Free Essay: The Changing Face of Healthcare Leadership in the 21st Century

Leadership dimensions in the 21st century are taking a different turn as the leaders are inclined to make systems work better in terms of efficiency, innovation, productivity, and synergy in any organization. Leaders are today assessed by their performance that is regularly based on qualitative sense. Leadership qualities span from character, trustworthiness, communication, mission and vision, integrity and the ability to influence others. The 21st century has evolved into making leadership a conviction rather than a position of power. Many healthcare leaders approach their niche in different scopes and try to make their hospitals work efficiently (Schlosser, 2014).

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Today, leadership is created by the future orientation of hospital systems and organization, as well as the demographic shift, and technological advancements in the healthcare systems. As the dimensions of leadership change the financial acumen, operation expertise, and logistics continue to become very vital. Health care changes are influenced by technology, society, demographics since they cause significant impact on the access, quality of life, affordability from prenatal healthcare to the hospice stages of life. Meeting these public needs makes it mandatory that leadership in the healthcare takes a transformational dimension and a profound revision in the medical care system. Leadership in todays healthcare has taken tactical and strategic approaches to healthcare management stimulating growth, enlightenment in new peer reviewed approaches to leadership and learning of new ways to make leadership more plausible in the new age (Anderson & Ackerman-Anderson, 2010).

Seven Leadership Styles

Al-Sawai asserts that leadership is a dynamic theory that keeps on changing and will never continue to shift over time. There are several leadership styles that he has discussed and below is a clear depiction of his ideology of leadership in different styles (Al-Sawai, 2013).

Transformational Leadership Style

In this theory, Al-Sawai emphasizes that the style is modern and moves away from the old theory of transactional leadership, which was more dictatorial. Instead, transformational employs a new outlook to leadership as the leader develops a vision that is shared by the entire staff and thus develops a goal-oriented workforce that is unified and excited to realize a common vision. Transformational leaders can influence attitudes towards performance and empowerment (Al-Sawai, 2013).

Shared Leadership

This theory of leadership is a system based on a broken down system that is more focused on teams of individuals who work together and make decisions of a collective nature. This type of leadership is creatively formed in the aspect of job satisfaction in the work environment. It assists the entire team to develop and manage collectively creating a perfect teamwork approach to leadership. It ideally makes the staff adopt leadership qualities, better self-sufficiency and improve health outcomes in the healthcare system. It creates a good relationship between the managers and the staff as they carry out orders they have assisted implement. Therefore, complaints are rather rare in this style of leadership (Al-Sawai, 2013).

Distributed Leadership

This type of leadership is cultivated on several important points of the decision-making process. It is hierarchical and asserts to collaborative efforts in place. The leader is compelled to be more sense making meaning the leader is supposed to understand the changing environment and analysis of the implications. Secondly, the leader has to be relating in that he/she can build great relationships, balance probe, and encouragement while building a network of confidants. The leader must be a good visionary as the leadership should be oriented to the future of the business/healthcare facility. Lastly, the leaders have to make sure they are inventive; can create better ways to solve issues, and harnessing of the strengths of the employees as they work to the advantage of the organization (Al-Sawai, 2013).

Ethical Style of Leadership

Ethical leadership is rooted in the protection of the rights and values to all parties. In case the leader is unethical, they can cause distrust, crimes of obedience, deteriorated efficiency in the organization and patient outcomes. Therefore, this type of leadership requires one to be ethically upright (Al-Sawai, 2013).

Functional Result Oriented Healthcare Leadership Style

This style is based on the functional outcomes tried on a population of people that have gone through the clinical process to make the decision that works for many. It is a healthcare leadership based on evidence and provision of the correct decisions based on a group based- outcome. It is a creatively designed leadership style that assists in making sure the healthcare system is providing quality and clinically directed service enhancements (Al-Sawai, 2013).

Collaborative Leadership

This style is mainly synergistic in nature as it encourages the entire workforce to work towards implementation of operational practices that enable understanding the culture, shared values, and visions. Leaders are the role models to the workers so they can raise the motivation levels of the staff and cultivate better interdependency between the entire team of practitioners (Schlosser, 2014).

Conflict Management Style

This style is based on making sure the conflicts in the work environment are resolved amicably in order for the agendas in the healthcare environment are smoothly handled. The leader is bound to assess the conflict and assign the right strategy that will handle the case effectively and instigate between the parties in conflict. A functional approach ensures the entire system is working in a conflict free environment (Al-Sawai, 2013).

When selecting a new CEO for the healthcare, I would make sure the person is a transformative leader who will push the staff to another level. Transformative leaders will ensure the entire team is motivated to give their best later cultivating a working system that is purpose oriented (Schlosser, 2014).

References

Al-Sawai, A. (2013). Leadership of Healthcare Professionals: Where Do We Stand? Oman Medical Journal, 28(4), 285287. doi:10.5001/omj.2013.79 Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3725246/

Anderson, D., & Ackerman-Anderson, L. S. (2010). Beyond change management: How to achieve breakthrough results through conscious change leadership. San Francisco: Pfeiffer. Retrieved from http: //www.hrdqstore.com/Beyond-Change-Management-How-to-Achieve-Breakthrough-Results-Through-Conscious-Change-Leadership-2nd-Edition_p_2050.html

Delmatoff, J., & Lazarus, I. R., F.A.C.H.E. (2014). The most effective leadership style for the new landscape of HealthCare. Journal of Healthcare Management, 59(4), 245-9. Retrieved from: http://www.creative-healthcare.com/pdf/The-role-of-Emotional-Intelligence.pdf

Schlosser, J., F.A.C.H.E. (2014). The management springboard: Eight ways to launch your career as a healthcare leader.Journal of Healthcare Management, 59(1), 14-6. Retrieved from https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-3205858381/the-management-springboard-eight-ways-to-launch-your

The changing face of leadership. (2010). Strategic Direction, 26(1), 21-23. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02580541011009770