Running Head: STRENGTH BASED LEADER 1

Strength Based Leader

Katie B. Webb, RN

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

Professor K. Schultz

NUR 4241

September 2, 2018

Honor Code “I Pledge.”

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Strength Based Leader

Nurse managers are tasked with a large responsibility of overseeing and guiding a nursing

unit to ensure that the nursing staff is functioning at the highest level to ensure that quality care

and patient safety is achieved. The current issue at hand involves a nursing unit that has a Nurse

Manager position open. The department has experienced several issues that require a nurse

manager that will be capable of managing the issues of an increase in incidences of conflict, a

decline in employee morale and teamwork, and declining intraprofessional relationships. Prior to

the interview process, the top five leadership qualities will be identified that will best address the

current needs of the department. Through proper identification of the leadership qualities, the

Nurse Manager and interview board will be able to select the best candidate.

Leader Profile

A nursing department that faces issues such as a decrease in morale, increase in conflicts,

and deteriorating intraprofessional relationships requires a nurse manager with specific skills and

experience to overhaul a department that is suffering. Experience as a nurse manager with skills

that both promote unity and conflict resolution are essential for this position. Building rapport

with the department employees is important and can be accomplished through being personable,

having positive energy while also showing the members of the team the manager will work

alongside to support and accomplish goals. In order to be a great leader, one needs to be a servant

leader. Robert Greenleaf coined the term servant leader in 1977, describing how servant leaders

are servants first (O’Brien, 2011). As well as being a servant leader, the new manager must

possess five important qualities deemed essential to lead the department in the right direction.

Rath and Conchie (2008), discuss four domains of leadership strength including executing,

influencing, relationship building and strategic thinking. The top five strengths within the four
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domains selected as most beneficial for the culture include positivity, harmony, restorative,

strategic, and communication.

Positivity and harmony fall under the relationship-building domain. The leadership traits

under this domain involve bringing individuals, within the team, to work together. Declines in

morale and teamwork have been identified as an area that requires improvement. Leading by

example through positivity encourages the dynamic to shift from negativity. With repeated

incidences of conflict a strong leadership presence is required to set the tone for professionalism

and positivity.

Restorative and strategic are traits that are essential to addressing the conflicts that arise

within the department. The restorative trait, found under the domain of execution involves

identifying a problem and resolving the issue (Rath & Conchie, 2018). Strategic planning is

beneficial as leaders with this trait are able to quickly develop alternative strategies to proceed

with a problem. The ability to handle conflicts and devise methods to resolve the issue in a quick

manner will benefit the department greatly.

The final major issue faced by the department involves deteriorating intraprofessional

relationships. The communication trait is important in bringing people together. The ability to put

thoughts and feelings into words creates an understanding and common ground for relationships

to be built. Communicators influence others by setting the example and can act as a liaison

between two parties. All five traits are deemed necessary for the department and the right

approach will need to be utilized in order to bring about change.

Application of Strengths

The new nurse manager will be required to enact a plan on how to bring about positive

changed within the department. All five of the leadership traits will need to be utilized during the
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reform process in the department. Positivity is the first priority when entering the new role,

providing hope to a department that is suffering from loss of morale is of utmost importance.

Change will not come unless the employees are invested in the process and leading with

positivity encourages others to do the same. The new manager should give praise when deserved.

Also, employees want to feel that they are part of a team, rather than solo individuals. A

harmonious environment is created when areas of agreement are achieved (Rath & Cochie,

2008). The manager may use this trait when employees begin to talk negatively about the unit, in

return, the nurse may forgo disagreeing, rather the manager can discuss how issues are being

resolved.

When problems or conflicts arise the manager will need to be reactive but also proactive

and anticipate what issues may arise so that they can be addressed immediately. Conflicts within

the department may have a negative impact on staff morale and teamwork. The manager will

need to sit down with the employees facing a conflict and identify the issue and ways to resolve

the issue. Both the restorative and strategic qualities will be utilized to problem solve and restore

order within the department. These traits ensure that problems are being resolved in a quick

manner with too much negative impact on the department.

