patient safety & quality
By J . Hudson Garrett Jr ., PhD , MSN , MPH , MBA , FNP-BC , IP-BC , PLNC , CFER , AS-BC , VA-BC , BC- MSLcert™ , NCEE , NREMT , MSL-BC , DICO-C , TR-C , CPPS , CPHQ , CPXP , FACDONA , FAAPM , FNAP , FSHEA , FIDSA
The Participative Approach to Leadership
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taught healthcare a variety of lessons about both exemplary and also less than ideal leadership at all levels of the pandemic response . Healthcare leaders must adapt their leadership styles to meet the ever-changing needs of their teams and clinical environments .
There are many different kinds of leadership , and the style you choose could increase your chances of success . Research shows that participative leadership is usually more productive than authoritative models .
What is participative leadership exactly ? It ’ s a form of governance that shares power and encourages input . Management studies show that it can enhance outcomes and increase job satisfaction and morale . It ’ s the difference between giving orders and building consensus .
For example , consider two different approaches to an office move . The CEO of a more autocratic hospital might pick the new location and give employees a list of tasks to complete .
On the other hand , a participative leader would form a committee to review possible patient safety issues and give employees the opportunity to discuss the project ideas and coordinate logistics .
Learning to be a more collaborative leader can help your relationships and your career . Put these suggestions to work for you .
You can develop your participative leadership skills with practice . Use them to advance your career and make your work more meaningful . Whatever your role is within your healthcare organization , leadership is the critical pinch point in the success or frankly the failure of challenging circumstances such as pandemics or other major events . Invest in yourself as a leader , invest in your teams as frontline providers , and never lose focus of the patients that we have the privilege to serve .
J . Hudson Garrett Jr . is president and CEO of Community Health Associates , LLC . He has an appointment as an adjunct assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Louisville School of Medicine , is a fellow with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement , and has earned designation as a Fellow with both the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Infectious Diseases Society of America . Garrett is a frequent lecturer globally on patient safety , infectious diseases , and medical device reprocessing and safety . He may be reached at :
Hudson . garrett @ chaassociates . com
Maximizing the Advantages of Participative Leadership :
Earn trust . For a participative workplace to flourish , colleagues need
1 to trust their leader and each other . That requires confidence in each other ’ s character and abilities . Sincerity and transparency are essential .
Pull together . Close communication draws a team together .
2 Employees are more likely to develop strong and healthy professional relationships and maybe even socialize more outside of work .
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Increase engagement . According to recent Gallup polls , employee engagement is the lowest it ’ s been in 20 years . Fifty-four percent of employees say they are psychologically unattached to their work and do the minimum . Giving employees a greater voice can increase their commitment .
Celebrate diversity . One of the greatest strengths of participative
4 leadership is welcoming contributions from team members with a variety of talents and backgrounds . Approaching challenges from many different perspectives usually creates more effective solutions .
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Reward innovation . The free flow of ideas is another benefit . When you create a safe environment for discussion , employees are more likely to propose ideas that can help your business .
Overcoming Obstacles to Participative Leadership :
1Clarify your vision . Motivating and inspiring your team becomes even more important when you expect them to make greater contributions . You need a clear mission that appeals to employees ’ emotions and core values . Scheduling regular one-on-one time and providing adequate resources also helps .
2Teach communication skills . With so much focus on discussion , employees may need to work on their communication skills , including active listening and sharing constructive feedback . Offer training sessions and post helpful reminders around the office . Use games and exercises to make learning fun and memorable .
3Plan for delays . Another common drawback is the way group decisions usually take longer . You may need an alternative process when you ’ re dealing with time sensitive matters .
4Provide structure . Planning ahead can also speed up discussions . Circulate an agenda before meetings , so attendees will come prepared and stick to the subject . Hire a professional facilitator or use a staff member . Nobody likes to attend meetings that are not producing meaningful outcomes !
5Set boundaries . The participative model works best with issues where your staff has at least a minimum level of expertise . You may have to limit input on some matters to those who meet certain qualifications . This is especially true when dealing with specific medical specialties .
6Deal with dissent . After your team votes , what do you say to the members who were in the minority ? Make it clear from the start that each employee needs to be fully committed to backing the final decision .
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Be decisive . Even in the most democratic workplace , there will be stalemates or decisions that are ill-suited to group deliberations . You ’ ll still need to take responsibility for resolving sensitive issues that affect the future of your organization .