Requirements

·       Complete a leadership self-assessment of 5–7 pages.

Be sure you read all of the requirements for this assessment and review the suggested resources to see if they may be useful in completing the assessment.

The health care environment is complex, requiring leadership that is comprehensive and collaborative in the field. It is essential for leaders to be well-versed in a range of areas (practice, research, education) as a means of effective engagement with interprofessional communities. Effective leaders have heightened awareness of self and individual leadership styles, leading to professional growth, career advancement, and the ability to develop leaders for the future across the fields of practice (nursing, health administration, public health).

This assessment provides an opportunity to analyze your own leadership qualities to create a portrait of the effective health care professional and leader you aspire to be.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

·       Competency 1: Explain the concepts, principles, and characteristics of effective health care leadership.

o   Analyze one's leadership strengths and weaknesses, in reference to one or more leadership theories or styles found in the literature.

o   Explain how one's specific leadership characteristics enable oneself to guide, educate, inform, and influence others in managing change.

·       Competency 2: Explain the role of health care leaders in facilitating interprofessional collaboration.

o   Explain how one's specific leadership characteristics help oneself build and maintain interprofessional collaborative relationships.

·       Competency 3: Analyze standards of professional ethics and the principles of diversity and inclusion as applied by health care leaders in real-world situations.

o   Explain how one can best apply the principles of ethical leadership, given one's leadership style.

o   Explain why diversity and inclusion are important to employee relations and the provision of safe, high-quality health care.

o   Explain how one's specific leadership characteristics prepare oneself to develop and lead a diverse team of employees and serve a diverse community, within an ethical framework.

·       Competency 4: Determine the influence of the practitioner-scholar role on professional practice and leadership development.

o   Explain how research skills and critical thinking guide effective decision making and foster integrity in research and professional practice.

·       Competency 5: Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, in an appropriate form and style, consistent with applicable organizational, professional, and scholarly standards.

o   Write coherently to support a central idea, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting.

Competency Map

CHECK YOUR PROGRESSUse this online tool to track your performance and progress through your course.

·       Toggle Drawer

Context

Leadership represents both what we do and who we are. Its crucial role within health care organizations is appropriately described by Manning and Curtis (2012) in The Art of Leadership, where they state, "Leadership is an important and difficult task, but the cornerstone of organizational success" (p. 11). Its challenges seem to be increasingly manifested in the public sector, where views of leadership performance are more accessible than at any other time in history, given continual advancements in communications technologies, such as the Internet and multiple smart devices. Subsequently, there is less tolerance for leadership failure, and skepticism is on the rise, making a strong case for leader awareness and continued leadership development.

As a health care professional and leader, it is important to have an understanding of the universal leadership characteristics and behaviors that produce the most desirable outcomes. Of even greater significance is the leader's need to know his or her own personal leadership style and corresponding implications on decision making.

References

Manning, G., & Curtis, K. (2012). The art of leadership (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

·       Toggle Drawer

Questions to Consider

As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.

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·       What measure do you use to evaluate your leadership skills?

·       How would your coworkers and friends describe your leadership qualities?

·       What activities do you engage in, and what professional associations do you belong to, that can promote your continued professional development?

·       Toggle Drawer

Resources

Required Resources

The following resources are required to complete the assessment.

Capella Resources

·       APA Paper Template [DOCX].

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Suggested Resources

The resources provided here are optional. You may use other resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment; however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. The NHS-FP5004 – Collaboration, Communication, and Case Analysis for Health Care Master's Learners Library Guide can help direct your research, and the Supplemental Resources and Research Resources, both linked from the left navigation menu in your courseroom, provide additional resources to help support you.

Capella Resources

·       NHS Learner Success Lab.

·       APA Paper Tutorial [DOCX].

·       Academic Honesty & APA Style and Formatting.

Capella Multimedia

·       Leadership Styles | Transcript.

·       How Do You Define Leadership? | Transcript.

o   Leadership means different things to different people. Although people in different areas may have varying views on the definition of leadership, there are many common elements, as well.

o   Listen to how real leaders in health care and other public services define leadership.

o   Time: 7:01.

