Leadership Styles of Wisconsin Hospital Nurse Managers

The purpose of this study was to describe the nature and degree of leadership styles as well as the effectiveness of those styles of Wisconsin nurse managers in the hospital setting. The conceptual framework utilized was Hersey and Blanchards\u27 Situational Leadership Model which is based on an interplay among: (a) the amount of guidance and direction a leader gives; (b) the amount of socioemotional support a leader provides; and (c) the maturity level that followers exhibit in performing a specific task, function, or objective. Leadership styles and leadership effectiveness were measured using Hersey and Blanchards\u27 Leader Effectiveness and Adaptability Description instrument. Individual and organizational demographic characteristics were acquired using an instrument developed by the researcher. Questionnaires were mailed to all Wisconsin hospital nurse managers who were members of the Nurse Manager Council of the American Organization of Nurse Executives (N=201). The actual respondents to the questionnaire numbered 148. Directions for Self Scoring and Analysis of the Leader Effectiveness and Adaptability Description were utilized to determine leadership style and leadership effectiveness. The dominant leadership style was determined to be selling and the mean leadership effectiveness score was determined to be +12.7. Determining the dominant leadership style to be selling has implications with regard to education of future nurse managers. Delegation with mature subordinates must be utilized by nurse managers to develop mature subordinates as future nurse managers. Future research needs to address how nurse managers can best adopt delegating management styles and implement the utilization of those delegating styles. More studies are needed regarding how to familiarize nurse managers in this concept