied in association with leadership styles
and organizational attributes. Job satisfaction
was related more to patient care,
professionalism, autonomy, and opportunities
for learning and growth.21 Job dissatisfaction
was related to organizational factors such as
threats to personal safety, lack of fairness,
organizational politics, and threats of possible
layoffs.21,23
The importance of nurse job satisfaction
cannot be overstated because it impacts many
variables including patient satisfaction,
quality of patient care, intent to stay or leave,
satisfaction and trust in management, and the
overall work environment.16,19,21,23,24
Furthermore, the reported studies indicated
that if nurse managers desire to positively
influence nurse job satisfaction, the managers
must identify strategies that will empower
nurses by adopting and implementing
transformational leadership styles.5,15 This
study is important because being a
transformational leader is a highly desired
trait, and many nurse managers aspire to be
and perceive themselves to be
transformational leaders, but this self-
reported perception may not be validated by
subordinates' perceptions of their manager's
leadership style.
Methodology
This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive
correlational and comparative design with
self-administered questionnaires. Approval to
conduct this study was obtained from the
institutional review boards of the authors'
hospital and university. The convenience
sample (n = 92) included 15 nurse managers
and their respective nursing staff drawn from
a population of nurse managers and nurses in
a not-for-profit metropolitan hospital campus
consisting of an acute care hospital, a
women's hospital, an outpatient pavilion, and
a psychiatric hospital located in southern
California. Managers were included if they
had been in their current position for at least
6 months, had 24-hour accountability for 1 or
more patient care areas, and had at least 3
direct-report staff nurses who also agreed to
participate.3 A significance level of a = .05
was set, and a power analysis was done with
methodology described by Polit and Beck.25
It was determined that a sample size of 88
would be sufficient to obtain a power of .80
and a medium effect size of .30 to prevent
types I and II errors. Of the 155 research
packets distributed, a total of 92 were
returned (59% response rate), with 14 nurse
managers matched with 76 staff nurses
submitting usable surveys.
Data were collected by distributing self-
administered questionnaire(s) to nurse
managers and to their direct-report nursing
staff during staff meetings. Each study
participant received a cover letter explaining
the study's purpose, methods to ensure
anonymity and confidentiality of the
participants' responses, and the process to
participate in or opt out of the study. The
return of completed research packets by
participants indicated consent to participate.
Instruments with known psychometric
properties were used with the authors'
permissions to operationalize the study's
variables of interest.
Bass and Avolio's Multifactor Leadership
Questionnaire (MLQ)26 was used to measure
the leadership characteristics of nurse
managers. The questionnaire contains 12
subscales and 45 items that identify and
measure leadership effectiveness behaviors
shown to be strongly associated with both
individual and organizational success.3 Five
subscales measure elements of
transformational leadership; 2 subscales
measure transactional leadership; 2 subscales
measure laissez-faire/passive avoidant
leadership; and the last 3 subscales measure
leadership outcomes. Confirmatory factor
analysis was used to confirm the construct
validity and to identify subscales. Construct
validity was further determined by
correlating the MLQ with the Gordon
Personal Profile and the Thinking Scale of the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.26 The
instrument has been used in multiple studies
and has demonstrated stable psychometric
properties.27
The MLQ uses Likert-like scoring ranging
from 0 (not at all) to 4 (frequently, if not
always). When scored, the resulting values
indicate the leadership characteristics most
frequently used and the predominant
leadership style of the leader. Two versions of
the instrument were used: the self-assessment
Leader Form (5x-Short) completed by nurse
managers and the Rater Form (5x-Short)
completed by staff nurses to record their
perceptions of their managers' leadership
characteristics. Both forms have
demonstrated acceptable psychometric
properties in multiple studies with Cronbach
[alpha]'s on the Leader Form subscales
ranging from .60 to .78 and Cronbach
[alpha]'s on the Rater Form subscales
ranging from .70 to .84. For this study,
Cronbach [alpha]'s for the Leader Form
ranged from .39 to .84 and on the Rater Form
from .61 to .84. The lower Cronbach [alpha]'s
in this study are likely the result of a small
sample size of nurse managers.