·       Leadership Self-Assessment | Transcript.

o   The self-assessment will help you determine which leadership style best describes you.

·       Capella Scholar Practitioner Model | Transcript.

Capella University Library Resources

These resources examine transformational ethical leadership and may help you complete your assessment:

·       Crews, J. (2015). What is an ethical leader?: The characteristics of ethical leadership from the perceptions held by Australian senior executives. Journal of Business and Management, 21(1), 29–58.

·       deZulueta, P. C. (2015). Developing compassionate leadership in health care: An integrative review. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 2016(8), 1–10.

·       Dolan, T. C. (2013). Aspiration of a servant leader. Healthcare Executive, 28(6), 31–38.

·       Kupo, V. L. (2014). Becoming a scholar‐practitioner in student affairs. New Directions for Student Services, 2014(147), 89–98. doi:10.1002/ss.20103

·       Malloch, K. (2014). Beyond transformational leadership to greater engagement: Inspiring innovation in complex organizations. Nurse Leader, 12(2), 60–63.

·       Rogers, R. (2012). Leadership communication styles: A descriptive analysis of health care professionals. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 4, 47–57. doi:10.2147/JHL.S30795

·       Weberg, D. (2012). Complexity leadership: A healthcare imperative. Nursing Forum, 47(4), 268–277.

Additional Resources for Further Exploration

The following additional library and Internet resources are offered as options for further exploration of ethics in health care. These resources may or may not directly contribute to the completion of your assessment.

·       Thomas, J. C., Sage, M., Dillenberg, J., & Guillory, V. J. (2002). A code of ethics for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 92(7), 1057–1059.

·       American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/DocumentVault/Ethics-1/Code-of-Ethics-for-Nurses.html

·       American Nurses Association. (2011). Short definitions of ethical principles and theories: Familiar words, what do they mean? Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/Resources/Ethics-Definitions.pdf

·       Slowther, A., Johnston, C., Goodall, J., & Hope, T. (2004). A practical guide for clinical ethics support [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.ukcen.net/uploads/docs/education_resources/prac_guide.pdf

Bookstore Resources

·       These resources are available from the Capella University Bookstore. When searching the bookstore, select "FlexPath" in the School category, and then select this course from the list.

·       Buchbinder, S. B., Shanks, N. H., & Buchbinder, D. (2014). Cases in health care management.Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

o   This textbook contains some excellent case study scenarios. Interesting questions and useful resources are also included at the end of the each case.

·       Green, J. L. (2015). Graduate savvy: Navigating the world of online higher education (3rd ed.). Warrenton, VA: Glocal Press.

o   Chapters 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 provide offer useful information to help you succeed as a graduate-level learner in an online environment.

·       Assessment Instructions

Preparation

You have been offered the opportunity to apply for a leadership position in your organization. As a part of the application process, your potential employer uses the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) competency model of leadership development (NCHL, 2016), which includes a 360-degree evaluation. The evaluation is an assessment that includes anonymous, confidential feedback from those around you, such as your peers, supervisor, direct reports, and stakeholders, as well as a self-assessment on behavior (relational), technical and operational skills, and strategic ability. As a part of this 360-degree evaluation, you will complete the self-assessment component. This information will be shared with the interview committee for the position, so it is important that you demonstrate your knowledge and experience in each of the areas outlined in the self-assessment requirements below.

Note: Remember, you can submit all, or a portion, of your draft to Smarthinking for feedback, before you submit the final version of your work for this assessment. However, be mindful of the turnaround time for receiving feedback, if you plan on using this free service.

Reference

National Center for Healthcare Leadership. (2016). NCHL organizational assessments. Retrieved from http://www.nchl.org/static.asp?path=2852,3241

Self-Assessment Requirements

Complete a leadership self-assessment to create a portrait of the effective health care professional and leader you aspire to be.

Note: The assessment requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the Leadership Self-Assessment scoring guide. At a minimum, be sure to address each point. In addition, you are encouraged to review the performance level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. You are provided an example leadership self-assessment to illustrate what proficient-level work for this assessment looks like.

