Leadership Development and Vision Paper
Given the nature and complexity of the healthcare environment, a healthcare leader must not only be competent in managing operational responsibilities but also be able to positively influence others and navigate complexity. I believe leadership in healthcare is both a responsibility and opportunity to serve others. Additionally, effective leadership relies heavily on an individual leader’s self-awareness and commitment to continuous growth. Developing a leadership vision is one way nurse leaders can self-reflect, identify areas for improvement, and track progress toward previous improvement goals. This paper presents my personal leadership style and approaches; my vision for leading in the healthcare environment; the background and influences that shape my approaches; and evaluates my strengths, limitations, and opportunities for leadership professional growth and development.
Personal Leadership Style and Approaches
My personal leadership style is democratic, but I lean more towards servant leadership and transformational approaches. A leader who demonstrates a democratic style tends to collaborate with other leaders and staff in decision-making, and values the input of each and every team member. Similarly, I believe in working with others and that other team members bring unique perspectives into situations. According to Purwanti et al. (2023), servant leadership is an approach whereby the leader prioritizes the needs, growth, and well-being of their staff, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment. Ideally, I consistently approach leadership from the perspective of “How can I support my team so they can provide better care?”
I also use a transformational approach, in that I am more inclined to inspire change, innovation, and motivate team members toward a shared vision. Ystaas et al. (2023) note that transformational leadership comprises behaviors such as idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. I demonstrate these behaviors by earning staff trust and confidence, creating a compelling vision and sharing it with followers, encouraging followers to think outside the box and consider different approaches to issues, and helping followers achieve their goals by providing a supportive climate. For example, when faced with challenges, rather than immediately correcting or directing the individual or group involved, I ask questions, listen actively without judgment, identify barriers, and strive to develop people’s capabilities while helping them take ownership of improvement.
Personal Vision for Leading in Healthcare
My vision is to create healthcare environments where people feel respected, heard, supported, accountable, and empowered to provide safe, compassionate, equitable, high-quality care. I value relationships without losing sight of performance, and value accountability without wanting leadership to become punitive. Therefore, I would like to consistently achieve this balance, since I understand that in healthcare, nurse leaders must simultaneously support staff, protect patients, manage resources, and meet regulatory expectations while striving to improve patient and organizational outcomes. I will also maintain emotional competence by frequently examining why a specific approach works, what could be improved, and how my behavior as a leader contributes to an outcome.
I aspire to lead through service, emotional intelligence, purposeful communication, and continuous learning while developing the strengths and potential of those around me. A study by Notarnicola et al. (2024) found that leaders play a critical role in creating a positive work environment and supporting employee development and well-being, as positive leadership is associated with higher levels of job satisfaction and personal mastery among nurse leaders. Similarly, I not only want to promote a conducive working environment for staff in my practice settings, but also create psychological safety and empower staff to practice to their full potential.
Furthermore, I will approach challenges with curiosity rather than blame, use evidence and reflection to guide decisions, and engage others in meaningful and sustainable improvement. As a nurse leader, I also want to bridge the needs of patients, staff, and the organization by strengthening relationships while remaining focused on measurable outcomes. Most importantly, I envision leadership as an opportunity to serve others, develop people, improve systems, and create a healthcare culture where both patients and healthcare professionals can thrive.
Background and Influences
One of the nursing leaders I look up to, who has considerably influenced my leadership style and vision, is Dr. Ernest Grant, a contemporary leader in healthcare and the 36th president of the American Nurses Association. He has been instrumental in promoting diversity within the nursing profession through commitment to nursing safety, especially during national health crises. His influence also extends to education, prevention outreach, and mentorship, shaping the future of nursing and public health (Grant et al., 2025).
Grant’s leadership influences my leadership style by reinforcing my commitment to servant and relational leadership, particularly through advocacy, mentorship, collaboration, and the creation of opportunities for nurses to have a meaningful voice in healthcare decisions. His emphasis on professional advocacy, diversity and equity, and the development of the nursing workforce further strengthens my vision of becoming a leader who empowers others, promotes an inclusive and supportive workplace, and uses leadership to improve both staff experiences and patient outcomes.