The concept of job satisfaction was
operationalized using the Stamps28 Index of
Work Satisfaction Questionnaire-Part B
(IWS-B), measuring staff nurses' job
satisfaction through an attitudinal scale with
total scores reflecting the level of job
satisfaction. The IWS-B is a 44-item
questionnaire with 6 subscales measuring the
following dimensions: (1) pay, (2) autonomy,
(3) task requirements, (4) interaction, (5)
professional status, and (6) organizational
policies. The instrument uses a 7-point Likert
scale ranging from 1 (agreement) to 7
(disagreement) yielding interval-level data,
with higher scores indicating higher levels of
job satisfaction. Previously reported studies
reported high internal reliability with
Cronbach [alpha]'s ranging from .69 to .83
for the entire scale.28 Content validity was
reported to be CVI = .87, and the test-retest
reliability to be r = 0.83.29 In this study, the
Cronbach [alpha]'s for the subscales ranged
from .56 to .88.
Two separate demographic forms were
developed for nurse managers and staff
nurses to describe the samples and to control
for possible confounding variables such as
sex, age, race, marital status, highest nursing
and nonnursing degree attained, years in the
nursing profession, years of experience as a
line manager, years of experience as a
manager in current unit(s), and the average
hours worked per week. The clinical staff
nurse form included similar items but
included additional items such as current
position, work shift, and work status.
Data were analyzed using the SSPS, version
15.0.1,30 with descriptive statistics used to
describe the sample; Pearson product-
moment correlation coefficients were used to
evaluate the relationships among study
variables and demographic variables; and a
1-way analysis of variance was used to test
differences between the nurse managers'
perceptions of their leadership style as
compared with the subordinates' perceptions
of their leader's style. Each individual nurse
manager's data were compared with his/her
aggregated unit data obtained from his/her
subordinate nurses.
Results
The nurse managers in the sample ranged in
age from 29 to 66 years (mean, 49.1 years),
with a mean of 24.9 years of experience in
nursing and 3.3 years in their current
position. Years in a line-management position
ranged from 1 to 17 years (mean, 7.5 years).
The nurse managers were mainly women
(92.9%), white (85.7%), and divorced
(50.0%). The nurse managers in the sample
were educationally prepared as follows:
diploma (7.1%), associate (14.3%),
baccalaureate (64.3%), or master's prepared
(14.3%). All worked full time, and
respondents claimed they worked nearly 50
hours weekly (mean, 48.07 hours).
The staff nurse sample was slightly younger
than the managers and ranged in age from 45
to 71 years (mean, 43.4 years) and had a
mean of 17.2 years' experience in nursing.
The staff nurses were mainly women (88.2%),
white (73.7%), and married (59.2%). Most
staff nurses in the sample were educationally
prepared at either the associate (26.3%) or
baccalaureate (53.9%) level, with the
remainder being diploma (15.8%), master's
(1.3%), or doctoral prepared (1.3%) nurses.
The majority worked full time (86.8%). Most
staff nurses worked either 12-hour day shift
(43.4%) or 12-hour night shift (32.9%). In
addition, some held degrees in fields other
than nursing including associate degrees
(16%), baccalaureate degrees (13%), and
master's degrees (3%). None of the
demographic variables were significantly
correlated with leadership style or job
satisfaction.
The following research questions were
generated:
1. Is there a difference between the nurse
manager's perception of his/her own
leadership style with how the manager's
subordinates perceive the manager's
leadership style?
2. Is there an association between nurse
managers' and staff nurses' perceptions of the
nurse manager's leadership style?
3. What is the relationship between the nurse
manager's leadership style and the level of
job satisfaction among his/her staff?
4. Is a high level of transformational
leadership style associated with a high level of
job satisfaction among the manager's
subordinates?