Self-Assessment Format and APA Style

·       Use the APA Paper template, linked in the Resources, to draft your self-assessment. An abstract is not required.

·       Your self-assessment should be 5–7 double-spaced pages in length, not including the title page and reference page.

·       Apply correct APA formatting to all in-text citations and references.

·       Use Times New Roman, 12-point font.

Writing

Note: Because this assessment requires you to develop a leadership self-assessment, you may write using first-person voice. However, it is important for your development as a practitioner-scholar to recognize that writing in the first person is not usually acceptable in academic papers, which are written in the third-person. Consequently, you should always carefully consider departing from this norm.

·       Be clear and concise in your writing.

·       Express your main points, arguments, and conclusions coherently.

·       Use correct grammar and mechanics.

·       Be sure to support your claims, arguments, and conclusions with credible evidence from 4–5 current, scholarly or professional sources.

·       Proofread your writing.

Self-Assessment Content

·       Analyze your leadership strengths and weaknesses.

o   Identify at least one leadership theory or style that you believe best aligns with your own thoughts of what leadership means.

o   Use that theory or style in your analysis. Cite your sources.

o   Consider potential biases or underlying assumptions in your analysis.

·       Explain how specific leadership characteristics you already possess will enable you to guide, educate, inform, and influence others to manage change in the field of health care.

o   Consider examples of past successes.

o   Consider strategies or best practices that could be applied to improve outcomes.

o   Describe at least two additional leadership characteristics you would like to develop to enhance your effectiveness in this area.

·       Explain how your leadership characteristics will serve to help you build and maintain collaborative relationships across, and within, disciplines.

o   Consider examples of past successes.

o   Consider strategies or best practices that could be applied to improve outcomes.

o   Describe at least two additional leadership characteristics you would like to develop to enhance your effectiveness in this area.

·       Explain how you can best apply the principles of ethical leadership, given your leadership style.

o   Identify the main principles of ethical leadership within your field of practice (nursing, health administration, or public health). Cite your sources.

o   Consider examples of past successes.

o   Consider strategies or best practices that could be applied to improve outcomes.

o   Where do you have room to grow in this area?

o   How can you prepare yourself to do so?

·       Explain why diversity and inclusion are important to employee relations and the provision of safe, high-quality health care.

o   Provide an example you have experienced or read about. Cite your sources.

·       Explain how your leadership characteristics prepare you to develop and lead a diverse team of employees and serve a diverse community within an ethical framework.

o   In what ways can you address issues of diversity and inclusion, both within an organization and in serving the public?

·       Explain how research skills and critical thinking guide effective decision making and foster integrity in research and professional practice.

EXAMPLE OF PAPER

Running head: ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 1

Ethical Leadership Sitara Monnappa Capella University

Collaboration, Communication, & Case Analysis for Health Care Master’s Learners Ethical Leadership PreparationJanuary, 2017

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 2

Leadership is the ability to empower the people in a team mentally and emotionally. Convincing people about their own abilities and talents as well as persuading all team members to have a shared vision can help create an empowered team and, in turn, lead to effective leadership.

An Evaluation of Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses

Every leader has certain qualities that set him or her apart from the rest. I believe that some of my qualities will strengthen my leadership abilities while others may weaken them. Compassion is one of my strengths. It involves a desire to alleviate others’ suffering. In health care, one can exhibit compassion by responding to the suffering and vulnerability of patients and their relatives with kindness and sensitivity, which is a feature of
Compassion is essential toward patients who may fear the uncertainty of the future and the possible loss of their autonomy, dignity, and body control. However, compassionate leadership can be challenging and difficult to sustain in health care organizations. Sometimes, as a health care professional, I may not have the time to listen to patients. Instead, I may have to take quick actions that may seem harsh. These conflicts might cause me to experience burnout or an overload as a health care leader (de Zulueta,

I also possess empathy and the ability to listen, both qualities that can be analyzed using the servant leadership model. Servant leaders are empathetic and good listeners. They never hesitate to help others, even their subordinates (Boden, 2014). This quality will help me understand the issues and concerns of my team members and provide me the motivation to do everything in my capacity to help them. However, I might be taken for granted as I consider others’ needs first, which might affect

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

Ethical Leadership

2015).

compassionate leadership.

