scholarly journals The systems psychodynamic leadership coaching experiences of nursing managers

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frans Cilliers ◽  
Landa Terblanche

The mostly linear and mechanistic nature of the nursing manager role is rapidly becoming more dynamic and systemic. The change involves task and people management within a constantly changing organisational identity, taking up multiple leadership roles, having to authorise oneself and others in a complex matrix system, and managing conscious and unconscious psychological boundaries within and between conflicting systems. The aim of this study was to describe the systems psychodynamic learning experiences of nursing managers during leadership coaching. The coaching task was to provide learning opportunities to the individual leader, towards gaining insight into conscious and unconscious leadership dynamics in terms of anxiety, task, role, authorisation, boundaries and identity. A qualitative research design was used. Six nursing managers attended ten leadership coaching sessions over ten weeks. Field notes and reflective essays were analysed using systems psychodynamic discourse analysis. The findings indicated clarity and authorisation in the participants’ primary task and normative roles; anxiety and de-authorisation in their experiential and phenomenal roles; anxiety in boundary management related to the misuse of power by others; and the continuous exploration of their leadership role identity towards achieving integration. Participants’ learning experiences were evaluated in terms of criteria for organisational learning, after which a general hypothesis was formulated.OpsommingDie meestal liniêre en meganistiese aard van die verpleegbestuursrol is vinnig besig om na ’n meer dinamiese en sistemiese rol te verander. Die verandering behels taak- en mensbestuur binne 'n steeds veranderende organisasie-identiteit, waar 'n verskeidenheid rolle opgeneem word, die self en ander in 'n komplekse matrikssisteem bemagtig word, en waartydens bewuste en onbewuste sielkundige grense in en tussen botsende sisteme bestuur word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die sisteem-psigodinamiese leerervaringe van verpleegbestuurders tydens leierskapafrigting te beskryf. Die afrigtingstaak was om leergeleenthede aan die individuele leier beskikbaar te stel vir die ontwikkeling van insig in bewuste en onbewuste leierskapsdinamika in terme van angs, taak, rol, outoriteit, grense en identiteit. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik. Ses verpleegbestuurders het tien leierskapafrigtingsessies oor tien weke bygewoon. Veldnotas en besinnende opstelle is deur middel van sisteem-psigodinamiese gespreksanalise ontleed. Die bevindinge dui op duidelikheid oor en bemagtiging in hulle primêre taak en normatiewe rol; angs en ontmagtiging in hulle ervarings- en fenomenale rolle; angs in grenshandhawing wat verband hou met magsmisbruik deur andere; en die voortdurende ondersoek en integrasie van leierskapsrolidentiteit. Deelnemers se leerervarings is na aanleiding van kriteria vir organisasieleer geëvalueer, waarna die algemene hipotese geformuleer is.

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 34-56
Author(s):  
Camelia IGNATESCU ◽  
Lutfi UREDI ◽  
Pelin KOSECE

This research is a qualitative study carried out for determining the views of teachers carrying on their duties in elementary and secondary education institutions towards the effect of ethical leadership behaviours upon classroom management. The data related to the research was collected through the interviews with the teachers who participated into the research in a period from October 2019 to October 2020 in Turkey. It was noticed that definitions of the teachers who participated into the research related to teacher leadership were shaped in accordance with their personal attitudes and traits. The participants mostly defined teacher leadership as being a role model and orienting the students. Namely, the participants considered that teacher leadership in classroom should be there for being a guide for the students and orienting them, and teachers should present model behaviours. The teachers who participated into the research also considered that teacher leadership in the classroom should be ethical. The participants especially emphasized that this leadership should have an ethical property related to mutual role balance, leadership shared with the students in the classroom, democratic attitude and respect to individuals. When teachers’ ways of using their leadership roles in the classroom were analyzed, it was noticed that the teachers mostly presented behaviours for orientation, and focused mostly on student-cantered educational activities. The ethical behaviours participant teachers used mostly in classroom management were concluded to be behaving equally to the students, determining and practicing the classroom rules together, and regarding the individual differences.


