Transformational and Situational Leadership Theories in Healthcare Essay Answer

Introduction

The healthcare system is dynamic and intricate, with its own problems and the problems of other industries. Shortages of health care workers as a result of an ageing workforce (Ayeleke et al., 2018) are just some of the internal pressures that have arisen as a result of improved openness and accountability. The health care sector is sensitive to shifts in demographics, economics, globalisation, government policy, and healthcare and information technologies (Chen et al., 2022). Thus, internal and external factors constantly reform the health care sector. To meet population expectations and provide safe, effective, and high-quality healthcare, such reforms are needed. Effective leadership is essential for developing organisational culture and implementing health care innovations. The health care industry is no exception to the rule that good service delivery requires strong leadership. Leadership that can steer groups to success is essential for providing satisfactory services. Leadership in the healthcare industry must develop throughout time to meet the shifting expectations of both patients and providers (Bokhour et al., 2018). The aim of this essay is to provide a critical analysis of two leadership theories, namely the transformational leadership theory and the situational leadership theory, with regard to the topic of change in service providing.

The Impact of Transformational Leadership on the Healthcare Sector

Transformational leadership theory emphasises empowering and inspiring followers to achieve a goal. This theory emphasises inspiring people with a clear vision, encouraging their progress, and challenging them (Khan et al., 2020). Transformative leaders have played a crucial role in the healthcare industry, propelling change and bettering the lives of patients. As per Figueroa et al. (2019), transformational leaders communicate the need for change, articulate a clear vision, and match their actions with the vision in order to inspire and encourage followers to embrace the change. Electronic health records and evidence-based practises are only two examples of the many innovations that have transformed the healthcare system in recent years. These shifts have been spearheaded by transformational leaders who have inspired and motivated their teams to readily adopt these innovations to better serve patients.

For instance, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) Long Term Plan, set to launch in 2019, aims to revolutionise the country's healthcare system through the adoption of innovative technologies, enhanced quality of patient care, and more financial support (Maniatopoulos et al., 2020). The proposal was ambitious, and it would take transformational leadership to get healthcare professionals to accept change and make it a success. Successful change was implemented because of the leaders' ability to define the need for change, provide a compelling vision, and coordinate their own activities with that goal (Steinmann et al., 2018).

According to Bass (1985), the theory of transformational leadership, there are four types of leadership behaviours: idealised influence (role-modeling), inspirational motivation (purposes and expectations), intellectual stimulation (knowledge and creativity), and individualised consideration (tailored coaching and mentoring). When a leader communicates a compelling vision, earns subordinates' trust and respect, and inspires them to put their own development on hold for the good of the team, those employees are more likely to feel empowered and creative (Masood & Afsar, 2017).

Transformational leadership has been shown to improve nurse satisfaction, psychological engagement, organisational commitment, innovative work behaviour, burnout, employee well-being, and willingness to stay in the organisation (Xie et al., 2020). Boamah et al. (2018), surveyed 378 Canadian nurses and found that those working under leaders with a transformational style had the highest levels of job satisfaction. The favourable effect of transformational leadership on organisational culture is widely credited as the driving force for its fruitful consequences. It is common knowledge that transformational leaders foster an open and supportive work environment, where employees are encouraged to contribute their best selves (Wu et al., 2020). Such managers create environments that foster cooperation, individual responsibility, and logical deliberation. Transformative leadership has been shown to benefit clinical nurses; knowing how it affects the atmosphere at work can help with retention (Boamah et al., 2018).

Voigtländer (2016) discovered that transformative leadership negatively correlated with organisational growth success in US small business CEOs. Transformational leadership does not improve employee performance, according to multiple research (Kissi et al., 2013). Researchers also understand boundary constraints and a mediating mechanism between transformative leadership and staff productivity (Pan & Lin 2015). Group-focused transformational leadership has been linked to team innovation, while differentiated individual-focused leadership has been linked to the opposite (Jiang et al., 2015). Empirical research on the relationship between proactive personality and job satisfaction by Li & Yuan (2017) suggests that the "bright side" of transformational leadership has a direct positive moderation effect, while the "dark side" has an indirect negative moderation effect via leader-leader interaction. Bednall et al. (2018) found no beneficial correlation between transformative leadership and innovative behaviours in followers. These two-pronged effects reveal a nonlinear relationship between transformative leadership and worker efficiency. Few empirical research has shown the curvilinear influence of transformative leadership on worker productivity. Task performance refers to how well an employee performs their work duties. However, most companies' performance appraisal indicators include task performance (Mahmood & Khattak, 2017).

On the other hand, the transformational leadership idea has been criticised for its potential to foster a cult of personality around the leader, which in turn can lead to a lack of responsibility and an unhealthy reliance on the leader. Lack of autonomy among healthcare practitioners and resistance to change are two potential outcomes (Chen et al., 2018).

Situational Leadership Theory and its Impact on Healthcare Sector

According to situational leadership theory, leaders should adjust their methods to the specific context and the abilities and motivations of their subordinates (Aslam et al., 2022). According to the notion, leaders should use a more directive approach when their followers lack competence or commitment and a more supportive style when their followers have both. Adapting to shifts in patient care and the healthcare system has been made much easier with the help of situational leadership (Xu, 2017).

Situational leaders increase performance and outcomes by adapting their leadership style to the situation and followers' competence and commitment. Adapting to shifts in patient care and the healthcare system has been made much easier with the help of situational leadership. As an illustration, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated new protocols, laws, and approaches to patient care (Aslam et al., 2022). Health care providers were better able to adjust to the new realities and offer high-quality treatment to their patients because of the situational leadership that helped them do so (Alsaqqa, 2020).