Comment [A1]: The page recommendations are 8-10 pages. Pay special attention to length, organization, and precision in writing to the feedback.

Comment [A2]: Good identification of this style. This might be a good place to define this with the literature for support

Comment [A3]: Yes, this is an occupational hazard for many. How does an effective leader manage a balance, being compassionate while maintaining boundaries? Any thoughts about this?

Comment [A4]: Yes...again this area of balance seems relevant. How might this be addressed in practice?

my leadership.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 3

I also possess the ability to

. Adaptability helps leaders accept new challenges and

change behaviors and policies to tackle these challenges. The ability to overcome challenges through collaboration is a primary characteristic of adaptive leadership (Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles, 2014). Collaborative leaders understand the needs of different functions and business units. They patiently interact with colleagues who may initially find the shared purpose of collaboration difficult to understand. They are open to multiple opinions and perspectives and empathize with colleagues whose positions are different from their own (Lash,

.

Along with my strengths, I will have to acknowledge my weaknesses, too. I have realized that I lack foresight and the power to persuade. I would like to develop the foresight to be able to anticipate possible roadblocks and guide my team in the midst of challenging circumstances. I would also like to develop the ability to persuade others to understand my vision and point of view. The transformational leadership model states that this ability is important when one wants to empower others by making them believe in their abilities (Malloch,

.

I have identified my strengths and weaknesses after self-introspection. However, they are based on my opinions about myself and what my friends and family have said about me. Therefore, biases may be present as these qualities are not a result of any personality test that measure personality traits

What I consider strengths may be considered weaknesses by others. For example, my adaptability may be considered a lack of decision-making ability by others. Similarly, my compassion may be regarded as an excess of patience while dealing with peers and patients. I will have to be aware of these biases as I grow as a

Leadership Characteristics and Change Management

As one grows in one’s leadership roles as a health care leader, one will face new

challenges such as insufficient funding and complicated treatment dilemmas. In these

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

adapt

2012)

Comment [A5]: A fine strength!

2014)

Comment [A6]: Good identification of these traits with support from the literature...

objectively.

Comment [A7]: Good. How might this be accomplished? What steps will you need to take to integrate these characteristics into your repertoire of skills?

Comment [A8]: Good point about potential biases and the difference between subjective and objective data from supervisors/subordinates, etc.

Comment [A9]: Yes, the ability to be self- aware and present is so important for leaders in the field. Excellent point

leader.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 4

circumstances, leaders will have to implement a few changes in organizational policies, which may not be readily accepted by team members. Some of the barriers to successful change management are overly strict guidelines, ineffective leadership, unrealistic planning, lack of collaboration, and unclear goals and performance expectations (Longenecker, & Longenecker,

. Ensuring compliance to policies, encouraging all

, and clearly communicating the organizational goals can help leaders overcome obstacles in change management effectively. Thus, effective change management becomes an essential skill that health care leaders should possess.

The complexity model of leadership may help my team thrive in the midst of organizational changes. This model is based on understanding the external environment, adaptive capacity, and connecting with the internal organizational culture. This model can improve collaboration among teams. My adaptability will help me guide my team to face new situations and resolve issues collaboratively. I can help my team members adapt to the changes by addressing their concerns and projecting the positive aspects of the changes. My communication skills will allow me to facilitate interprofessional collaboration as I will be able to ensure that the views of the members of each department are communicated to other departments to set parameters to guide the organization. By communicating with different departments, I will be able to build a strong network and implement distributed decision-making, which will help the organization adapt to the pressures of change quickly. (Weberg, 2012). Ensuring that my compassion is reflected in my team members, while treating and handling patients may foster collaboration as compassion is found to make teams self-organizing and able to solve problems creatively (de Zulueta,

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

2014)

team members to be part of the decision-

making process

Comment [A10]: Good identification of these factors.

