DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 513:
Week 1
Discuss the differences between a prescriptive leadership model and a descriptive leadership model.
Wk 1 - Personal SWOT Analysis [due
Mon]
Assignment Content
Part 1
Being an effective leader starts with self-awareness. Having a clear perception of your personality, your
strengths and weaknesses, your beliefs, your emotions, and your motivations helps you understand
other people and how they perceive you.
Perform a personal SWOT analysis to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
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Write a 525-word personal development plan identifying actions you can take to improve the
weaknesses you identified in your SWOT analysis. Utilize your findings from the Leadership Theories
discussion and address the following in your development plan:
What weaknesses did you identify in your personal SWOT analysis that you feel will hinder you as a
leader? Explain your answers.
Which leadership theory aligns best to the results of your personal SWOT analysis?
After completing the SWOT analysis, did your leadership style change from the one you identified in the
Leadership Theories discussion?
Part 2
Effective leadership skills are a product of two things: your innate ability and skills learned through
experience, and conscious development. This is achieved through exploring areas of improvement that
can make you a better leader. Now that you have identified your strengths and weaknesses in your
personal SWOT analysis, use that information to complete the remainder of this assignment.
Identify the theories discussed in Ch. 5 of the Leadership for Health Professionals textbook you will use
to improve your areas of weakness as a leader.
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Write a 350-word summary about the theories you identified. Consider the following:
Why you identified the theories
Potential threats that might occur as a nurse leader if you do not address your weaknesses
Potential threats that might affect your opportunity for growth as a nurse leader
Format your assignment according to APA guidelines.
Submit your assignment.
Week 2
Explain why the process of planning, decision-making, and training is pertinent in leadership. Provide an
example of a leadership situation and how you would apply one of the decision-making models to
address the issue.
Wk 2 - Leadership Competencies [due
Mon]
Assignment Content
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Write a 700-word paper addressing the following questions about leadership competencies. Include
sources to support your answers.
What leadership competencies are important to the health care industry?
What is one leadership theory that addresses these competencies?
Is there one leadership theory that is more effective in health care than other theories? Is there more
than one theory that is appropriate for health care?
Which competencies differentiate leaders from managers?
Referring back to your SWOT analysis, which competencies do you currently meet and which
competencies do you need to build on to be an effective leader?
After assessing the competencies of both a manager and a leader, which of the two are your strengths
more aligned to? Has the culture of your organization had any influence on this? If so, provide details
explaining how.
Format your paper according to APA guidelines.
Submit your assignment.
WEEK 3
In your own words, analyze one of the contemporary leadership models
discussed in the readings and provide an example of the model in the
health care setting.
Wk 3 - Organizational Culture [due Mon]
Assignment Content
1.
Part 1
Leaders have several strategies they can use to create a culture of change in an organization. Leaders
can utilize the mechanisms identified by Schein to educate current and prospective staff about the
organization's culture and how to maintain that cultural awareness.
Evaluate the primary embedding mechanisms and the secondary articulation and reinforcement
mechanisms discussed in Ch. 9: Challenges of Change on p. 229 of the Leadership for Health
Professionals textbook.
Create a 700-word leadership development plan explaining how you would address each weakness.
Consider combining several theories and models for developing your plan.
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Include the following in your plan:
The organization's mission and vision
Weaknesses that prevent the organization from achieving its mission and vision
Potential threats if weaknesses are not addressed
How you can use the strengths identified in your personal SWOT analysis as an opportunity to help the
organization improve in this area
Competencies (managerial and leadership) you possess and can use to address the issue
The leadership theory that is appropriate to address the organization's weaknesses
The primary mechanisms that can be used within the organization to refine, maintain, or change the
organization's culture
The secondary mechanisms that can be used to reinforce the primary embedding mechanisms
The affect the organization's culture has on the ability of a leader to drive change
Provide APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all sources.
Part 2
The purpose of a leadership development plan is for leaders to develop competencies that can bridge
levels and functionalities in the organization. This allows leaders to promote team engagement, and
provide purpose and direction for achieving their goals. Leadership development programs are essential
to managing a team when it comes to planning and making the right decisions regarding functionality
across the organization. By developing a plan, leaders are able to determine the skills of each staff
member. As a result, leadership can utilize the skills of the staff strategically when putting the plan into
action.
Create a 6-slide presentation to present to your staff that includes a SWOT analysis of your
organization. If you currently do not work for a healthcare organization, use a health care facility where
you have worked. Your presentation should be informative and persuade staff that change must take
place to address the organization's weaknesses.
Consider the implications if change is not implemented to address the organization's weaknesses.
Include speaker notes for each slide.
Submit your assignment.
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Resources
Center for Writing Excellence
Reference and Citation Generator
Grammar and Writing Guides