Environmental Research

1 postsRe: Topic 1 DQ 2

This paper compares and contrasts two leadership theories: transformational and authentic leadership. In addition to this, the paper takes a look at the strengths and weaknesses of each of these two theories in relation to the nursing profession. To begin with, Sfantou et al. (2017) note in their article that the leadership style that is pursued by the leader is highly important, since it determines the nature of the relationship between an individual who is at the top of the organization (or heads the team) and his/her subordinates/followers. When it comes to transformational leaders, they are able to create strong relationships among team members, as well as motivation in the team (in general). Also, transformational leaders are known for improving worker commitment to goal attainment, as well as boosting overall performance on the institutional level (Asif et al., 2019).

What about authentic leaders? They align values with actions and are known for building transparent relationships with their followers (Carvalho et al., 2016). Also, authentic leaders create an environment where everybody feels respected and appreciated for his/her contribution, no matter how small or big (Nelson et al., 2014). If the two leadership styles were compared and the “best” one was chosen for addressing nursing issues, I would point to authentic leadership. Establishing trustful relationships is one of the pillars of a well-functioning nursing team. An authentic leader knows how to do this. Transformational leaders, on the other hand, are really result-oriented. However, in a nursing environment this can actually hinder the working process. For nurses, it is important to be transparent, trustful of their leader, and empathic. In my opinion, authentic leaders help to foster these qualities in their followers to a great extent. While both leadership styles are worthy of consideration, authentic leadership is the “better” version of the two.

References

Sfantou, D., et al. (2017). Importance of leadership style towards quality of care measures in healthcare settings. Retrieved from Healthcare, 5(4).

Asif, M., et al. (2019). Linking transformational leadership with nurse-assessed adverse patient outcomes and the quality of care. Retrieved from International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13).