Comment [A11]: A great strategy, communicates the value of each member to the group.

2015).

Comment [A12]: An excellent section; showing respect for team members and establishing relationships with departments leads to trust, effective communication and collaboration.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 5

Communication skills have been proven to be key while handling organizational changes. I understand that to communicate effectively, straightforward words should be used. For example, if an organization is planning to change its rules, the rules should be simple so that team members can remember and understand them. It increases the chances of team members following these rules in daily practice. Simple rules have been found to facilitate effective change management in health care systems. In my experience, I have noticed that strong networking and distributed decision-making, which depend on strong communication, help an organization adapt to the pressures of change quickly and effectively (Weberg,

The personal characteristics of a team leader, such as communication skills and adaptability, have been found to be tied to the success of the interprofessional relationships among team members in a

Personal Leadership Characteristics and Interprofessional Relationships

Different leadership models have different approaches to facilitate collaboration within and between teams. The different qualities I possess will have different effects on my ability to lead interprofessional teams. My compassion will help me understand my team members’ concerns and motivate me to help them. This would in turn strengthen my relationship with my staff and encourage collaboration among my team members. As a leader, I can ensure that I nurture compassion among team members by creating systems that can help control anxiety,

I will strive to promote an environment of openness, which will allow new learning and the sharing of

errors, mistakes, and hazards (de Zulueta, 2015).
Adaptability is another quality I possess that will help me foster collaboration among my

team members. Adaptive leadership involves leading a group or many groups of people in times

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

team.

2012).

Comment [A13]: Yes...Shared decision making may lead to ownership of the process.

Comment [A14]: A fine section.

support the individuals involved, and harness positive adaptive responses to challenges.

Comment [A15]: Great points. How might this be accomplished in practice? Can you provide an example?

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 6

of change. Adaptive leaders ease the distress of team members created by change and facilitate collaboration. Adaptive leaders try to solve problems through group discussions and collaboration rather than only by providing technical solutions. However, adaptive leadership may not foster teamwork in emergency situations that require immediate attention (Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles,

I may also run the

by being too adaptable about certain organizational policies and patient procedures. Balancing adherence to ethics and adaptability will be key to using my adaptability to improve

I also believe that my empathy and ability to listen will help foster collaboration. The servant leadership model encourages collaboration by focusing on listening, empathy, and awareness (Trastek, Hamilton, & Niles, 2014), which are skills of collaborative leaders (Lash, 2012). Many of the qualities of servant leaders, such as empathy, awareness, and the commitment to the growth of people, and foster trust among leaders and others ( Thus, servant leadership can be practiced to facilitate collaboration in interprofessional teams.

The importance of empathy and adaptability can be observed in the functioning of the Dutch home-care provider organization, Buurtzorg Nederland. The organization model of Buurtzorg has garnered attention for providing good, low-cost home-care services through the deployment of self-governing teams of nurses. The nurses are guided by coaches who guide the teams to work collaboratively and listen to and resolve issues within teams amicably. Although the work hours of the nurses are tracked, the nurses do not have to report to managers, giving them enough flexibility to complete their daily tasks. The nurses work in self-governed teams, where they have sufficient autonomy while working (Kreitzer, Monsen, Nandram, & de Blok, 2015). From this example, one can see how important empathy and adaptability are. However,

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

2014).

risk of violating ethics

outcomes.

Comment [A16]: An important distinction in health care.

Comment [A17]: What might be an example of this? Is it possible to be “adaptable” while maintaining ethical practice?

Comment [A18]: Yes...How might this be accomplished?

Comment [A19]: Yes, this is an important point. Self-awareness and emotional intelligence are important factors related to effective leadership.

Comment [A20]: This would be correct as it is the second citation of the same author within a paragraph.

involve interpersonal interactions

Trastek et al., 2014).

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 7

the implementation of these qualities should be balanced with ethical practices. While it is important to be flexible while dealing with team members, it is equally important to keep one’s practices within the ethical boundaries of the

.