Strengths and Limitations Evaluation
My leadership strengths include self-awareness, communication, positivity, harmony, and initiative, all of which support my ability to build trusting relationships and foster collaboration. I demonstrate a strong commitment to listening to others, resolving differences constructively, and creating supportive environments while also taking initiative to move ideas into action. However, I have several limitations that impede exercising my leadership to my full potential. The first one is that I take on too much responsibility rather than delegate effectively, which limits team ownership and reduces opportunities for others to develop their skills. The other one is that I am not very confident in my ability to influence at the executive level, for example, when communicating recommendations, advocating for resources, and connecting frontline nursing concerns with organizational priorities. These limitations are valuable opportunities for professional growth through intentional delegation, executive communication and presentation training, mentorship from experienced nurse executives, greater involvement in strategic decision-making and organizational committees, and soliciting feedback from other leaders and my team to track progress, as recommended by Long & Sochalski (2025).
Conclusion
Leadership development is an ongoing process of self-reflection and intentional growth. My leadership style and approaches include democratic, servant, and transformational leadership, while my vision in healthcare leadership is to create an environment where healthcare providers feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute to safe, equitable, and high-quality patient care. My leadership style and vision have been greatly influenced by the contemporary leadership of Dr. Grant. Reflecting on my leadership strengths and limitations has reinforced my commitment to becoming a self-directed, emotionally competent, servant-oriented, and transformational nurse leader. While I recognize areas for continued growth, I intend to strengthen my leadership capacity and better fulfill my vision.
References
Grant, E., Cary, M. P., Jr, Jones, M., Glymph, D., & Akintade, B. F. (2025). State of Black men in nursing: An oral history of the challenges and the benefits of five Black male nurse leaders. Nursing Outlook, 73(1), 102316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2024.102316
Long, N. H., & Sochalski, J. (2025). Discrepancies between supervisor self-evaluations and staff perceptions of leadership: a cross-sectional study in healthcare. BMC Nursing, 24(1), 1049. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03665-x
Notarnicola, I., Duka, B., Lommi, M., Grosha, E., De Maria, M., Iacorossi, L., Mastroianni, C., Ivziku, D., Rocco, G., & Stievano, A. (2024). Transformational Leadership and Its Impact on Job Satisfaction and Personal Mastery for Nursing Leaders in Healthcare Organizations. Nursing Reports (Pavia, Italy), 14(4), 3561–3574. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep14040260
Purwanti, R. Y., Sriatmi, A., & Dwiantoro, L. (2023). The impact of servant leadership in nursing practice at the hospital: A literature review. Journal of Holistic Nursing Science, 10(2), 82-88. https://doi.org/10.31603/nursing.v10i2.8464
Ystaas, L. M. K., Nikitara, M., Ghobrial, S., Latzourakis, E., Polychronis, G., & Constantinou, C. S. (2023). The Impact of Transformational Leadership in the Nursing Work Environment and Patients’ Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Nursing Reports (Pavia, Italy), 13(3), 1271–1290. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep13030108
CLICK HERE TO ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER
This assignment will assist the learner in evaluating the characteristics and traits of a self-directed, emotionally competent leader.
Instructions:
- Refer to the attached grading rubric.
- Describe your personal leadership style and approaches and your personal vision of leading in the health care environment.
- You may include ideas you have gained from these courses, previous courses, literature, and professional experiences.
- Provide empirical, scholarly evidence to support your position.
- Include relevant background information such as current or historical leaders who have influenced your vision and style.
- Evaluate your strengths and limitations and your opportunities for leadership professional growth and development.
- Communicate ideas in a clear, succinct, and scholarly manner.
- The paper should be 3-4 pages in length (not including title page and reference list) and must have APA level 1 headings. Use appropriate grammar and APA 7th edition style (student version) to credit sources and format references.
- A minimum of four references is required for this assignment.
- Special Note: This assignment is monitored for plagiarism. Use of any portion of a prior work product or Vision should be paraphrased and properly self-cited per APA guidelines.