Nursing Leadership & Management Skills

Leadership researchers James Kouzes and Barry Posner say leadership skills are developed through "a process ordinary people use when they are bringing forth the best from themselves and others." Skills in leadership include the individual possessing certain traits, and management skills usually are developed through formal or on-the-job training. When a nurse has a combination of both of these skills, she gains the trust and confidence of staff working under her.

Leadership and Management

• The role of management.

  Merriam Webster defines leadership as "the office or position of leader, capacity to lead or the act or an instance of leading." Management defined by Merriam Webster is "the art or act of managing or the conducting or supervising of something." Management also is referred to as "judicious use of means to accomplish an end."

Leadership Skills

• The first leadership skill for the nurse to possess is encouraging her staff to exercise leadership themselves. The nurse in a leadership role is a motivator--encouraging nurses on staff to give feedback and suggestions. She is an active listener and considers all reasonable suggestions staff may hand down. She has interpersonal skills to carryout leadership duties. Other leadership skills the nurse possesses are courage, willingness for change and vision and goal-setting. She is honest and promotes integrity, and she inspires, builds and maintains positive relationships.

Management Skills

• In way of management skills, the nurse taking the lead must be an example to the staff. She must manage time well if she expects her staff to keep good time-management skills. As a manager, the nurse exhibits work ethic by adhering to daily, weekly or monthly goals and objectives. The nurse in this position is manager not a dictator. She does not rule by an iron fist but works with her staff as a team, displaying and promoting teamwork.