Nursing Informatics Leadership Theory and Practice

Overview: In this module we explore the knowledge complexity archetype and its relationship to leadership. Leadership Scholar Robert Dilts suggests effective leadership involves a mixture of several types of leadership ability. Self-skills have to do with how the leader deploys themselves in situations. Relational skills have to do with the ability to understand, communicate and motivate other people. Strategic thinking skills are necessary to define a desired state with specific goals and objectives. Finally, systemic thinking skills are used to define not only the problem space of a situation or challenge but also the desired state and how to organize the teams and people in the system to achieve that desired state. Leadership requires mastery of self, communication, relationships and mastery of the system. In this module several leadership styles are introduced, and you are invited to reflect on the ones that you most appreciate. Leaders must navigate and negotiate different levels of perspective as they turn visions into action. The Dilts Logical Levels of Leading and Learning conceptual model is a useful leadership framework to structure your thinking about leadership challenges. The model suggests the best leaders align environments, behaviors, capabilities, values and beliefs, identity, mission and visions to create a world to which people want to belong.

Remember from the last module one of the logical levels of learning and leading was related to values and beliefs. One’s values and beliefs support one’s identity, purpose and mission and provide motivations to lead. Leadership scholar Richard Barrett has developed an evolutionary leadership model built on values and suggests becoming conscious of one’s values supports personal and professional development as people change and grow evolving from self-interest, to personal transformation and beyond to serve the common good. Values are linked with needs and motivations. As one’s needs are satisfied one evolves in terms of awareness, development, and focus. In this module you will have an opportunity to learn about Barrett’s seven levels model and complete a personal values assessment (PVA). You will be invited to reflect on how your personal values influence your leadership style. You will have the change to contemplate what values you want to strengthen and develop. Gaining insight into your needs and motivations will help you craft intentional leadership development plans. Using your values to create a personal leadership mission statement will help clarify your contributions to a group or organization and provide direction for professional development in the future.

Recall from earlier modules, leadership is about alignment of vision, mission, purpose, people and processes. Successful organizations and leaders find ways to manage competing values and polarities. Some people in the organization like to create, others compete, some prefer control and some prefer collaboration. Managing competing values promotes creativity and innovation as well as the positive aspects of control and competition. Preferences and perspectives associated with these competing values create polarity dynamics. Polarities are interdependent pairs of values or alternative points of view that seem contrary, yet need each other over time to achieved desired outcomes. Uncovering and managing the missing logic in a polarity dynamic which results from a clash of competing values is an essential informatics leadership skill. Developing an awareness and skills in polarity management will contribute to your leadership success and give you tools to enhance your flexibility and requisite leadership behaviors. The law of requisite variety suggests the agent with the most flexibility in a system will control the system. Mastering competing values and polarity management will support the development of your requisite variety leadership practices.

In this module you can review and reflect on your Minnesota Nursing Informatics Leadership Inventory (MNLI) results. You will also hear nursing informatics leaders speak to the requisite variety of leadership practices that support leadership success. How will the advice they share influence your thinking, feeling, and commitments to leadership action? With insights gained, you will have the chance to revise your personal leadership mission statement. What values guide your work? How does the way you lead influence the systems of care where you work? How do you communicate your leadership style to your peers and colleagues? How do your reflections influence in your thoughts, feelings and future plans for action? How will you develop the requisite leadership behaviors and practices to support your success?