Four Pillars of Transformational Leadership and the Effect on Influencing Policy Change
The first pillar of transformational leadership is idealized influence. This pillar builds trust, honor, approval, and confidence, thus providing the employees with a sense of direction (Doody & Doody, 2012). This happens when nurse leaders are role models to other staff members. When a nurse is a role model to others, it becomes easier for other staff members to embrace change or any new policies and initiatives that are to be executed.
The second pillar is inspirational motivation. Inspirational motivation entails posing encouragement to others to attain the aspirations and goals of the organization while at the same time achieving one’s own aim (Doody & Doody, 2012). Motivation influences client care and performance as nurse leaders may communicate high expectations to other staff members and encourage them to share the same vision in the organization (Doody & Doody, 2012). This happens when nurse leaders involve frontline employees in the policy change committees, which would encourage empowerment to employ the policy change.
The third pillar is intellectual stimulation, which refers to challenging staff beliefs and encouraging staff innovation (Hall et al., 2002). According to Doody & Doody (2012), transformational leaders encourage new ideas and proposals, thus empowering the staff members to have new approaches to problems using evidence-based practices. Since the nursing profession is constantly changing due to the changing dynamics in the market, challenging nurses who are always in close contact with patients would facilitate proper policy changes. Besides, nurses understand the needs of patients more than other professionals because of their proximity and familiarity with the patients and their needs.
The last pillar is individualized consideration, which entails leaders encouraging and supporting others to strive for excellence (Hall et al., 2002). When a nurse leader acts as a coach to others, the others look up to and learn from them, making it easier to employ suggested policy changes.
Conclusion
In summary, advocacy should be central in the advanced nursing profession as nurses are key responders to the needs of patients. This means that policy changes that affect the health of society must include the participation of nursing professionals, particularly transformational leaders.
References
Bry, K., Bry, M., Hentz, E., Karlsson, H. L., Kyllönen, H., Lundkvist, M., & Wigert, H. (2016). Communication skills training enhances nurses’ ability to respond with empathy to parents’ emotions in a neonatal intensive care unit. Acta Paediatrica, 105(4), 397-406.