Leadership
10 min read
Developing leadership in nursing: exploring core factors
Elizabeth A. Curtis - Author
Jan De Vries - Author
Fintan K. Sheerin - Author
First published:
Last updated:
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The purpose of this article is three-fold: firstly, to reaffirm issues concerning definitions and theories underpinning leadership; secondly, to examine the factors that enhance leadership in nursing; and thirdly to convey information about the nature of leadership content taught in undergraduate programmes.
What is leadership?
leadership involves influencing the attitudes, beliefs, behaviours and feelings of other people.
Leadership theory
- The trait approach, which is concerned with personal
traits that contribute to effective leadership. - The behaviour approach, which, like trait theory,
explores leadership from the perspective of the leader and
focuses on leader behaviours. - The contingency approach (Fielder’s contingency theory
and path-goal theory) suggests that leadership is about the
interaction between a person (leader), his/her behaviour
and the situation. - The leader–member exchange approach (charismatic
or transformational leadership) is concerned with the
relationships between subordinate and supervisor.
In a study to examine the characteristics of excellent nursing leadership, Dunham and Fisher (1990) put forward
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