To test the differences between the nurse
managers' self-perceived leadership styles
and their subordinates' perceptions of their
leadership style, a 1-way analysis of variance
was performed. Table 1 presents the results
for the MLQ by each subscale for the
manager-subordinate groups. No statistically
significant differences were found between
the nurse managers' perceptions of their
leadership style as compared with their
subordinates' perceptions of the managers'
leadership style on the total scale scores for
the MLQ, although the managers rated
themselves slightly higher on the total
transformational scale than did the
subordinates (mean, 3.26; SD, 0.39; mean,
3.04; SD, 0.60). Two subscales of the MLQ
measuring components of transformational
leadership demonstrated statistically
significant differences between the managers'
perceptions as contrasted to the subordinates'
perceptions of managers' leadership style.
Significant differences were seen in (1)
intellectual stimulation (influencing followers
to think in new ways), F1,88 = 5.22, P = .025;
and (2) individual consideration (mentoring
followers or expressing appreciation when the
mission and related goals are accomplished),
F1,88 = 4.93, P = .029. It should be noted that
these 2 factors are the most critical in
transformational leadership and are achieved
only when the nurse manager spends time
with his/her staff.
Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for the
Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire
by Group

The association between nurse manager's

self-perceived leadership style and the staff
nurse perceptions of the nurse manager's
leadership style was tested with the Pearson
product-moment correlation. There were no
significant correlations on the total
transformational scale between managers'
and subordinates' perceptions of the leaders'
transformational leadership style, but there
was a significant correlation between the
nurse managers' and staff nurses' perceptions
on the transformational subscale of
"behavioral idealized influence" (r = 0.311, P
= .006), indicating agreement that the leader
demonstrated his/her vision of the
organization's vision, mission, and values.
Similarly, the overall correlation between
manager and subordinate perceptions of
transactional leadership style was also not
significant on the total transactional scale, but
there was a significant correlation on the
transactional contingent reward subscale (r =
0.329, P = .004), indicating that the leader
gave constructive recognition for
accomplishing his/her or the organization's
vision and mission.
Although there was no significant correlation
between the managers' and subordinates'
perceptions on the passive-avoidant
leadership style scale, there was a significant
but weak to moderate correlation between the
managers and staff on the "passive
management by exception" subscale (r =
0.253, P = .027). There were significant and
weak to moderate correlations (r = 0.292, P
= .011) between the managers' and
subordinates' perceptions of the leaders' style
as measured by the total leader outcome scale
and 2 of the subscales for leadership
outcomes including extra effort (r = 0.316, P =
.006) and effectiveness (r = 0.362, P = .001).
Leader outcomes relate to the augmenting
effect of combining transactional leadership
with transformational leadership. This
provides for effective leadership, and an extra
amount of effort, effectiveness, and
satisfaction is possible only when both types
of leadership are combined, not either one
versus the other style.3
The relationship between nurse managers'
leadership style and the subordinates' level of
job satisfaction was tested using the Pearson
product-moment correlation r to identify the
direction and strength of the relationship. A
correlation matrix was generated to report
the relationship between nurses' perception of
nurse manager leadership style
(transformational, transactional, passive-
avoidant, and leadership outcomes) and their
level of job satisfaction. The matrix
demonstrated significant and positive
correlations between transformational
leadership and 3 subscales of the IWS-B
survey: autonomy (r = 0.330, P = .004),
professional status (r = 0.246, P = .032), and
organizational policies (r = 0.380, P = .001),
which supports previous research
demonstrating the association between
transformational leadership and autonomy
and professionalism. A significant and weakly
positive correlation was obtained between
transactional leadership and 1 subscale of the
IWS-B survey: organizational policies (r =
0.248, P = .031), which was a weaker
association than seen between
transformational leadership and the
organizational policy subscale of job
satisfaction. This finding indicates that the
transformational leader also influences
subordinates' satisfaction with organizational
policies.
Significant and moderately negative
correlations were obtained for passive-
avoidant leadership and 2 subscales of the
IWS-B survey: autonomy (r = -0.358, P = .
001) and professional status (r = -0.375, P = .