2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frans Cilliers

Orientation: Leaders who find it difficult to connect emotionally with colleagues are often seen as incompetent, the idea that they may suffer from alexithymia – an inability to feel – is not taken into account. This coaching model seemed to be not successful in changing this behaviour pattern.Research purpose: The purpose of the research was to describe the coaching experiences of leaders with symptoms of alexithymia and to formulate hypotheses around their leadership experiences.Motivation for the study: Effective leadership is strongly associated with emotional connections with colleagues. Leaders suffering from alexithymia, struggle with making these connections. It was thought that coaching might help them bridge the gap towards building effective relationships.Research design, approach and method: A qualitative research design using case studies was used. Three participants underwent 10 months of systems psychodynamic leadership coaching, including role analysis. Researcher’s field notes and participant essays were discourse analysed. The researcher’s unconscious experiences were included in the interpretations.Main findings: Five themes manifested themselves namely, leaders’ difficult experiences with coaching, the dynamics underlying their normative, experiential and phenomenal roles and the coach’s unconscious experiences affecting the relationship. The research hypothesis referred to the differences between the role parts and the resulting anxiety.Practical/managerial implications: This coaching model did not provide sufficient opportunities for the participating leaders with regard to emotional reactivity and regulation. Contribution/value-add: The research created awareness of how alexithymia amongst leaders manifests in organisations. Unfortunately the coaching was unsuccessful in addressing the emotional task. Other ways need to be explored.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramatsobane Granny Lekoadi ◽  
Mmasethunya Annie Temane ◽  
Marie Poggenpoel ◽  
Chris Myburgh

Globally, around a third of the adult population suffers from a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mental illness which adversely impacts the lives of the affected individuals and their family members. BD has a strong influence on family functioning. The main objective of this study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of family members who care for individuals living with BD. A qualitative research design, which is exploratory, descriptive and contextual in nature, was used in this study. A purposive sample was utilised to select family members who care for individuals living with BD to participate in the study. In-depth phenomenological interviews were conducted to collect data and observations in the form of field notes were documented. The data analysis was done using a thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from the analysis of the transcribed in-depth phenomenological interviews, namely caring for an individual living with BD was exhausting, strenuous and a continuous unasked responsibility; family members experienced their own routines being disrupted by the individual living with BD’s unpredictable behaviour and having to accompany them to appointments; family members experienced family relationships as being strained and challenged; and family members experienced the need for assistance to cope with the individuals living with BD. Strategies to facilitate the lived experiences of family members who care for individuals living with BD should be developed. The suggested strategies are facilitation of exploration of challenges by family members, self-empowerment, empowerment in relationships, and empowerment in mobilising resources.


Author(s):  
Frans Cilliers

Background: Systems psychodynamic leadership coaching is a depth psychology perspective that provides opportunities for coachees to explore their leadership identity as it manifests in their conscious and unconscious role behaviour.Aim: The research aim was to explore the experienced impact of systems psychodynamic leadership coaching amongst professionals in a financial services organisation, and to report on how this impact can be understood in the context of the literature guidelines on coaching and leadership effectiveness.Setting: The research was undertaken in a large South African financial services organisation where individual leadership coaching forms part of the leadership development programme (LDP).Methods: The research was qualitative, explorative and descriptive in nature. A multi-case approach was used. Sampling was convenient and opportunistic and comprised of 15 charted accountants who attended six 90-min coaching sessions over 12 weeks. Data gathering comprised field notes and coachee essays during and after coaching. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used as the interpretive stance.Results: Anxiety, task, role, boundaries, authorisation and identity manifested as themes. Coachees explored how their leadership identity was informed by their anxiety and defence mechanisms, how they took up their leadership role, authorised themselves and their colleagues, and managed their boundaries effectively. Compared to the general guidelines for leadership coaching effectiveness and the general indicators for effective leadership, systems psychodynamic leadership coaching seems to add value to leadership effectiveness.Conclusion: Professionals in this financial services organisation experienced systems psychodynamic leadership coaching as demanding, challenging and yet fulfilling towards the exploration of their leadership identity. It seems that systems psychodynamics, as coaching stance, created a safe and good-enough container for these financial professionals to explore their own unconscious leadership behaviour and to gain a significant level of understanding and awareness of their own anxiety and defensive behaviours in their interaction with followers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacobeth Mmabyala Louisa Malesela