Setting the example as the leader is key. In all professional interactions, the manager

should communicate with others in a respectful manner. The cause of deteriorating

intraprofessional relationships needs to be identified. Being able to communicate ideas and

thoughts to employees creates a trusting relationship in which the employee feels comfortable

sharing issues. Being able to effectively communicate will allow for all parties to share his or her

feelings in a professional manner. As a result, the relationships between individuals can be rebuilt

and members of the care team may once again provide care to those in need.
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A balance between building a trusting relationship and establishing clear expectations for

conduct needs to be created. A department will continue to suffer without the guidance of a well-

spoken, active leader that is willing to take on problem and create realistic solutions. To enact

positive change, members of the team need to be invested, feel valued, and be recognized for the

work that is being done. All of this can be accomplished through strong leadership traits that are

the right fit for a department.

Follow-Up Evaluation

Follow-up evaluations will be conducted to determine if positive change is being

accomplished. Sufficient time will be allowed prior to evaluation to give the new manager time

to enact a plan for change. During the time of evaluation both the manager and employees will

meet with the Director, individually, to discuss his or her view on morale and teamwork.

Employees will be the best tools to assess if morale and teamwork has improved. The manager

should be able to speak to how this was accomplished and how this issue projected to continue to

decline. At this time, the manager will be asked to provide documentation on the number of

incidences of conflict, the plan of action, and how the conflict was resolved. A decline in

conflicts is expected. Intraprofessional relationship evaluation will be conducted through

feedback from other employees and departments. Both the specific unit staff and other

departments should both agree that improvements have been accomplished.

Should positive changed not been achieved in one or more of the areas, the manager will

be asked to provide a plan of action and timeline for meeting the goal. Clear expectations will be

determined and the entire team, Director, manager, and staff will all be asked to be stakeholders

in the process. Support from the Director will be provided to both the manager and staff during

this time in order to promote positive change. Finding the “right fit” for leadership within a
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department is essential to promoting a positive change and can be achieved through active

participation in the process.

Contribution of Strengths

In order to evoke a strong leadership team, members of the leadership team must

contribute his or her strengths to compliment other members. One leader does not possess all of

the strengths important for leading a struggling department; rather it is the skills of all members.

The author’s top three traits as an achiever, relator, and responsibility can compliment the new

nurse manager. Effective teamwork stems from the top-down.

The role of the achiever means that author works hard to accomplish a goal. As the new

nurse manager contributes positivity and harmony to improve teamwork and morale, the skill of

achiever sets the example of working diligently to complete the task. As a relator, the employees

and new manager will be mentored and motivated to strive for greater achievements. Investment

in the growth of the nurse and the department is important to decrease conflicts and improve

morale. Responsibility involves a strong morale compass and following through with what is

promised. This trait compliments the strategic, restorative and communication traits held by the

manager. All domains of leadership are represented and provide a leadership base that is built

upon a strong foundation. Creating an environment that not only sets the example but fosters the

growth of a departments allows for positive change.

Conclusion

Proper identification and application of a leader’s strengths is important when

determining if a particular leader will be the right fit for a job. Effective strengths based leaders

utilize skills from each domain of leadership in order to promote positive change. Combining

leaders within and organization allows for such leaders to join together and form a
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complimentary relationship. Identification of an issue, establishing a plan, and conducting

follow-up evaluations will ensure that the required steps of improvement are being made and

where further intervention is required. Promoting positive change is not always easy but

selecting the leader with the right skills and experience can increase the chances of success.

Reference
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O’Brien, M. E. (2011). Servant leadership in nursing: Spirituality and practice in contemporary

health care. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publisher.

Rath, T., Conchie, B. (2008). Strengths based leadership. New York, NY: Gallup Press