LEADERSHIP STYLE: BEHAVIOURAL APPROACHES

Leadership Style: Behavioural Approaches

Student: Rajinder Kaur

Student No. 821 332 236
Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
NURS 250: Practical Nursing Leadership
Professor: Dianne Martin
January 29, 2015

Leadership Style: Behavioural Approaches

Leadership is a process. In this process, the ability of the leader is fundamental in influencing
a group to achieve stated vision and goal. Nursing leadership is defined in various terms. Nursing
leadership is a kind of leadership in which the nurse can raise the consciousness of nurses, offer
philosophical and practical rationale based on nursing values for fundamental change (Edwards,
1994).
There are various leadership theories, however, the major leadership theories are classified as
behavioural approach, contingency approach, and contemporary approach. Although many
individual and environmental factors play a big role in the development of leadership skills, yet,
we can design and implement a leadership development plan that facilitates development and
enhancement of competence.
The leadership style that most resonates with me is behavioural approach. Many studies have
been done regarding this leadership style, and different researchers have conveyed different ideas
about it. In the first place, there are three leadership styles that are widely recognized today:
autocratic leadership, democratic leadership, and laissez-faire leadership. In autocratic leadership
the leader makes the decision and controls others using command. This type of leadership yields
high performance as it is closely supervised by the leader, however, feelings of hostility often
prevail among the people. In democratic leadership, by using the expert power the leader
delegates authority to the people and gives them right to participate. This type of leadership gives
strong performance and positive feelings prevail among the people. Laissez-faire leadership is
passive and permissive; the leader defers to make decision. This type of leadership shows low
production and feelings of frustration are associated with the leader.
Furthermore, researchers have identified two basic leadership behaviours in behavioural
approach: job-centered behaviour and employee-centered behaviour. Employee-centered
leadership is considered to be effective leadership as it focuses on the human needs of
subordinates. On the other hand, job-centered leadership is considered to be less effective
because it lacks in developing work groups and high performance goals. It focuses on schedules,
costs, and efficiency.
Finally, the researchers have also conveyed information on two dimensions of leader
behaviour: initiating structure and consideration. Leaders who adopt initiating structure
behaviour focus on how work is organized and how goals are met. In order to organize work and
meet goals, the leaders plan, direct others, establish deadlines and details of how work should be
done. Leaders following consideration behaviour focus on developing relationships that can
promote communication and trust, as it helps them in showing respect to people and making
contribution in their lives. This kind of leadership is oriented towards the well being of others.

Leadership Style: Behavioural Approaches

When I look back, I reflect one of the most challenging events of my clinical experience
where I demonstrated one of the major leadership style and that is behavioural approach.
According to researchers there are two dimensions of leader behaviour: initiating structure and
consideration. It was the consideration dimension which I demonstrated in the event of a clinical
experience. It was a long-term care facility. I was to give shower to a resident with the help of a
personal support worker. The resident was immobile and was mechanically lifted to wheel chair.
I collected her dress, body lotion and she was taken to the shower room.
In the shower room she was again mechanically lifted to a wheel chair meant for giving
shower. I asked the personal support worker if I could remove residents gown and brief in order
to make her ready for the shower. I was told to go ahead. Now, the resident was completely nude
and ready for the shower. In the mean while, the personal support worker who was responsible to
give shower got busy in some other work. The resident was left nude at room temperature to wait
for the shower to start. Time was passing and the shower for the resident did not start yet. The
resident had a very low voice and difficulty in speaking. Perhaps, her complaint for waiting was
inaudible or she was not complaining; I could not distinguish. I covered her with a bath towel. I
asked the personal support worker to allow me to start the shower as the resident is nude and
feeling cold. The personal support worker who was still busy doing her work gave permission to
start the shower and later joined me. After shower the resident was dressed and moved back to
her bed.
I learnt from this event that in future if I have to give shower to any resident, I would take off
the gown and the brief of the resident only when personal support worker is standing by the side
and is ready to begin shower immediately. To avoid any kind of delay in starting the process, I
would ask the personal support worker to prioritize the residents shower first rather than getting
engaged in some other work, if resident is already undressed. I also learnt that as a health care
provider before carrying out any process one should be fully ready. This will help in carrying out
the process on time and quick; thus, saving the resident from feeling uncomfortable,
embarrassed, and helpless.
There was another situation where I demonstrated the consideration dimension of behaviour
approach. This incident took place back at my home in India. My father-in-law had heart attack
and one side of his body got paralyzed. He became bedridden and dependent on family
members for activities of daily life. Back there are no long-term care facilities, nor there are
personal support workers. In middle class families, care for such patients is taken at home by the
family members. Now, when my father-in-law became bedridden all his daughters and sons
began to escape from the scene when it came to cleaning his bowel movement.

Leadership Style: Behavioural Approaches

One day he laid in the bowel movement for hours, the room smelled awfully bad, and
unfortunately no one wanted to clean him. It was at that moment when I stood up to clean him,
and after that day I always stepped forward when it came to cleaning his bowel movement,
changing brief, and giving bath. He always felt helpless, however, by being present whenever he
needed help I tried to make him feel happy with the thought that he is still a respected member
of the family, and his family is always standing by his side.

References

Kelly, P. and Crawford, H. (2013). Nursing Leadership and Management. (2nd ed). Toronto:
Nelson Education
College of Nurses of Ontario. (CNO). (2013). Reference Document: Professional Misconduct.
Retrieved from http://www.cno.org/Global/docs/ih/42007_misconduct.pdf