Answer

REFLECTIVE LEADERSHIP PLAN

1)      The Objective/ Vision

My primary objective is to become an effective communicator. Ideally, effective communication is the hallmark of leadership as it complements other leadership skills. It is through communication that I, as a leader, can build a constructive relationship with other stakeholders, issue directives to others, and obtain feedback from other staff within a healthcare facility. Therefore, my primary target is to improve my communication skills and become an amicable communicator, even during a crisis. According to Foronda et al, (2016, pg. 37), what needs to be done to develop proper communication skills is learn about the skills and how to utilize them in day to day interaction, practice utilizing the acquired communication skills, reinforce my learning sessions with active listening, and then provide various reflective learning opportunities.

2)      The Task

Communication is a broad area, as many professionals interact in various fields. In management, communication techniques may be influenced by the existing leadership structures. For instance, in beourocratic organizations, communication is often vertical: flowing from the top leaders to junior workers (Thompson, 2017). However, in democratic approaches to leadership, communication can be horizontal with individuals sharing information at the same level and with managers freely. Based on these variations, my focus in this area of communication is to ensure that communication in all organizations, especially healthcare, is effective regardless of the leadership style used.

Primarily, my focus is on ensuring that communication is a two-way process. As such, communication can flow from the top management downwards and from the junior’ staff to the management. The change is positive because it allows the manager to gather feedback on the directives issued as well as getting suggestions from other stakeholders at the facility (Foronda, et al, 2016, pg. 39). To achieve this, I feel that it will be imperative to create a conducive environment for consultative, open, and free communication for all stakeholders at a healthcare facility.

3)      The People You Serve

Becoming an effective communicator with vital communication skills will require input from other stakeholders at the healthcare facility. Primarily, the research and development department personnel will be essential in my growth. Notably, they will help me acquire suitable materials on communication skills that I can use for my self-learning practices. Therefore, I will not spend much time going out to look for learning materials from colleges or other learning institutions. Similarly, the research and development personnel will help me save on the costs needed to acquire my new skills. In this regard, they will provide me materials freely since they are part of my organization, unlike in the event that I would have had to buy the materials.

Other essential individuals that will help me grow will be my family members. In this regard, I will ask those around me, mainly my mother to help me improve my communication skills by evaluating any changes in how I interact with her. Notably, she will have to know about my goal then periodically tell me if I am changing in any way. For instance, she can state if I am becoming a better listener, if I am offering more opportunities to other individuals, or if I incorporate the suggestions of other people. Additionally, I will have to look for a personal tutor. In this regard, I will engage a communication skills teacher at the community nursing school. The primary role of the tutor will be to assess me by offering exams and engaging me in practical sessions. From the assessment, the tutor will know how I am doing in terms of improving my communication skills (Kurtz et al, 2017). Also, after recognizing my weak points, the tutor will recommend appropriate information materials.

Currently, I know that communication is vital in the day to day interaction and leadership of a healthcare facility. Similarly, I know that effective communication needs to be two way, as this ensures that both the message sender and receiver understand each other.  However, there are various factors that I am not aware of. For instance, I do not know tools that can be used to enhance communication, especially for leaders in the healthcare sector since most staff such as nurses cannot handle patients in critical situations while at the same having mobile phones. Moreover, I do not know how to create a conducive environment to facilitate free communication from every stakeholder. Therefore, I will be seeking to know and understand these new areas by acquiring knowledge of what I do not know.

4)      Your Responsibilities

My first responsibility as a healthcare leader is to ensure that I provide the direction for the organization in regular periods and times of crisis. As part of my drive to offer that, I will have to learn how I can improve my communication skills. Similarly, I will have some responsibility towards those who help me in my journey to become an effective communicator.

My primary responsibility towards the tutor will be to commit myself to follow his instructions. The approach will ensure that I optimize our learning engagements while also making him know that I take his instructions seriously. Secondly, I will have to offer him stipulated remunerations to compensate him for his efforts in ensuring that I become a better communicator. My responsibility towards my family members, specifically my mother, will be ensuring that I create time for her and appreciate her input in helping me acquire vital communications skills. Notably, I will be obedient to her and offer to also help her in other areas where she may be needing assistance. Lastly, I will have some responsibility towards all stakeholders especially at the workplace. In this regard, I will need to also appreciate their communications by considering their views and suggestions.  Ideally, the appreciation will encourage them to have free and open communication.

5)      The Needs of the People You Serve

Followers in the healthcare setting are other staff working under the manager. Ideally, they are the most crucial stakeholders as they attend to patients and carry out the day to day activities within the hospital. In my journey to become an effective communicator. The followers are valuable in offering feedback about my progress. In this regard, analysis of the impact of my changed approach to communication can be understood by evaluating their perceptions and views on whether I have improved organizational communication or not (Kurtz et al, 2017).

Similarly, the followers are valuable in reacting to my communications, then working to improve changes in the facility. I this regard, they will understand the communication and work well as directed. As such, the followers are valuable in actualizing my communications.

Based on the value of the followers, it is right to ensure that their need to understand all communications and valuing their input by listening to them is met. The action will put me in the same perspective with the followers ensuring that we understand each other. Primarily, to do this right thing, I will have to simplify my messages. According to D’Agostino et al., it is easier for people to understand short and straightforward messages as compared to long ones (D’Agostino et al, 2017, pg. 1247). Another way of doing the right things in meeting the needs of the people I serve will be having various lines of communication. The approach opens ways for consultation from the followers in case they have not understood the message or are not sure about it.

6)      What You Offer

The principal value proposition in my aspiration to become an effective communicator is that I will manage to provide a clear direction for the organization to follow. In this regard, all decisions will be made in the interests of the people, thereby recognizing every stakeholder as part of the organization. Therefore, even though I will be tasked with making the final decisions, the staff and other followers are crucial in providing creative suggestions which I will harness to offer the best recommendations and resolutions for the healthcare facility.

7)      What You Propose To Do To Lead

Becoming an effective communicator will require me to take a center role in effecting change at the organization. Primarily, I will create a conducive environment for communication by developing various communication lines. Ideally, instead of only communicating through conventional means only such as memos and letters, I will appreciate unofficial communication approaches such as face to face communications, use of phone texts and calls, and direct interaction between staff at all levels. Another element will be becoming an active listener. As a manager, I will be open to suggestions by other stakeholders and will recognize their inputs as well as consider them in the organizational decision-making process. As per Kurtz, Suzanne, Juliet Draper, and Jonathan Silverman, the approach will encourage other individuals to become active communicators (Kurtz et al, 2017). Lastly, I will always engage my listeners in all communications. As such, our interactions will not be authoritative. Instead, they will be interactive consultative discussions focusing on organizational issues.