The Ability to Implement Ethical Principles

To ensure ethical practices, leaders should set an example for health care professionals by carrying out their daily duties ethically. As a leader, I will have to maintain integrity and a strong character to lead my team effectively (Derr, 2012). I will have to ensure that my team members abide by the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence in their practice. The principle of beneficence was developed to ensure that a health care professional’s actions are only for the benefit of patients. It is also meant to ensure that health care professionals weigh and balance possible benefits against possible risks of a treatment option. The principle of non-maleficence is meant to ensure that health care professionals do not bring harm to patients. By being too flexible, I may make unethical decisions. For example, I might easily accept a patient’s refusal for undergoing a particular treatment, which is medically beneficial. I will have to use my

Adaptability, empathy, and the ability to listen are qualities that an ethical leader should have. My ability to listen and empathize will ensure that I state the benefits and adverse effects of different treatment procedures to patients so that they can give their

These qualities would also help involve team members in shared decision-making, which will help resolve issues such as patient deception and wastage of financial resources. This way, I can ensure that all my decisions about patient care are ethical. My adaptability will allow me to explore the different ethical options with which I can deal with a problem (Nelson, n.d.).

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

health care profession

Comment [A21]: Yes, an absolute must. How does this example translate to your current practice? How might this model be useful to you in practice?

discretion to decide when to be flexible and when to be rigid while making choices.

informed consent.

Comment [A22]: Yes, is part of this flexibility being able to balance between competing ethical principles such as beneficence and autonomy or the right to self determination? How does an “ethical” leader address ethical dilemmas in practice? How might one’s code of ethics or other resources serve in this situation?

Comment [A23]: Good point here. Informed consent is essential to ethical practice.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 8

However, I may need to be cautious about being too adaptable to avoid violating the ethical principles of

As a leader, I will need to keep improving my ability to apply ethical principles in my profession to set a good example for my team members as well as other practitioners in the health care industry. Creating clear and simple ethical policies might help employees understand and implement those policies in their daily duties. Training and monitoring employees might ensure that the changed policies are implemented effectively. Ethical issues and ethical dilemmas could be discussed with other health care professionals, ethical committees of health care organizations, or with experts to ensure that my decisions are grounded in ethics (Nelson, n.d.).

My adaptability and compassion have helped me succeed as a leader in the past. One of the cases that I handled illustrates the importance of these qualities. This particular case involved a patient in her mid-60s who was in the end stage of life and made a strange request that she be preserved cryogenically until she could be brought back to life. However, neither the woman nor her daughter, who was the woman’s health care proxy, had

any official approval from a cryogenics company to go ahead with this process. Although patients and their families can make decisions about treatment, the health care staff of a hospital has the right to decide how to proceed with patients’ treatment if these decisions are not in the best interests of the patients. I was faced with an ethical dilemma about whether or not to take measures to keep the woman alive. Since this was not in the patient’s best interests, my staff and I decided against resuscitation and any other intervention for the patient. However, to show respect to the patient’s wishes, I instructed my staff to put ice around the woman’s body as she died. This action appeased the daughter as it seemed as if she took care of her mother’s wishes (Levitt-Rosenthal,

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

health care.

Comment [A24]: Can a leader be adaptable without compromising ethics in practice?

Comment [A25]: Excellent strategies

Comment [A26]: Word choice...received?

got

n.d.).

Comment [A27]: This is a great example of a dilemma in practice. What ethical principles were employed? How might beneficence or non-maleficence be balanced with autonomy or the right to self determination? Were there any other options? Were there other resources available for consultation? Ethics team or committee?