Women bring into the birthing unit values which include preferences, concerns and expectations that are involved in decision-making during intrapartum care. When midwives fail to meet the women’s values, they experience such care as being inhumane and degrading, thus affecting the childbirth outcomes. The inhumane and degrading care includes a lack of sympathy and empathy, as well as a lack of attention to privacy and confidentiality. Midwives’ possession of the required personal values and the ability to integrate women’s values are vital to enhance ethical best practice during intrapartum care. The aim of the study was to explore and to describe the midwives’ personal values that are required for ethical best practice during intrapartum care. The birthing unit at a public hospital in the Gauteng province of South Africa formed the context of the study. A qualitative research design that was explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature was used. The following personal values emerged: (1) respect, trust and dignity; (2) justice, equality and fairness; (3) freedom of choice and autonomy; (4) integrity, honesty and consistency; (5) good character and personality; (6) self-control and rapport; and (7) open-mindedness and flexibility. The midwives’ personal values form a strong precursor that is crucial for ethical best practice during intrapartum care. The individual midwives, nursing education institutions and health facilities can use the study findings in areas such as reflective midwifery practice, the midwifery curriculum, recruitment and selection processes, and as part of key performance areas and indicators in performance reviews.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0095327X2098519
Author(s):  
Celeste Raver Luning ◽  
Prince A. Attoh ◽  
Tao Gong ◽  
James T. Fox

With the backdrop of the utility of grit at the individual level, speculation has begun to circulate that grit may exist as an organizational level phenomenon. To explore this potential construct, this study used an exploratory, qualitative research design. This study explored grit at the organizational level by interviewing leaders’ perceptions of what may be a culture of organizational grit. Participants included 14 U.S. military officers. Seven themes emerged relative to the research question: “What do U.S. military officers perceive as a culture of organizational grit?” Themes included professional pride, team unity, resilience-determination, mission accomplishment, core values, growth mindset, and deliberate practice. This study indicated that a culture of organizational grit is likely a combination of converging organizational elements. Overall, findings indicate that there may be a culture of organizational grit in the military and at the least, more research examining the concept is warranted.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-279
Author(s):  
Willow S. Jacobson ◽  
Sharon R. Paynter

This article examines precursors to leadership practice, specifically through the lens of role identity. The assumption explored is that people are unlikely to engage in the hard work of leadership if they do not see that challenge as part of who they are and what they do, especially collaborative or system-level leadership. Role identity is, then, a critical building block in developing a deeper understanding of leadership intentions and actions especially in collaborative settings. Multiple judicial players, termed here “public service lawyers,” are investigated in this single-state case study that examines individuals’ view of their role and primary focus. Factors are examined that contribute to the construction of role perception. Results reveal that leadership training, the position one holds, and motivational orientation all influence the extent to which public service lawyers develop a view of their role that includes a broader system or collaborative orientation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleece MacPhail ◽  
Carmel Young ◽  
Joseph Elias Ibrahim

