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Strength-Based Leadership

Brandy McMahand, RN

Bon Secours Mercy College of Nursing

Nursing 4246 - Servant Leadership

Karyn Schultz, DNP, RN, Assistant Professor

February 6, 2021

"I pledge."
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Strength-Based Leadership

Good leadership is an essential component of having a strong and dedicated team.

Leaders are just as unique and distinct as the members they serve. But all must have a common

thread of commitment to their work. This duty that is even more critical when saving lives is that

service. While researching why people follow leaders, Rath & Conchie (2008) discovered four

primal elements, trust, compassion, stability, and hope, were prime for a leader to deliver. Many

leadership styles can produce these traits, but in whatever individualized makeup a leader may

have, the results must have these necessities. Rath & Conchie (2008) noted that for research for

the book Strength-Based Leadership, they conducted over 20,000 interviews and a study with

over 10,000 followers worldwide. Gallop is a trusted source to rely on how to get results from

your leaders and the team.

Leader's Profile

Much can be learned about leadership from the Director of Nursing (DON) of a large,

urban health care system in the midst of hiring a new nurse manager. The nurse will be managing

a unit that has seen more than its share of challenges. It has recently experienced an increase in

incidences of conflict, a decrease in employee morale and teamwork, and deteriorating intra-

professional relationships. After careful review of the unit's problems, the DON constructs a list

of new manager strengths necessary to help the team succeed. She knew the team would need

someone with the ability to be positive, strong in individualization, harmony, strategic, and

empathetic. These strengths are required to change the current climate and move forward with a

productive and pleasant work environment. Patient safety is always the most vital factor. The

current challenges could put patients at risk, and that is unexceptional. Therefore, the DON

knows these changes must be made to rectify these issues swiftly.

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Application of Strengths

First, the manager must pose empathy. Nurses are known to give compassion to their

patients, but this also must be given to their coworkers. The unit has been through a lot—the

need to be heard and understood is echoed in the team's remaining members. Because the

employees currently feel unheard, not appreciated, and uncertain, the new manager will have the

ability to be an open place to share their feelings, concerns, or fears. This empathic setting will

set the stage for compassionate medical care to be done.

Next, the nurse manager will use the power of positivity because the morale is low. The

team has saturated with negative energy. Which now has affected teamwork. Even on dark days,

this person will need to be optimistic. This effort is a crucial step in bringing hope to the team for

better days ahead. Even if there is a chronic complainer, the new manager will know how to

direct this energy in a new direction. The DON understands like negative energy, positivity is

infectious, and this behavior would infiltrate the unit. This endeavor will help with building back

the team and assist with the retention of staff. It speaks to the old theory people are produced

from an environment.

Because there have been so many internal conflicts on the floor, the team's new addition

must bring harmony. They will have to know how to center the group on common grounds and

objectives—for example, establishing the team's specific target that everyone can work together

on, like patient safety goals. With the new positive environment, this conduct will produce

agreement and harmony, but increased productivity will also result.

The DON is also seeking someone healthy in recognizing each member of the team's

individualization. The hospital is in a large urban area and has a diverse group of staff. The new

hire needs to be able to know how each member can uniquely contribute to the team. They will
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have to undertake genuinely getting to know their teammates. The DON knows this type of

thoughtfulness will make the team members feel appreciated and valued. The result is increased

teamwork and productivity. An example of this would be allowing the staff member gifted to

detail to check the crash-cart or the vocal team member serve on a committee.

Lastly, the new manager will be walking into a hostile environment, but their ability to be

strategic would allow them to construct a plan to turn it around. With the team's input creating a

detailed set of goals needs to be accomplished, considering where they are starting from to where

they want to go. This process will help the team understand the unit's goals, and because of the

transparency, they will now have stability in their work.

Evaluation

An objective way to ensure the unit is now moving in the right direction is to review the

call-in and absentee log. Although there will be ligament reasons to miss work an engaged staff

will want to be there and part of the change. Reduction of both of these areas should be noted.

Gallop score evaluation is another way to gather team engagement. If the first year is an

improvement from previous, that will give great insight into the managers' performance.

Lastly, having a confidential survey done by the employees would give direct feedback

on the manager's accomplishments or lack thereof. The DON understands this must remain

classified, or the team would not feel secure at being honest. But this information would

undoubtedly give specifics on what is or isn't working well from the team's perspective.

Combination of Strengths

The DON understands that working with the new hire and being dedicated to their

development is just as important. The DON's strengths are consistency, restorative,

communication, connectedness, and empathy. She discerns how important it will be to have good
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communication with this new hire by effectively conveying the issues and supporting her. The

DON will help the new hire as she uses her restorative ability to identify a problem and figure

out solutions (Rath & Conchie 2008). The DON's strength of consistency will assist with

following up with the new manager before the evaluation. This skill will also coincide with the

new manager's skill of strategic development. Lastly, she will use her ability of connectedness

and empathy to listen and develop a good relationship with the new manager. Making the new

team member feel encouraged and appreciated will help transition power to the new manager.

With the DON and the new manager's combined strength, the DON feels confident that they will

compose a plan to resolve the unit's current issues.

Conclusion

Leaders must be devoted to the work but also the team. To change the unit's current

dynamics, the new manager must be a beacon of light to the department to bring hope, trust,

compassion, and stability. Utilizing her individualized team member's gifts will bring about

teamwork and collaboration. An engaged team produces results (Rath & Conchie 2008). The

new manager will need to understand that each team member has their individualized voice, but

only with everyone working together can choir be heard. While including the team with the

strategic plan and goals will incite teamwork and stability. After some time demonstrating the

commitment and dedication, team members will begin to trust the new manager and the process

—the success of this process that will be shown in improved Gallop scores and decrease

absenteeism. The DON understands that working with the new hire and being dedicated to their

development is just as critical. She understands how effective the combination of strengths

between the new manager and herself. Will all these efforts to restore the department, the work

can and will be done.

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References

Rath, T., & Conchie, B. (2008). Strengths based leadership. Gallup Press.