Core Competencies

Leadership and Roles of Graduate Nurse

South University

Leadership and Roles of Graduate Nurse

After taking the leadership quiz, it was revealed to me that I am a Participative leader. This type of leadership style describes me very well and up holds my beliefs and values in leadership. Understanding the meaning of participative leadership style helps me understand to roles that are required for this style of leadership. As a participative leader one listens to what the team has to say and allow them to express their opinions, ideas, and suggestions to make decisions and solve problems. However, as the leader of the team he or she has the final say in making the decisions. A participative leader supports and encourages his or hers team. The effectiveness of this leadership leads to correct decision for all that is involved. The leader of participative style uses the team's creativity, knowledge, skills, and education to help reach the decisions. A leader who does this is considered fair and not favoring one side or the other. Leaders with the above qualities and characteristics lead to great leadership. The attributes of participative leaders has great respect from their team.
From my experience as a staff nurse in the ED, it takes great teamwork to deal with the everyday stress and the call of duty in the ED; this only can come from a department with great leadership. I have had leaders who will server right beside you and help when things go crazy and I have had leaders who will sit in their offices and not come out to help at all. I prefer the lead that will come out and will answer the call light, place a patient on the bedpan, take a patient to the floor, and give you a bathroom or lunch break. My leaders have allowed me to cry when needed too, and not appear weak, vent when a patient or family is being demanding, listen to my concerns and not view them to being negative or complaining and willing to take my concerns and make changes to help all. A good leader does not allow the authority to overcome the reasons why he or she became a nurse in the first place. I believe that one of my strong attribute to participative leadership is encouraging others and lifting them up with words of appreciation and gratitude. From my experience a few words of appreciation and a pat on the back builds relationships and teamwork. I have always lived by the motto "Lead by example" and that is what I believe we all should do not just in nursing but also in everyday life. Actions speak louder than words in any type of leadership one has. A would have to say that one of my weakness in leadership that I would need to work on is being too sensitive at times and not taking constructive critism very well. Therefore, this is an area that I am willing to grow and learn from as I continue my education as APN.
A quote that I feel that goes along with participative leadership: "Recognize the talent of others and acknowledge it" by Gloria Smith, PhD., RN, FANN of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Burnham, 07). This quote covers all the meanings of participative leader style from listening to praising.