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| Part II: Leadership vs. Management |
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by Swen L Mikesell, MHCA - August 26, 2010
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Why do leaders get into the get stuck in the management mode? The answer is two-fold. The first reason is simply because of the confusion. Many believe leadership and management are synonymous. The difference between these two concepts was discussed in my last blog, so I will not discuss this further.
The second reason is management is urgent and it is addictive.
A manager spends his day solving problems. These problems include such things as employee relationship problems, staffing issues, payroll issues, customer complaints, budget concerns, requests from those above him. Most of these issues are important and necessary to resolve. They are, also, urgent matters. If two employees are at odds with each other, a quick resolution is advantageous to the employees involved as well as to the organization. When one fixes a problem, he receives an adrenaline rush. It feels good. At the end of the day, he can go home thinking, "I am the MAN. Look at all I got accomplished today." Not only does he get the adrenaline rush, he gains a feeling of importance we all crave. The instant gratification one obtains through this process is a powerful incentive to continue the process the next day. The only problem is the most important things are not being address since the most important things are not urgent.
The leader must have a long term approach to things. Delayed gratification is requisite to be an effective leader. His focus needs to be on the most important things. A few examples of these activities include developing a mission statement for the organization, setting goals which support that statement, envisioning the direction the organization needs to travel to be most successful, preparing for meetings and presentations, determining incentives to retain good employees, and even planning and participating in appropriate recreational activities. Urgent issue will always present themselves and need immediate resolution. However, if one spends his time and effort in on those things which are most important, the number and severity of urgent issues dramatically decreases.
Focusing on the most important issues has several benefits. Perhaps the most important benefit is the reduced stress in one's life. The day at the office is not a parade of frenzied activity. Also, going home at the end of the day knowing you accomplished the most important thing give a sense of deep satisfaction that the adrenaline rush of putting out fires can only imitate. Another benefit is the ability to deal with urgent issues is increased since the leader is not worried about the other impending activities he knows are awaiting their turn to surface as urgent issues.
Effort, self-discipline, and courage are needed to sustain focus on the most important things. Between the lure of the instant gratification and the tendency to procrastinate, it is easy to fall into management mode. Thus, a constant vigil to ensure the most important things are being addressed must is essential. Taking time to plan one’s week will aid in the preservation of focus. One trick for helping is to create an appointment for preparation, planning, or working on the important non-urgent issues and treat those appointments as if it were with another person. In other words, do not let less important things encroach on the appointment.
As I discuss the seven characteristic of lasting leadership, one will find the traits are very important yet will never become urgent issues. One must make a conscious effort to develop them. However, the rewards of developing the traits will be greater than any effort one extends.
 Swen L Mikesell graduated Sum Cum Laude from Stevens-Henager College with his masters in Health Care Administration and is a member of Alpha Beta Kappa. He was elected to Who's Who of American Colleges and Universities and was a successful small business owner before receiving his masters.He currently resides in Orem, UT with his wife, nine kids, six dogs, and two cats. Swen is currently working at the University of Utah Cardiology Clinic. He is a triathlete and enjoys watching and participating in all sports.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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| Swen |
on 09 Sep 2010 at 6:30 pm |
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| This is why I am writing these article. It is to help educate people on what a real leader is and the characteristic he needs to be a leader. Over then several weeks, I will go through 7 characteristics needed for lasting leadership. I will, also, discuss the proper way to discipline. It is my hope that this information will help people be better leaders. If you think it might help, I am willing to come and present these ideas to people. Also, I am working on a book which will explain these concepts more in depth. |
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| john kauchick,rn,bsn (houston,tx) |
on 08 Sep 2010 at 10:53 pm |
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| I agree that management and leadership in nursing are not synonymous. Having been in nursing 31 years I have no recent memory of a manager who showed courage, conviction, was a great communicator, fair, responsive to an alternative point of view, took the initiative to address issues before they became big problems and lead by example.I hear a lot of big talk but not the walk. Managers are office people. They attend meetings all day, rarely answer emails, and are not aware of what is going on in thier unit..They are not RN's anymore. Until the roles are redefined nothing will change. . |
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