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Strengths

A good leader has the ability to cultivate their followers into employees who are not only committed to the organization but also ones who are highly engaged. Nurse managers must be aware of their own strengths to understand the strengths of their team to lead them to personal and organizational success (Kanefield, 2011). My two greatest strengths include commitment and motivation. I am committed to my co-workers and their success. I show my commitment through my actions by picking up shifts when we are shorthanded, jumping in to help a nurse who is struggling with their patient assignments, and by remaining committed to my position and organization. I am also very motivated externally and intrinsically.

Applying Strengths

A leader must behave in a way that conveys commitment through their actions, which can create a work environment that is conducive to high levels of employee commitment (Manion, 2011). One example of commitment was my plan to pursue my master’s in leadership and management. Nurses must continually work towards improving their knowledge and skills in order to keep current with the advances in healthcare and technology. When conducting peer reviews, I always tell my nurses to keep learning and continue to seek out opportunities that challenge them. I chose to pursue my master’s degree based on my own commitment to my co-workers and my organization. I am leading by example. Since continuing my education, I have motivated several nurses to pursue a higher level of education than they currently hold. I remained committed to those employees by helping with the enrollment process and providing them with information on tuition reimbursement from the organization. Not only am do I display a personal commitment to better myself, but I also display a commitment to my organization by advancing my knowledge and skills.

Employee Strengths

There are a number of ways a leader can capitalize on the strengths of the employees. First, a needs assessment should be conducted to identify what is being done and what will need to be done in the future (Lussier & Hendon, 2018). Once a needs assessment is done, management and the leadership team will be better equipped to identify the current strengths of their employees and how to capitalize on those strengths. Peer mentors, who have been with the organization for a longer period of time, can be utilized to offer guidance to newer employees. According to Lussier and Hendon (2018), “peers often know the job of the individual employee better than the supervisor does, and they are more directly affected by the employee’s actions.” Peer mentors can help less experienced nurses identify their individual strengths so they can successfully resolve conflict.

Secondly, management can capitalize on the strengths of employees through autonomy. Allowing the employee to make decisions that affect their productivity empowers them to use their personal strengths to make well-informed decisions. An employee that is allowed to practice autonomously will feel more responsibility regarding the decisions they make and will be more likely to stay with an organization and do their job well (Lussier & Hendon, 2018). When an employee makes good decisions to resolve situations, their success should be celebrated. When less than favorable outcomes occur, the employee should receive constructive coaching from leadership to identify ways they can handle future situations of the same caliber. The coaching will help the employee build confidence so they continue to make well-informed decisions.

References

Kanefield, A. (2011). Know your own strength. Smart Business St. Louis, 4(2), 6. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.or… =bth& AN=58719781&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Lussier, R. N. & Hendon, J. R. (2018). Human resource management: Functions, applications, & skill development (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications

Manion, J. (2011). From management to leadership: Strategies for transforming health care (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass