Leadership Reflection Paper Example

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on my leadership development how it impacts my role as a nurse. Throughout this paper I will define leadership and I explain my leadership style. I will also explain how my leadership style has changed over the years and how people have influenced my leadership style. I will then articulate my awareness of leadership growth and style, and then conclude with the lessons I learned from this reflection paper. 

Describe 

Leadership Definition 

When the word Leadership comes to mind, it is more than someone being in charge. In my opinion, Leadership is the ability to positively influence others when working toward a common goal. True leaders are equipped with the ability to handle delicate responsibilities yet in a moment’s notice, know when it’s appropriate to delegate the tasks at hand. Throughout this semester the course materials discussed in class have greatly shaped my definition of leadership. I have learned that there are different types of leadership styles and theories. I have learned that the concept of leadership has changed, and it is no longer viewed as an innate set of traits, but it’s something someone can become.

Leadership Style 

After reflecting on previous self-assessments and course materials I would still attest to being a transformational leader. A transformational leader is defined as a leader who uses their deep set of internal values to motivate followers to sustain a common goal rather than pursuing their own interest (Doody and Doody, 2012). Like the transformational leaders, I have found that I am most effective at leading others when others are there to contribute to the decision making and problem-solving process. I also aspire to provide opportunities that give people the chance to obtain personal grow. I am also a natural encourager to others around me and I always value what other people have to share. I see myself acting as a transformational leader as a nursing student. At school I lead others and encourage those around me to reach their goals. I have been in situations where other students felt defeated, and I used that situation as an opportunity to lead those around me into a positive mindset. I also demonstrate this type of leadership at work. As a caregiver I am faced with stressful situations, but instead of being stressed, I help manage and maintain a positive attitude which changes the atmosphere of the other people on my unit. 

Defining Moment 

I have learned over the years that leaders don’t have to be in a place of high position to lead others. The most, defining moment of leadership was when I volunteered in the middle school youth ministry. I was constantly surrounded by immature kids who struggled to pay attention during the lessons I would teach. My position felt obscure, and I was challenged to serve a group of people many people would overlook. Despite what I felt within, I chose to show up. Looking back, I was so glad I did. I now know that true leadership often looks like putting in time and energy that often goes unnoticed. This experience has allowed me to value other people and never to think of myself as more important as those around me. I also know that results aren’t always instant, and change can take time. This has taught me to be patient when working with other individuals. 

Examine

Change of Leadership Style 

My leadership style has evolved over the years. I used to be passive and afraid of speaking up. For that reason, I used to have more of a shared leadership style (Giddens, 2017). 

I used to think that leaders needed just one style to be effective, but the opposite is true. Studies have shown that the more styles a leader exhibits, the more effective the leader can become (Goleman, 2017).  With that in mind, I now understand that my previous experience of being a shared leader is not wasted and I can still use some of that style while being a transformational leader. This reveals to me that my past experiences will make me an effective leader. 

Perceptions of Leadership 

Throughout my life there has been several leaders that have influenced my perception of leadership. There have been several people in my life who have taught me that the best kind of leaders know how to serve. I recall a time where the coach made me a team captain in cross country. I received the title with honor, but my coach told me that I was supposed to treat my role as a “Servant Leader.” He taught me that my position shouldn’t be to boss people around but to lead by example. Now when I find myself in leadership roles, I am focused on the well-being of those around me. 

Leadership Trajectory 

In the future, my leadership trajectory is to improve the quality of care the patients receive. When I am a seasoned nurse, I hope to be a role model to younger nurses and positively influence others to improve their skills and how they care for their patients. I also plan on creating a positive atmosphere, emphasize teamwork, and always demonstrate respect for my co-workers. 

Articulate

Awareness of Leadership Growth

Being aware of my leadership growth and style will enhance my ability to lead as a nurse. It is important to know how I operate as a leader because it helps me to be mindful of my strengths and my weaknesses. For example, I know that I use an inspiration to motivate people to work together toward a common goal. However, if that style isn’t working with the people I am with, I would have to utilize a different leadership style that would be more effective in that situation. 

Leadership Development Plan

For my leadership development plan, I will use communication and decision making with my co-workers for my two leadership attributes. Communication is an essential attribute that will strengthen my ability to influence my work environment. In addition to communication, decision making is also vital in a leadership position. Because I’m transformational leader, I will work on encouraging my co-workers to participate in leadership decisions (Doody and Doody, 2012). One activity that I could do to strengthen my leadership qualities would seek out addition educational resources on how to be an effective communicator. I could also provide incentives to those around me to encourage those to participate in making decisions. 

Learn

After writing this paper I have walked away with a deeper understanding of who I am and the leader I have become. The first lesson I learned is the importance of being aware of our leadership style. This paper reminded me of the type of leader I am, and it has encouraged me to be mindful of my leadership style while I am working as a nurse. Keeping this in the front of my mind will help me be an effective leader on the floor. The second lesson I learned is that it is okay to change as a leader over time. I learned that there are various types of leadership styles and different types of leadership can be effective in different situations. I found a lot of freedom in this because this takes off the pressure to be a certain type of leader. As a nurse this will help me to appreciate different types of leaders that I work under. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper reflected on my leadership development and how it will impact my role as a future nurse. This paper discussed my definition of leadership and my current leadership style. I examined how my leadership style has changed over time. I also reflected on how previous leaders have shaped my perception of leadership. I also articulated how being aware of my leadership style allows me to be a better nurse. I concluded this paper with sharing what I learned from this paper.