Exploring Workplace Problems, Issues, or Conflicts: Managing Complex Healthcare Systems Presentation

• Being a nurse involves much communication;
• all people have different personal interests;
• conflicts between patients and nurses are inevitable;
• patients may pretend not to understand nurses;
• customers may leave ungrounded complaints.

Situational Leadership

• One of the most commonly used models;
• its impact and effectiveness boosts its popularity;
• business environments become intense and densely populated;
• a need for a more adaptive leadership;
• in the 1960s, SL model was launched.

Dr. Paul Hersey’s Legacy

• Developed SL to enable leaders’ impact;
• leaders could influence the employees more effectively;
• based his model on evaluation of factors;
• outlined four styles: telling, selling, participating, delegating (Dems, 2010);
• leader decided which style was most suitable.

SL Model 1: Telling and Directing

• Leader gives the tasks to subordinates;
• effective for inexperienced or first-time employees;
• close supervision of new employees is necessary;
• inexperienced subordinates learn under leader’s control;
• employees are dedicated to reaching their goals (Dems, 2010).

SL Model 2: Selling and Coaching

• Leader is still responsible for defining tasks;
• leader listens to subordinates’ suggestions and ideas;
• communication process stops to be one-sided;
• for employees having experience but lacking self-esteem;
• leaders may provide encouragement and support (Dems, 2010).

SL Model 3: Participating and Supporting

• Maximum control is given to the subordinates;
• leader performs minimal supervision over the employees;
• leader assigns tasks allowing freedom in performance;
• most effective for the experienced employees;
• for those who lack motivation and self-esteem (Dems, 2010).

SL Model 4: Delegating

• Leader is still related to decision-making process;
• employees perform the delegation of the tasks;
• suitable for experienced and competent subordinates;
• general goal is set by leader;
• Subordinates have a lot of freedom (Dems, 2010).

Hersey-Blanchard Theory

• Hersey’s model plus contribution of Ken Blanchard;
• guidance for this theory involves several steps;
• priority tasks should be identified;
• the followers’ abilities are assessed;
• employees’ readiness to perform the duties is checked (“The situational leadership model,” n.d.).

ST in Action

• Leaders work with two kinds of employees;
• experienced professionals and newly recruited interns cooperate;
• leadership style depends on need for supervision;
• leader may switch between delegating and directing;
• style depends on subordinates’ level of experience.

Limitations of SL

• Cannot be applicable to all leaders;
• in situations involving task complexity, is unsuitable;
• when tested, did not justify the predictions (“Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership theory,” 2016);
• very brief definitions of styles;
• does not fit many of unique scenarios (McCleskey, 2014).

Understanding a Leadership Style and Power

• There is no optimal leadership style;
• leader should choose the appropriate behavior type (Hersey & Blanchard, 1969);
• however, theory is popular among managers;
• theory is used to resolve problematic situations;
• SL is effective for new employees’ integration (Lorinkova, Pearsall, & Sims, 2013).

Four Levels of Readiness

• Readiness describes employees’ competence and attitude;
  • enthusiastic beginner (D1): low competence and high motivation;
  • disillusioned learner (D2): low competence and low motivation;
  • capable but cautious contributor (D3): high competence, low motivation;
  • self-reliant achiever (D4): high competence and high motivation (Dugan, 2017).

Four Types of Leadership Behavior According to SL Theory

Different levels of readiness require different behaviors:

• directive (S1): low-supportive, high-directive (for D1 employees);
• coaching (S2): high-supportive, high-directive (for D2 employees);
• supportive (S3): high-supportive, low-directive (for D3 employees);
• delegating (S4):low-supportive, low-directive (for D4 employees) (Thompson &Glasø, 2015).

Four Bases of Power

Each leadership style requires a power base:

• S1: coercive power: sanctions and punishment system;
• S2: connection power: no perceived connection/ sanctions;
• S3: reward power: system of rewards/ bonuses;
• S4: expert power with exertive knowledge providing (Hersey, Blanchard, &Natemeyer, 1979).

