Comment1

Leadership and management are both necessary for the success of any organization.  These terms are often used interchangeably by some while others see them as separate. Leaders are the inspiration, mentors, praises, and give directions to problems. Leaders may be more open with communication and participative in their encouragements of employing new concepts to help resolve a crisis. Managers are the planners, problem finders and solving, communication with team solving the problems. Managers may be known as having a stronger talent in solving problems and making use of scientific methods to come up with substantial solutions they the team may face every day (Huber, 2014).

I believe that the overlap between leadership and management are necessary for success. As a nurse manager and leader, I see this every day. Our nurse managers are also considered part of the leadership team. Our A-team, administration, would be considered the leaders in regards to this question. We are a rural hospital so we all work every close together and have an open communication among us. An example that I witnessed lately in the overlap is the construction on my psychiatry floor. We are in the process of updating our unit. There are construction workers in and out of the unit who does not understand that psychiatry is locked down for a reason.  As a manager, I have spoken with them and explained the rationale; I have spoken with their supervisors and explained the rationale. They all state they understand but I continue to witness the misbehavior entering and exiting the unit on the cameras in my office. I then go to my administration for guidance and help with the outside contractors. I experience guidance, open communication, and the administration goes to “manage” the construction crew.

Comment2

Leadership is the process of influencing people accomplish goals .The key concepts related to leadership are influence, communication, group process, goal attainment and motivation (Huber, 2013). Management is the coordination and integration of resources through planning, organizing, coordinating, directing and controlling to accomplish specific institutional goals and objectives (Huber, 2013).

Leadership is one of the most important factors that determine the survival and success of groups and organizations. Effective leadership is important in nursing because of its impact on the quality of nurses’ work lives, being a stabilizing influence during constant change, and for nurses productivity and quality of care. In leadership quality of life depends on quality of leaders. The leadership focus is on people, human relationship aspects while management focuses on systems, structure and tasks accomplishment (Huber, 2013).

Case

Fire the Facilities Manager?

John Faber is the facilities manager employed at a 240-bed nursing home for the past 3 years. Before John, the facility had one supervisor over both housekeeping and laundry and a separate maintenance supervisor. Hiring John to supervise all three departments resulted in an annual savings of $7,000 in labor and materials. Prior to joining this facility, John was the maintenance supervisor at a 120-bed skilled care nursing home. Before that, he was a small business owner of a home cleaning service that employed six people. He sold that business 4 years ago. John’s background also includes ownership of a coin laundromat that he disposed of several years ago.

It is time for the annual performance review for all associates. For department heads, the corporate office has authorized a wage increase of between 0% and 6% based on performance. As the administrator (NHA) mulls over John’s performance during the past year, she is pleased with the ongoing cost savings and on-budget performance in facilities services. However, the NHA thinks that she has to hold John accountable for the citation in housekeeping during the certification survey just 2 months ago (rated as E on the Severity/Scope Grid). Last year also the facility had been cited for housekeeping (rated as H on the Severity/Scope Grid), and a resident who had tripped and fallen over a vacuum cleaner cord had sued the facility. Earlier this year, the corporation had settled the claim for $20,000.

The corporate vice president of operations just called and suggested that John should be fired for his poor performance, but the NHA does not share the same view. Her response to the VP of operations was, “I would like to think it over and get back to you tomorrow.” Now, the day has arrived for the NHA to have a phone conference with the VP of operations and a face-to-face meeting with John.

Questions

1.  How should the NHA resolve the conflict with the VP of operations? Provide adequate details, and incorporate in your response the leadership style you suggest using with John.

2.  The NHA’s decision is to not give John a wage increase, which leads to a disagreement between John and the NHA because he regards it as unfair. How should the NHA handle this conflict in which the objective should be to arrive at a win–win solution? Again, provide adequate details.