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon a workplace-based, interdisciplinary clinical leadership training programme (CLP) to increase willingness to take on leadership roles in a large regional health-care centre in Victoria, Australia. Strengthening the leadership capacity of clinical staff is an advocated strategy for improving patient safety and quality of care. An interdisciplinary approach to leadership is increasingly emphasised in the literature; however, externally sourced training programmes are expensive and tend to target a single discipline. Design/methodology/approach – Appraisal of the first two years of CLP using multiple sourced feedback. A structured survey questionnaire with closed-ended questions graded using a five-point Likert scale was completed by participants of the 2012 programme. Participants from the 2011 programme were followed up for 18 months after completion of the programme to identify the uptake of new leadership roles. A reflective session was also completed by a senior executive staff that supported the implementation of the programme. Findings – Workplace-based CLP is a low-cost and multidisciplinary alternative to externally sourced leadership courses. The CLP significantly increased willingness to take on leadership roles. Most participants (93 per cent) reported that they were more willing to take on a leadership role within their team. Fewer were willing to lead at the level of department (79 per cent) or organisation (64 per cent). Five of the 11 participants from the 2011 programme had taken on a new leadership role 18 months later. Senior executive feedback was positive especially around the engagement and building of staff confidence. They considered that the CLP had sufficient merit to support continuation for at least another two years. Originality/value – Integrating health-care professionals into formal and informal leadership roles is essential to implement organisational change as part of the drive to improve the safety and quality of care for patients and service users. This is the first interdisciplinary, workplace-based leadership programme to be described in the literature, and demonstrates that it is possible to deliver low-cost, sustainable and productive training that increases the willingness to take on leadership roles.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingela Sölvell

Purpose The task of leading innovation is predominantly pictured as a supportive role vis-à-vis employees. Motivation is a crucial aspect of this task. To better understand the practice of this change-oriented leadership task, the actual behavior and activities of managers are investigated. The purpose of this paper is to reflect through practice and self-reports how this leadership challenge is executed. Design/methodology/approach In this longitudinal multi-method investigation, the service innovation literature constitutes the main theoretical framework. The investigation draws additionally on leadership literature about how to understand leadership through practice. The methodological design facilitated the drawing of causal inferences in the dynamics of service innovation. Findings The investigation enhances our understanding of managers’ particular context of innovation, and particularly the initiation context. It provides empirically grounded descriptions of what managers identify as potential opportunities, and how they take them further in the ideation stage. The results develop the suggestion that leadership roles, and specifically change-oriented roles, are not restricted to initiating or enabling activities related to the employees. Instead the much downplayed leadership role, i.e. the active practice-based involvement in innovation, is theorized as a role that is continuously activated, but tends to be set aside for contingency reasons. Research limitations/implications Further research is needed to assess the importance of managers’ involvement in the practice of innovation, both through systematic mapping of ideas on a larger scale, and through the employee perspective. This paper provides useful insights on managers’ cognition and involvement in innovation for further investigations of innovation management. Practical implications The results provide awareness for managers regarding their diverse leadership roles related to innovation. First, the study embraces heterogeneous ideas that are useful to evaluate and constitute role-modeling. Second, it highlights how managers’ execution of innovation creates awareness about the challenges involved. Finally, but maybe most important, the results alert managers of the discontinuity, even in strategically anchored intentional innovation. Social implications In a changing innovation landscape, individual firms need to draw on other firms to achieve their innovation strategies. In pursuit of this goal, this paper enhances the understanding of the role-modeling leadership task. It is a novel way of guiding individuals that are exposed to new and uncertain innovation contexts, and rethinking how innovation eventually can be achieved. Originality/value While earlier research has identified the multifaceted leadership behavior to support innovation, this paper outlines the contextual conditions and the practice of executing the suggested powerful role of being a role-model for others.


2016 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-30
Author(s):  
Suleyman Goksoy

The research aims to determine the leadership levels the deputy principals feel, their perceptions of their personal features and the environment of the organization in which they demonstrate leadership role. In the research, case study method from qualitative research methods was used. The data were collected by one of the qualitative data collection tools; interviewing. The data were analysed with descriptive analysis techniques. The following results were obtained in the research: Deputy Principals consider themselves as leaders in terms of personal features and behaviours. The competencies of deputy principals in terms of leadership are; technical competencies, interpersonal competencies, conceptual and cognitive competencies. The aspects that deputy principals think that they need to improve and enhance are; human relations, determinedness, consistency, sensitivity, talkativeness and hurriedness. According to research results, it is found that deputy principals are of the opinion that schools have the centralist, inflexible, disaggregated, officialised and non-creative features of the organizational structure in terms of institution, culture, legislation and management. Key words: case study, deputy principals, leadership roles and attitudes, leadership competencies.


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