Integration of a New Employee: Readiness Level

• Determining employees’ readiness helps choosing leadership styles;
• former students have enthusiastic beginner level;
• people who changed a job are D1;
• new workers have high levels of motivation;
• new employees have high expectations from work.

Integration of a New Employee: Leadership Style

• Directive style: most appropriate for D1 readiness;
• leader gives clear instructions and defines roles;
• communication should be one-way and directive;
• leader directs working process to avoid mistakes;
• until employees gain experience, leader supervises them.

Integration of a New Employee: Power Base

• Coercive power base: suitable for directive leadership;
• this power allows punishment for ill performance;
• workers should realize the leader’s role;
• coercive power enables leader’s power attainment/ development;
• employees need to understand that misbehavior is reprimanded (Hersey et al., 1979).

Integration of a New Employee: Performance Readiness Enhancement

• Coercive power leads to the readiness enhancement;
• at next stage, employee reaches D2 readiness;
• because of punishments, job satisfaction decreases;
• workers become more competent but less motivated;
• leadership should be changed to S2 (coaching) (Meier, 2016).

Embracing Technology

• Patient safety is a crucial issue;
• numerous enhancements for patient safety have been suggested;
• effective tools: surveillance systems, electronic health records;
• patient safety is not at desired level;
• innovative technologies may be difficult to master.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Benefits

• An effective suggestion for nurses;
• employees can use their own mobile devices;
• nurses feel more confident using their devices;
• there is more control over computing environment;
• nurses can provide better patient surveillance (Guyton, 2017).

BYOD: Limitations

• Nurses should care about confidentiality issues;
• challenges for it departments: organizing software platforms;
• organizations lose some control over IT use;
• difficulties may occur concerning the data ownership;
• problems concerning data when an employee leaves (Guyton, 2017).

Proprietary Devices: Common Difficulties

• A need for training the employees may arise;
• devices misused: a threat to patient safety;
• device employment may require too much time;
• not all hospitals can afford such technologies (Guyton, 2017).

BYOD: Assistance with the Problems

• Using personal devices: easier than proprietary ones;
• no need to spend time on training;
• improvement of nurses’ performance enhances patient safety;
• possibility of carrying devices gives more benefits;
• using personal devices increases employees’ job satisfaction.

Conclusion Remarks: Leadership and Conflict Situations

• It is necessary to choose appropriate style;
• suitable management encourages and motivates employees;
• in conflict situations, one should stay calm;
• customers’ demands should not impact nurses’ decisions;
• cooperation between leaders and subordinates benefits everyone.

Conclusion Remarks: Technology Improvements

• Devices help to keep records in order;
• technologies allow to arrange data faster;
• BYOD enables nurses to feel more confident;
• advantages of BYOD outnumber the limitations;
• job satisfaction is higher with BYOD.

References

Dems, K. (2010). A look at the situational leadership model. Bright Hub. Web.

Guyton, N. (2017). Is it time for BYOD for nurses? Spokwise Healthcare Blog. Web.

Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Life cycle theory of leadership. Training & Development Journal, 23(5), 26-34.

Hersey, P., Blanchard, K. H., & Natemeyer, W. E. (1979). Situational leadership, perception, and the impact of power. Group & Organization Studies, 4(4), 418-428.

Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership theory. (2016). Web.

Lorinkova, N. M., Pearsall, M. J., & Sims, H. P. (2013). Examining the differential longitudinal performance of directive versus empowering leadership in teams. Academy of Management Journal, 56(2), 573-596.

McCleskey, J. A. (2014). Situational, transformational, and transactional leadership and leadership development. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 5(4), 117-130.

Meier, D. (2016). Situational leadership theory as a foundation for a blended learning framework. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(10), 25-30.

The situational leadership model. (n.d.). Web.

Thompson, G., &Glasø, L. (2015). Situational leadership theory: A test from three perspectives. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 36(5), 527-544.