LEADERSHIP STYLES AT A NURSING HOME

This research analyzes the leadership styles applied in the St. Luke's Nursing Home organization.The St. Luke's Nursing Home is a 200bed facility located in a metropolitan service area of approximately 200 thousand persons. The funding for the facility is derived from both public and private sources.

On a general level, most leadership styles may be grouped in Douglas McGregor's (1960, pp. 3060). "Theory X and Theory Y" framework. In contemporary organizations, however, the most effective leadership style is not always and either/or situation, but, rather, some mix of styles that is dependent upon the contingencies of the specific situation (Sheridan, Brewster, and Walker, 1984, pp. 7377). In the determination of the appropriate leadership style mix, the health care administrator must be able to accurately assess the contingencies of a situation, determine the appropriate leadership style mix for that situation, and effectively implement that leadership style mix (Sheridan, Brewster, and Walker, 1984, pp. 8991).

The leadership styles practiced at the St. Luke's Nursing Home are predominantly Theory Y in character. There exists, however, a mix of leadership styles within the organization, with some leaders more than others incorporating Theory X characteristics into their practice of leadership.

Both Theory X and Theory Y define leadership style in the context of an individual administrator's p

. . .
e in Theory X. The six essential assumptions implicit in Theory Y are as follows (McGregor, 1992, pp. 4749): 1. The expenditure of effort in work is as normal as play or rest. Administrators holding this assumption are less likely to exercise an authoritarian style of management. 2. External control, and threat of punishment are not the only means of motivating the human effort required to attain organizational objectives. People will exercise selfdirection and selfcontrol to such ends, when they are committed to the objectives. 3. Commitment to organizational objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their attainment. This assumption does not infer that all rewards must be linked to compensation. 4. Under the right conditions, the average human learns to both accept and seek responsibility. Administrators holding this assumption tend to encourage participative management programs. 5. The capacity to exercise a high degree of imagination, ingenuity, and creativity in the solution of organizational problems is widely, not narrowly, distributed in the general population. An administrator holding this assumption is more likely than is one holding an alternative perception to delegate au
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Theory Theory, Nursing Home, Donaldson Scannell, Home Theory, Peter Drucker, Brewster Walker, Douglas McGregor, health care, st luke's nursing, luke's nursing home, st luke's, luke's nursing, nursing home, Luke's Nursing, theory approach, St Luke's, leadership style, Publishers Sisk, leadership styles, theory theory, holding assumption, governing board, health care administrator, essential assumptions implicit, administrators holding assumption,
Approximate Word count = 1529
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

More Essays on LEADERSHIP STYLES AT A NURSING HOME