However, the situational leadership theory has been criticised for its tendency to generate confusion among followers. This is especially the case when leaders change their leadership style regularly. In healthcare, this can cause confusion among providers and prevent them from providing the best care possible. In the healthcare sector, everything must be carefully plotted out and finalised in advance. Such preparation is essential for the development of a healthcare system that is more streamlined in its operations and decision-making (Mosadeghrad, 2014). Furthermore, a healthcare leader is primarily engaged with other healthcare professionals, the vast majority of whom are experts in their fields. A leader must know that his followers may have impressive skills but lack the motivation to actually complete the work at hand (Galea, 2017).

Leaders in an organisation consistently act in ways that benefit both themselves and their employees. Leaders are counted on to inspire their teams in order to ensure the group's continued viability and success. Components of the situational leadership style include guiding, coaching, bolstering, inspiring, and delegating. The situational leadership style has been criticised for leaving followers uncertain of their exact obligations. This muddle might develop if the leader's approach to leading is inconsistent (Tabrizi & Rideout, 2019). It might be difficult for subordinates to know what is expected of them if their leader employs a different leadership style for each task or occasion. Employees may start to doubt their worth to the organisation and their level of responsibility as a result of the lack of clarity.

Furthermore, there is a risk of developing a sense of dependence on the leader when employing a situational approach (Harsono et al., 2021). This might occur if employees are constantly told what to do and never given the chance to practise making their own decisions on the job. The organization's development and the employees' potential are both hampered by an unhealthy dependence on superiors. Although situational leadership has been criticised, it can be beneficial provided the leader is aware of the context in which it is used. X Hospital, which serves the general population and provides medical support for military operations, needs a flexible leader, for example, because it offers a wide range of services. Due to the nature of the organisation, an autocratic leadership style may not be appropriate here. Leadership based on analysing the current circumstances and acting accordingly can be an effective strategy (Harsono et al., 2021).

Leadership Theories and Healthcare Transformation: A Critical Analysis

The healthcare industry has benefited greatly from the use of both transformational and situational leadership theories, which have facilitated positive change and enhanced patient outcomes. However, these ideas are not without flaws, and their efficacy depends on factors such as context and the skill and dedication of their adherents (Boamah, 2022). Transformational leadership theory has the potential to foster a personality cult around the leader, resulting in a lack of responsibility and an over-reliance on the leader. Lack of autonomy among healthcare practitioners and resistance to change are two potential outcomes. It is critical for healthcare institutions to foster a climate of responsibility and encourage clinicians to accept personal accountability for their work. To this end, it is important to provide venues for learning and growth, promote open dialogue, and acknowledge and reward both individual and group efforts (Mahmood & Khattak, 2017).

On the other hand, situational leadership theory has the potential to cause confusion among followers, particularly when leaders switch their leadership style regularly. This is especially the case when leaders try to adapt to changing circumstances (Sfantou et al., 2017). In healthcare, this can cause confusion among providers and prevent them from providing the best care possible. Organisations in the healthcare industry must guarantee that all lines of communication are open and accessible to all staff members at all times, especially during times of transition Furthermore, healthcare organisations should embrace a leadership style that encourages teamwork, creativity, and collaboration. Leadership based on collaboration emphasises including all relevant parties in decisions, encouraging honest dialogue, and spreading an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust. Because it encourages collaboration between staff, this type of leadership shines at times of transition in healthcare (Chen et al., 2022).

Situational leadership authors do not explain these component variations in each development level theoretically. They also don't make it clear how much more or less abilities and effort matter at different stages of development. According to Blanchard et al. (1993), additional research is needed to understand the ways in which competence and commitment are conceived at different ages. Complaints regarding the murkiness of subordinates' development stages are linked to issues with the model's definition of commitment.

One practical criticism of situational leadership is that it does not adequately handle the question of individual vs collective leadership in the workplace. In a team of 20, for instance, it's not always clear whether a leader should tailor their approach to the team as a whole or to the individuals who make up that team. Leaders should adjust their approaches depending on the maturity of the group (Smith & Bhavsar, 2021). These stages are analogous to those experienced by individuals. What happens to people whose degrees of development are vastly different from those of their coworkers, though, if the leader adjusts her or his approach to fit the average development of the group as a whole? The literature on situational leadership thus far has failed to shed light on this issue. More study is required to explain how leaders can concurrently adjust their approaches to the maturation of both their followers and the group as a whole (Iqbal, Fatima & Naveed, 2020).

Conclusion

In conclusion, healthcare service delivery relies heavily on leadership, but it's especially important during times of transition. Both transformational and situational leadership theories have played crucial roles in advancing healthcare reform and enhancing patient outcomes. However, these ideas are not without flaws, and their efficacy depends on factors such as context and the skill and dedication of their adherents. Successful change implementation and improved patient outcomes need healthcare organisations to foster a culture of responsibility, provide healthcare staff autonomy, set clear expectations, and use a collaborative leadership style. Change management and service enhancement are both dependent on strong leadership. Inspiring and motivating people to embrace change and give their best selves, the transformational leadership hypothesis has been related to favourable outcomes in the workplace such as higher nurse satisfaction and decreased burnout. There are, however, drawbacks to transformational leadership that should not be overlooked. These include the "dark side" of transformational leadership and the lack of a linear relationship between transformational leadership and innovative activity among followers. Leadership in the healthcare industry may benefit from taking a more situational approach, as proposed by the situational leadership theory. In sum, healthcare leadership must develop in response to changing patient expectations.

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