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 9

I would like to grow as an ethical leader by following the principles of transformational leadership. The underlying belief of this model is that individuals are obligated to help one another without expecting any personal gain. This model has been found to ensure ethical practices and promote honesty, fairness, and loyalty by motivating team members to have a shared vision while highlighting the importance of equality, justice, and human rights (Derr, 2012). An essential element of practicing ethics is the presence of an inclusive and diverse organizational

Handling Diversity and Inclusion in Health Care

Diversity and inclusion are issues that every leader of a multidisciplinary team has to face. This is elucidated in a case study of St. Michael’s Health Centre (SMHC). The case study showcases the transformation of the hospital from an almost bankrupt and inefficient organization to an innovative one focused on providing quality health care. The transformation of SMHC is attributed to the service-leadership strategies of Kevin Cowan, a former nurse practitioner, who was hired as the CEO of SMHC during its lowest phase (Vanderpyl, 2012).

The first strategy that Kevin Cowan used was speaking to every employee at every level of SMHC’s organizational structure and accepting everyone’s point of view. He showed the employees of SMHC that he genuinely cared about their well-being and supported their

Thus, he handled the diversity within the organization. Trust is a quality that Cowan used to address the

issue of diversity. Trust stems from optimistic expectations of the behavior and intentions of others. Certain activities create circumstances where individuals feel obligated to reciprocate with such trust (Downey, Werff, Thomas, & Plaut, 2014). When Cowan interacted with people, he placed them in a situation in which they were compelled to reciprocate positively. This is also

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

Comment [A28]: Well done and good identification of a leadership style consistent with ethical practice.

Comment [A29]: Excellent point. A good example of this leadership style in practice.

environment.

individual differences, irrespective of their cultural and professional background.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 10

illustrated in Cowan’s interactions with the CEO of Chinook Health Region (CHR), a provincially funded organization that provided funding to SMHC. Initially, the CEO had a hostile attitude toward Cowan. But Cowan, instead of reacting to the CEO’s threats to close down SMHC,

. This made the CEO believe that Cowan was genuinely interested in collaboration between CHR and SMHC for the overall success of SMHC. Thus, Cowan gained the CEO’s trust, and both of them made mutually beneficial deals.

Inclusion is another aspect that Cowan addressed during his tenure in SMHC. Inclusion is the degree to which employees feel that they are part of key organizational processes. Factors such as employees’ impact while making decisions, participation in critical work groups, and access to resources and information determine the level of inclusion By asking every employee about how they felt working in SMHC, Cowan considered their statements and made necessary changes in the organization. He ensured that they were part of the decision-making processes. By these actions, Cowan made the employees feel that they were

Cowan’s compassion, listening abilities, and empathy allowed him to transform SMHC into an effective organization. I believe I

have qualities similar to Cowan’s and will be able to handle diversity and inclusion issues that I may come across as a

Diversity and inclusion are matters that need to be addressed not only while working with health care professionals but also with patients from different cultural backgrounds. Miscommunication and culturally inconsistent treatment are often the consequences of treating culturally diverse patients as health care professionals may be unable to communicate clearly with them because of language barriers and differences in cultural values (Diamond & Jacobs, 2010). To ensure that safe, high-quality care is provided to patients, health care leaders can hire

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

asked how he could help the CEO

(Downey et al., 2015).

Comment [A30]: A strategic approach leading to team work rather than hostility and resentment.

Comment [A31]: Great identification of these factors.

Comment [A32]: Yes, communicating the value of each member to the group and the organization.

Comment [A33]: Yes, these will be great strategies to employ and appear consistent with your strengths as noted in this work. Can you provide an example of how you might apply these strategies in practice in your professional life?

relevant to the organization and that their opinions mattered.

health care leader.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 11

interpreters and train health care staff about cultural awareness and sensitivity (Brach & Fraserirector,

Qualities such as adaptability and empathy can help a leader address the challenges of a diverse team.

Developing and Managing a Diverse Team

My adaptability and empathy will help me develop a diverse team. My empathy will help me understand members from different cultural and professional backgrounds. My adaptability will help me lead my team in the midst of the changes resulting from hiring and recruiting a diverse workforce by having open discussions with team members to resolve cultural differences. I will have to modify certain recruitment practices so as to attract culturally diverse health care professionals to work together. I will have to ensure that the tests and other assessment tools encourage applicants from diverse cultural

I will also have to ensure that the recruiters reflect cultural diversity to show potential candidates that organizational culture is welcoming to minority groups. Programs that target integrating diverse individuals in all levels of an organization should be developed, especially professional and management positions. As more

minorities move into decision-making roles, the needs of diverse populations can be better served. Certain policies can be changed to encourage teamwork in a culturally diverse environment. Fellowships, internships, and residencies, can be reserved specially for staff members from minority groups (Flores & Combs,

).