001), indicating that a lack of a defined
leadership style has negative implications for
staff autonomy and professionalism. In
addition, significant and weak to moderately
positive correlations were found between
leadership outcomes and job satisfaction on 3
subscales of the IWS-B survey: autonomy (r =
0.334, P = .003), interaction (r = 0.277, P = .
016), and organizational policies (r = 0.384, P
= .001).
The relationship between the subordinates'
perception of the managers' level of
transformational leadership style and their
own job satisfaction was measured with the
Pearson product-moment correlation r. A
significant and moderate association was
found between total job satisfaction
(aggregate score) and overall
transformational leadership style (r = 0.348, P
= .002). In addition, a correlational matrix
revealed significant correlations among
subscales for transformational leadership and
the IWS-B. Significant findings are outlined
in Table 2 between total job satisfaction
(aggregate score) and the following
transformational leadership subscales of the
MLQ Rater Form: (1) attributed idealized
influence (r = 0.425, P = .000), (2) behavioral
idealized influence (r = 0.265, P = .021), (3)
inspirational motivation (r = 0.413, P = .000),
and (4) intellectual stimulation (r = 0.282, P
= .013).
Table 2. Pearson Correlation of the
Index of Work Satisfaction
(Aggregate Score) to the Multifactor
Leadership Questionnaire Rater
Form (5x-Short) Overall Leadership
Style and by Subscale (n = 76)
Discussion
Both differences and correlations were
analyzed between the nurse managers'
perceptions of their leadership style and those
of their subordinates. The lack of a
correlation between manager and staff
perceptions was of interest as well as the
determination of significant differences. The
findings from this study supported McGuire
and Kennerly's research7 indicating that
nurse managers rate themselves higher on
transformational leadership styles than do
their staff nurses. This finding may be related
to the fact that healthcare organizations
reward nurse managers for transactional
leadership behaviors such as compliance with
policies, expense management, and
productivity7 and fail to motivate and
support nurse managers in the development
of transformational characteristics. Nurse
managers aspire to be recognized as a
transformational leader but may not actually
be demonstrating transformational
behaviors.
The data demonstrated significant
correlations between transformational
leadership style and autonomy, professional
status, and organizational policies supporting
research by Bratt et al,19 who also reported a
significant association between nursing
leadership behaviors and organizational work
satisfaction (r = 0.56, P < .001). It should be
noted that transactional leadership style was
also correlated with organizational policies
indicating that both styles influence
subordinate satisfaction with organizational
policies. This study also demonstrated a
relationship between the total scale score for
transformational leadership and total job
satisfaction as well as correlations between
transformational subscales and the total job
satisfaction scale (Table 2). The strongest
correlation (r = 0.425, P < .01) was found
between the transformational subscale
"attributed idealized influence" and job
satisfaction, meaning that "the leader instills
pride, faith, and respect; and has a gift for
seeing what is really important and transmits
a sense of mission."31(p696) It also describes
behaviors that encourage staff to respect and
think positively of their manager's
leadership.9
Implications for Nurse Leaders
These data support the notion that leadership
styles positively effect nurse job satisfaction.
These data indicate that there were
significant differences between the manager
and staff perceptions on the individual
stimulation and individualized consideration
subscales of the transformational leadership
scale. The 2 subscales address how the leader
influences followers to think in new ways and
mentors followers to accomplish goals related
to the mission of the organization. Nurse
managers often perceive themselves to be
more transformational than their
subordinates perceive them. Nurse managers
who have attended various leadership courses
and workshops may believe that they are
transformational when in fact they are not.
There is a need to close the perception and
reality gap. Nurse managers need to
periodically solicit feedback from their staff
related to their leadership style.
Transformational leadership is relationship
based, and the nurse manager needs to have
time to interact and work directly with the
staff to establish a transformational culture.
