Healthcare Leadership Characteristics

Many of us have probably heard the saying “ there are people that are leaders and others that are followers” at some point in our lives. We probably didn’t think much of the saying as a child but as an adult the term leader is viewed as a person who can lead or command a group, organization or even a country. Every organization must have a leader and the qualities that make a good leader varies as individuals fit into their leadership roles. There are some leaders who may not be energetic but somehow find a way to get the best out of people while others may appear too relaxed to be taken seriously. Although there are many different leadership styles, there is one style in particular that is critical in the healthcare industry, which is

A key characteristic is inspirational motivation, which is the ability to inspire people and to create trust that gets people to act on the leaders vision. In addition, the leader should be able to help individuals experience the same passion and motivate them to fulfill their goals by clearly showing them the meaning and value of their work. Transformational leaders will also need to find solutions for those individuals who are resistant to change. Another characteristic is intellectual stimulation. According to brighthub.com, “transformational leadership encourages change through intellectual stimulation aimed at self-reflective change of values and beliefs”. Transformational leaders are not scared to discuss any challenges with their followers and will seek their followers’ help to resolves issues as they arise. For example, leaders can create an environment that encourages innovation and creativity. This will allow individuals in a group to feel as though their leadership are open to new ideas, are receptive to change and will not be discouraged from sharing their

Along with some of the typical qualities transformational leaders should hold such as trust, admiration, loyalty and respect, idealized influence is a characteristic they should strive to retain. Idealized influence is the ability to lead by example, display a high level of morale and ethic conduct. Transformational leaders that utilize this characteristic generally gains the trust and confidence of the individuals in their group. Furthermore, the leader is viewed a role model and the followers respect the decisions that leasers make. Individualized consideration if referred to as treating each individual in a group as “whole” instead of considered “just an employee or follower”. The transformational leader acknowledges the follower’s talent, which often leads to the person wanting to reach a higher level of attainment. The transformational leader can attain this by listening to each individual’s need, expressing words like “thank you” and praising his/her for the good work. Additionally, writing notes of congratulations can boost confidence and leaders can also take a role as a