To manage the culturally diverse team, cross-cultural activities can be held to familiarize team members with other cultures and their values. Interpreters can also be hired to translate languages of both minority and majority groups in an organization to avoid miscommunication, which can lead to the downfall of an organization in the

I will use my empathy to act

upon employees’ grievances and arrange open discussions about discriminatory behavior and

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2016).

backgrounds.

Comment [A34]: Yes...what other steps might be taken? Recruitment? Hiring practices? Mentoring? Incentives for second language acquisition by staff?

racial

Comment [A35]: Yes...

Comment [A36]: Is diversity and inclusion limited to race?

Comment [A37]: Good examples....

Comment [A38]: Yes...However, there are pros and cons related to interpreters. Are there other options?

2013

long run.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 12

cultural differences in the workplace to resolve conflicts among employees (Clapp,

).

Reading about research related to the different strategies, such as empathizing with staff and patients, to handle diverse teams in health care would help me further strengthen my leadership

Research Skills in Health Care Leadership

As a health care leader, it is essential to make informed decisions and policies based on evidence. This is where the skills of scholar-practitioner can be applied. Scholar-practitioners value data and apply research findings. They understand how important research findings are to improve practice in general. Scholarly practice is based on theory, research, and experimental knowledge. It is guided by commitment, ethical conduct, and personal values. Scholar- practitioners constantly assess and reflect on the impact of their practice and develop a critical- thinking approach to solve problems (Kupo,

Ethical research and credible evidence are essential to bring about better outcomes in health care organizations. Unethical research involves research based on

If organizations change certain policies and practices based on the findings of unethical research, the organizations will not experience the outcomes they expected from the changes. Also, if

, no one can be held accountable for the incorrect evidence (Resnik, 2015). To be successful as a leader, I should

implement evidence-based practices and strive to improve my leadership qualities further without violating any

Conclusion

Compassion, empathy, adaptability, and the ability to listen are essential for health care leaders to deal with issues such as diversity and inclusion and manage interprofessional teams.

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2010

abilities.

Comment [A39]: Try to use work published within the last five years or so

Comment [A40]: What types of activities might lead to better understanding and management of a diverse team as a leader and among members? Training? Mentorship? Special activities?

2012).

incorrect data.

Comment [A41]: Well stated.

Comment [A42]: Or collected without full informed consent?

Comment [A43]: What responsibility does an organization have to ensure that policies and practices are based on reputable work in the field? Can they be held responsible in certain cases? How might a leader ensure that reputable and credible research is used to inform best practices?

Comment [A44]: Yes, and part of this responsibility is to be a critical examiner of the work in the field....

organizations suffer a loss from using evidence that was not credible

professional ethics.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 13

Strong communication skills are required to ensure teamwork and collaboration, which become essential during times of change, making effective change management an essential leadership skill. Leaders not only need to have a sound knowledge of professional ethics, but also need to have integrity to ensure that their actions and practices do not violate any of those ethical

Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

Comment [A45]: A fine portrait of your leadership skills, strengths, and areas for development.
Well done.

principles.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP

References
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14

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Diversity leadership: The Rush University Medical Center experience.

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Copyright © 2017 Capella University. Copy and distribution of this document is prohibited.

Comment [A46]: Try to use work published within the last five years or so.

Clapp, J. R., Jr.

(2010).

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 15

Flores, K. and Combs, G. (2013). Minority representation in healthcare: Increasing the number of professionals through focused recruitment. Hospital Topics, 91(2), 25–36. doi: 10.1080/00185868.2013.793556

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Resnik, D. B. (2015). What is ethics in research & why is it important? National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/

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SCORING GUIDE

Leadership Self-Assessment Scoring Guide