Leadership Self Assessment (Term Paper Sample)

Leadership Self-Assessment
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Leadership Self-Assessment
Introduction
One of the authors that have covered the theories of leadership extensively is Peter Northouse. They include the path-goal theory and the trait approach theory. The following essay discusses these principles and their application in nursing leadership. The reason for their choice is that they base themselves on different stakeholders in the successful management concept. For example, the path-goal theory mainly concentrates on the attributes of the subordinates while the trait approach focuses on the characteristics of the leaders. For this reason, the analysis of the two theoretical frameworks will ensure that the research approaches leadership in a wholesome perspective. Analysis shows that Peter Northouse’s theories are essential for a nurse chief when it comes to identifying and improving one’s leadership abilities.
Primary Concepts of the Theories
The path-goal theory concentrates on the motivation of the subordinates as a way of enhancing their productivity (Northouse, 2013). The main aspects of this principle are the style of the leadership, the attributes of the subordinates, and the work environment. The theory states that motivation works if the subordinates have faith in their capabilities and receive the appropriate rewards (Northouse, 2013). Moreover, the employees perform their best if they have specific objectives to achieve. The trait approach theory emphasizes the qualities of the leaders and their utilization in various situations (Northouse, 2013). The principle outlines the fundamental attributes of leadership that include intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability. The approach requires a chief to possess the above qualities if other people are to view the leading aspect in the person (Northouse, 2013). The theory states that the features cause to the separation of the leaders and non-leaders.
Discussion of Results
The results regarding the traits theory approach had mixed outcomes. In some points, I realized that my friends had a higher rating than I had for myself. In others, I got a higher grade for myself compared to my colleagues. In the traits of being articulate, self-confident, self-assured, friendly, outgoing, trustworthy, sensitive, and sympathetic, my friends rated me higher than me. The evaluation in the above issues ranged from 3.8 to 4.1. On the other hand, I estimated myself in the range of 3.5 to 3.7. However, other traits showed that I rated myself higher than my friends did. In the features of being perceptive, persistent, determined, dependable, and conscientious, I evaluated myself higher than my colleagues. The estimation from my friends ranged from 3.6 to 3.8 while my ratings were from 3.9 to 4.1. For this reason, I realized that my mates saw some leadership qualities in me that I could not see. I also noticed that there were some situations when I rated myself higher than my friends. A close analysis showed that the all the estimation ranged from 3.5 to 4.1. Therefore, the rating means that I have the necessary traits to be a nurse leader.
When it comes to the questionnaire of the path-goal theory, it yielded a directive score of 25 while I had a grade of 33. I got a common mark of 25 in the participative style while I received 26 points in the achievement-oriented style. The scores showed that I had average qualities when it came to directing and participating activities pertaining the subordinates. On the other hand, I had a high grade when it came to the supportive and achievement oriented aspects.
Strengths and Weaknesses of my Leadership Style
In general, I discovered that I had strengths in various qualities such as self-confidence and friendliness. I also had an advantage in guiding and tuning the subordinates to achieve the desired objectives. On the other hand, I had a weakness in interacting with the subordinates, as well as in giving out instructions and directions to the subordinates.
I also discovered that I had areas that needed improvement. For instance, I have to sharpen my skills when it comes to issuing instructions and directing the subordinates. The issuance of orders and recommendations requires proper communication skills, meaning that I need to improve my social experience (Sivers, 2010). I also need to start taking part in the activities performed by the subordinates. The participation encourages and motivates the employees because they sense the appreciation of their activities (Sivers, 2010).
Theory Application
In most situations, nurse managers will encounter problems with the subordinates. Some of the questions include uncooperative behavior, absenteeism, and incompetence (Yoder-Wise, 2011). Yoder-Wise examined the above issues and the appropriate ways of handling them. In a situation involving an uncooperative or unproductive employee, I would apply my strength of governing the subordinates. First, I would closely study the employee with the aim of identifying the causes of his or her poor performance. Some of the issues would be the lack of motiva...