Managing Client Care Managing client care requires leadership and management skills and knowledge to effectively coordinate and carry out client care. To effectively manage client care, a nurse must develop knowledge and skills in several areas, including leadership, management, critical thinking, clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, prioritization, time management, assigning, delegating, supervising, staff education, quality improvement, performance appraisal, peer review, disciplinary action, conflict resolution, and cost‑effective care. Leadership and management ● Leadership and management are concepts that are integral to effective management and motivation of staff and clients. ● Management is the process of planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating the work within an organization. ● Leadership is the ability to inspire others to achieve a desired outcome. ● Effective managers usually possess good leadership skills. However, effective leaders are not always in a management position. ● Managers have formal positions of power and authority. Leaders might have only the informal power afforded them by their peers. ● One cannot be a leader without followers. ● A number of theories describe the characteristics of a leader. Behavioral theories describe leadership styles. Transactional and transformational leadership theories contrast two types of leaders. The emotionally intelligent leader displays sensitivity when interacting with others. LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP STYLES Most can be categorized as authoritative, democratic, or laissez‑faire. The nurse might need to use any of these leadership styles depending on the situation. Authoritative ● Makes decisions for the group. ● Motivates by coercion. ● Communication occurs down the chain of command. ● Work output by staff is usually high: good for crisis situations and bureaucratic settings. ● Effective for employees with little or no formal education. Democratic ● Includes the group when decisions are made. ● Motivates by supporting staff achievements. ● Communication occurs up and down the chain of command. ● Work output by staff is usually of good quality: good when cooperation and collaboration are necessary. Laissez‑faire ● Makes very few decisions, and does little planning. ● Motivation is largely the responsibility of individual staff members. ● Communication occurs up and down the chain of command and between group members. ● Work output is low unless an informal leader evolves from the group. ● Effective with professional employees. CHARACTERISTICS OF LEADERS ● Initiative ● Inspiration ● Energy ● Positive attitude ● Communication skills ● Respect ● Problem‑solving and critical‑thinking skills ◯ Leaders have a combination of personality traits and leadership skills. ■ Great leaders were once thought to be born with skills that could not be acquired. ■ Contemporary leadership theory supports the belief that leaders can develop the necessary skills. ◯ Leaders influence willing followers to move toward a goal. ◯ Leaders have goals that might not reflect those of the organization. ◯ Transformational leaders empower followers to assume responsibility for a communal vision, and personal development is a secondary outcome. ◯ Transactional leaders focus on immediate problems, maintaining the status quo and using rewards to motivate followers