The key challenge, being faced by all health organizations deals with the promotion of culture that will ensure the delivery of high-quality and safe healthcare (CCL 2). As leadership represents a crucial factor that forms an organizational culture, the study of leadership is essential for a person, willing to build up a career in health sector. Apart from the fact that leadership is the cornerstone of one’s everyday performance as a health professional (e.g., a clinician, nurse etc.), it is also, if one is going to act as a manager of a healthcare institution or a part of it.
The healthcare industry is in great need of leadership today. Firstly, quality leadership is essential for the management of a healthcare organization, especially with regard to the issue of recourses’ allocation. Secondly, given the complexities, arising in a healthcare industry due to external threats, each clinician needs to develop strong leadership skills to be able to counter various issues (e.g., disasters). In the next decade leadership will become even more important due to the threats, stemming from the current global problems of mankind. In this regard, special concern is posed by the population aging. The more people will require highly qualified age-specific medical aid, the most significant role will leadership play due to the issues, stemming from the lack of resources.
The study of leadership needs to encompass both theory and practice. The study of theory is necessary for a person to understand how he/she acts and which mistakes he/she makes, while leading. For example, a person may lead the others in a highly undemocratic way, relying on coercive power, and not understanding why followers are dissatisfied. If an individual is totally unaware about the theory of leadership, he/she is not likely to discover the rationale for followers’ behaviour and improve his/her leadership style. However, knowing the theory can be helpful as regards both recognizing mistakes and correcting them. Ethical leadership also rests on the theory of leadership.
Commenting on the above statement, I would like to emphasize that I fully agree with its author. Understanding the link between effective leadership and teamwork is essential. Leadership constitutes an important dimension of team-building, whereby a leader has to select people, joining the team, and ensure that the team functions a whole. At the same time, strong leadership is required for securing the daily operation of a team and mitigating conflicts.
Furthermore, leadership is strongly concerned with resource management. As it was mentioned above, modern era poses a lot of questions, concerned with an ethical allocation of resources. Thus, a healthcare leader of tomorrow needs to be an exceptional decision-maker, aware about the implications of different options.
Importantly, the leadership in healthcare industry is tightly interconnected with the need to adapt and master technological developments, such as transplantation and using 4D printers to create organs. Sometimes, the use of technologies is also tightly related to the complicated legal and ethical questions (e.g., determining the moment of an individual’s death).
The results of the quiz show that I am inclined to democratic leadership. This leadership style is characterized by openness and getting others involved into securing the functioning of a team and making decisions. As I highly respect others and am open-minded, it is easy for me to ensure that the discussion is free-flowing, and everyone has an opportunity to speak. The democratic leadership style has a range of important advantages, and I am really glad I will be able to use all of them. Firstly, democratic leadership helps to ensure openness of communication and a focus of discussion. At the same time, if I lead democratically and am open to ideas, I will be able to ensure high-quality commitment from my team. At the same time, it is important to use this leadership style wisely, so that a team remains functioning and does not spend all the time, discussing issues.
Works cited
Center for Creative Leadership. Leadership and leadership development in healthcare: the evidence base. CCL, 2014. Web. 13 February 2016.
