Big Dog & Little Dog's Performance Juxtaposition - Assignment Example

Part One: Self-Assessment Two of the assessments listed in part one that were completed were the Leadership Style Survey from the Big Dog & Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition (2010) and the Communications Style Inventory from The Platinum Rule by Tony Alessandra and Michael J. O’Connor (1996). From the results of the assessment, the following concerns would be addressed: (1) provide a comment on what one learned about oneself; (2) what was unexpected or interesting; (3) how can this information be used to guide one’s personal and professional development; and (4) to identify two steps one can take to become an effective leader in the future. What One Learned About Oneself From the results of the Leadership Style Survey, I learned that I manifest and generally apply the democratic or participative style (score was 40) where I enjoin subordinates to provide inputs and communicate their thoughts, ideas and comments in daily operations as they contribute towards the achievement of a unified organizational goal. From the survey, it was noted that “some of the best leaders operate out of the participative mode and use the other two modes as needed” [Big10]. The score I generated for the authoritarian style was 32 and that for the delegative style was 27. I always believe that people become more motivated in the workplace setting when leaders encourage them to participate, not only by doing the responsibilities expected of them; but also by contributing thoughts, comments, insights on how they think current operations and performances could be improved. The leaders’ roles should take an encouraging and motivating stance to guide the subordinates towards the attainment of the organization’s mission, vision and goals. Unexpected or Interesting Result I was actually expecting that the next leadership mode that I would exemplify was more of a delegative than authoritative style. However, the results indicate that I favor being autocratic than free-rein. Honestly, I believe that the best style would really depend on three factors: the personality of the leader, the personality of the subordinates, and the situation. How Information Would Guide Personal and Professional Development The information would be useful as a guide for both personal and professional development in terms of focusing on the traits and characteristics that were deemed weak or that needs to be improved. For example, since the next leadership style manifested from the survey was the autocratic style, I could look into the areas that need to be adjusted or improved in terms of encouraging employees to contribute insights in the decision-making process, as needed; or delegating more tasks, as required. The end result should assist in improving not only me personal and professional development, as a leader but also the personal and professional development of the people I lead. Two Steps to Become an Effective Leader To become an effective leader, I must attend leadership trainings and development programs to enhance leadership skills and determine the weaknesses that must be addressed. Aside from this, I also believe that there should be a performance evaluation tool that would gauge one’s performance as a leader and determine which areas need some refinement. Inputs could come both from higher management and from the subordinates under one’s jurisdiction. Part Two: Identifying a Possible Mentor One interviewed a Unit Manager of two nursing units (the Cardiovascular Unit and Telemetry) of a hospital within one’s locality. She was referred to me by a close friend. After scheduling the interview at her most convenient time, the following were responded to: a. What led you to become a supervisor/manager/leader? I had taken a Business Administration course as my degree course in college when the Dean of the College of Business encouraged me and my colleagues to pursue higher education by enrolling in the Master of Business Administration program. As a consequence, the theoretical background and employment opportunities focused on applying managerial knowledge, skills and abilities enhanced during the course. b. Describe something unexpected that has happened during your job as a supervisor/manager? As a manager, there are always challenges and difficulties that were presented within the organizational setting. An unexpected incident happened while managing the Telemetry unit where a patient had been classified as ‘red tag’ (where in the hospital setting, it means that the hospital bills were excessively high and immediate payment must be required from the patient and relatives). As a manager faced with an extraordinary dilemma, the situation required communicating with the patient’s relatives and referring the situation to higher authorities who would recommend the best possible course of action to address the problem. c. Looking back at your experience as a supervisor/manager, what would you do differently? As a manager, I think the way the situation was handled was the most effective way possible. However, the situation enabled higher management to review the policies and procedures relative to classifying patients as ‘red tag’ accounts and therefore, various techniques were solicited and reviewed to prevent occurrence of this event. d. What advice would you give that you wish someone had given you when you became a supervisor/manager? The best advice that could be given to potential and prospective managers is to consider the three factors when applying a leadership style: one’s personality, the personalities of the subordinates, and the situation at hand. All of these presume that appropriate knowledge has been gained on the subject through academic courses and that regular management training has been gained. e. Which do you enjoy more—being a clinician and working with patients or being a supervisor/manager? Why? I enjoy being a manager more because of my academic background and the challenges and opportunities that are available. As a manager, one does not only interact with the subordinates, per se. One must be adept with interacting with various stakeholders, making the position more challenging and rewarding. f. What has been the most challenging experience, so far, as a manager? The position is challenging in terms of being in the organizational hierarchy that requires one to coordinate and communicate both to higher management and to the subordinates. There must be a balance in responding to the needs of these stakeholders. What future career path/s are open for managers in the healthcare profession? One could aim for higher management positions: Vice President for other Units or to become a member of the Board of Directors. Conclusion The results of the interview enhanced one’s understanding of the challenging nature of the managerial position; and how rewarding it could be. The most relevant input learned was to take into consideration factors that contribute to the organization’s goals and to ensure that appropriate and regular training and development is undertaken for both personal and professional growth. References Big10: , (Big Dog & Little Dog's Performance Juxtaposition, 2010, p. 1), Read More