The data also supported the association
between transformational leadership and
autonomy and professionalism in nursing,
which are critical elements for optimal
patient outcomes, collaborative practice, and
magnet designation. Because
transformational leadership style is
correlated with nurse job satisfaction, nurse
executives should actively recruit leaders who
have shown evidence of a transformational
leadership style. New leaders may need
mentoring for growth opportunities to
develop transformational leadership
behaviors.
Limitations for this study included a potential
selection bias resulting from the convenience
sampling and the cross-sectional design which
may not reflect respondent responses that
might have been influenced by other
unidentified circumstances. This study has
limited generalizability because of the single-
site sample and the small sample size.
Although instruments with known
psychometric properties were used to
operationalize all study variables, the
reliability for the MLQ Leader Form in this
study was low for the "behavioral idealized
influence" (a = .44) and "passive management
by exception" (a = .39) subscales and likely
reflects the small manager sample size. It is
unknown how other instruments would have
affected the results. The available
participants may have been atypical of the
population of interest. Because most
respondents were women, results may not be
generalizable to men. Multiple treatment
interference may have occurred because
participants completed multiple instruments
measuring concepts that are thought to be
related. The researcher did not attempt to
control for distractions or interruptions
because the instruments were all self-
administered. The study should be replicated
with a larger sample and multiple hospitals to
enhance generalizability, and further
research is needed to validate the MLQ and
its use in a healthcare setting.27
It is important to study the relationships
between leadership styles that influence
subordinate job satisfaction, create a positive
work environment, empower staff to
heightened professionalism, and encourage
commitment to the highest quality of patient
care. Researchers also need to focus on
determining which leadership attributes
cause subordinates to perceive their
manager's leadership style differently than
the self-assessment and perception of the
leader. Without this knowledge, leaders
cannot adjust their style to ensure an optimal
workplace environment that meets
subordinates' needs and instills a sense of job
satisfaction and professional accomplishment.
Conclusion
This study supported previously reported
research describing the positive association
between transformational leadership and
subordinate job satisfaction and transactional
leadership subscales and job satisfaction.
These relationships should be examined
further to determine when and how these
transactional behaviors should be used by
managers to enhance the work environment
and to ensure that organizational goals are
met. The new knowledge generated was that
nurse managers perceived themselves to be
transformational when in fact their
subordinates did not have the same
perception. The lack of correlation between
the managers' self- perceptions of their
transformational styles with the subordinates'
perceptions of their manager's style indicates
a need for managers to validate their self-
perceptions with a 360-degree analysis of how
others perceive their leadership style. This
study is important to nurse executives
because it provides new evidence about the
differences in manager and subordinate
perceptions of leadership styles and validates
the need to employ managers with a strong
transformational style, although
organizations typically demand and reward
transactional behaviors. It would seem that a
blend of transformational and transactional
styles is necessary because both influence job
satisfaction, but the need for
transformational leadership is critical to
empower nurses and ensure a professional
practice environment.
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 Server: NASRVTX

Nurse managers as transformational and transactional

leaders
Nursing Economics, July-August, 2006 by Elaine McGuire,
Susan M. Kennedy
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The effective leader achieves a balance between transformational and transactional behaviors,
thus creating a leadership style that matches the needs of followers. The leader can then help
followers to realize greater individual and organizational achievements (Bass, 1998). Followers
who feel more self-confident and involved, have a sense of belonging, and share a common
sense of direction tend to emerge as committed and loyal employees of the organization. The
strength or degree of this commitment is reflected by a strong value in and acceptance of the
organization's goals and values. There is a readiness to expend considerable effort on behalf of
the organization and a strong desire to remain a member of the organization.
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Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore the transformational and transactional leadership
characteristics of nurse managers in relation to the organizational commitment of RNs working
on their respective unit(s). Each manager's predominant leadership style was self-identified and
then re-examined in contrast to staff's perceptions of the leadership style used.
Research questions
1. What is the relationship between the nurse manager's self-assessment and the RNs' assessment
of the manager as it relates to transformational and transactional leadership characteristics?
2. What is the relationship between the RNs' perception of the nurse manager's transformational
and transactional leadership characteristics and the degree of organizational commitment
demonstrated by the same RNs?
3. What is the relationship between the self-assessed transformational and transactional
leadership characteristics of the nurse manager and the degree of organizational commitment
demonstrated by the RNs reporting to that nurse manager?
Methodology
This descriptive correlational study examined the relationship between two key variables: the
leadership style of nurse managers and the organizational commitment of staff nurses.
Similarities and differences in nurse manager and staff nurse perceptions of leadership
characteristics were also explored.
Sample
The chief nursing officers of 21 not-for-profit hospitals with greater than 150 beds located in the
Midwest region of the country were contacted to obtain permission to include nurse managers of
their respective acute care nursing units in the study. Eleven of the 21 eligible hospitals agreed to
participate. A convenience sample comprised 63 nurse managers who had been in their current
position for at least 6 months. Each manager had 24-hour accountability and directed, planned,
coordinated, and controlled the operational activities and personnel for one or more patient care
areas. For a nurse manager to be a participant in this research, at least 5 of their 15 or more
direct-report RN staff also had to agree to participate.
The nurse manager sample's demographic characteristics reflected the general nursing
population. The sample was predominantly female (94%) and between the ages of 36 and 55.
The managerial experience of the group showed a wider variation ranging from as few as 6
months to as long as 33 years. The majority of nurse managers (76%) held either a baccalaureate
or master's degree in nursing. Over half (59%) of the nurse managers had operational
responsibility for more than one nursing unit and supervised an average of 64 employees. The
nurse managers often managed multiple specialty areas and multiple cost centers.
Diversify your leadership style to motivate
multigenerational staff

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Today's workforce is more generationally diverse than ever before. Thus,
today's nurse managers need to vary their approach to both lead and
motivate staff.
"It's the first time in history that we have had four generations in the workplace [at once], and
four generations that have very, very different needs," says Rose Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC,
director of the Nursing Leadership Institute and assistant professor at Christine E. Lynn College
of Nursing in Boca Raton, FL. "Nurse managers have to become extremely flexible in their
leadership style to navigate this environment."
The first step toward becoming flexible might be doing a self assessment. Nurse managers
should recognize that the communication, motivational, and recruitment strategies that worked
well for them in the past may not be as efficient today, says Sherman.
In addition, managers must find ways to get staff to work together synergistically, despite their
different generational traits, values, and beliefs.
Lead the Vets
Veterans (born between 1923-1943), are the oldest nurses in the workforce and their numbers are
declining. However, Sherman believes many will remain in the profession due to the lethargic
economy and consequentially lost retirement funds. Therefore nurse managers should be mindful
of the generation's traits and strategies so as to keep them engaged:
• Value their experience. "Veterans carry a lot of historical information of the
organization and have a tremendous knowledgebase," Sherman says. They
also enjoy mentoring opportunities and typically mesh well with Generation Y
nurses.
• Focus on their strengths and weaknesses. Sherman says vets like the
satisfaction of a job well done, so give them good feedback when possible.
She also suggests partnering them with millennial nurses to work on areas
that might prove challenging to them, such as adapting to new technology.
• Recognize they have a strong desire to build a legacy.
Move the Baby Boomers
Baby boomers, or those nurses born between 1943-1960, according to Sherman, are often very
collegial. They enjoy staff meetings and participating in committees and task forces. To keep
them motivated:
• Value their experience and give them frequent recognition. Perks such as
employee parking spaces and professional award nominations will be well-
received by this group, says Sherman. "Titles, recognition, and money are
very important [to them]," she says. "Time lost is less important."
• Think about ways to make the facility environment flexible enough so they
can continue working.
• Grant them mentoring opportunities when new staff members come on
board.
Drive Generation X
Many Generation Xers (born between 1961-1980) grew up in single parent households or spent
some of their childhood in day care, due to both parents working. As a result, Sherman says they
are typically extremely independent.
"They are very anxious to develop their careers and believe competence is more important then
years of experience," Sherman says.
As a manager, be sure to:
• Provide fast feedback.