Development of leadership reflection in the healthcare sector and the challenges faced by leaders.
Support for the Thesis Statement
First, it is important that we define the term reflection to gain a deeper understanding of the topic. This refers to the process where an individual critically thinks about their attitudes, behaviors, values and beliefs, which forms a significant part learning experience whether informal or formal (Roberts, 2008). The experimental learning model used by Kolb dictates that reflective observation plays a crucial role in the cycle of learning (Kolb, 1984).
The development of leadership is particularly important and this is why most leaders and managers are looking towards self-reflection and self-discovery …show more content…
Self-awareness also demands that the person is conscious and alert about their identity with regards to their leadership skills and thus engage in the development of strengthening his or her leadership qualities ((Brady & Cummings, 2010). Thus, for a person to have effective leadership qualities they must be aware of the structure and content of their leadership self-conceptions, in which some leaders refer to “leader self-construct” and this defines the self-awareness of a leader (Hannah, Woolfolk & Lord, 2009). Reflection in a leader revolves around three domains that mainly guide in focusing leaders so that they are observant of their leadership in general and they include leader paradigm, portrait, and purpose. In leadership paradigm, this refers to the leadership assumptions made with regards to the leadership social roles or the relational aspects. Leadership portrait refers to the perception that a leader has to his or herself with regards to behaviors, characteristics and qualities that boost their leadership skills, or in simple terms the ‘leader’s image of themselves’ based on feedback from others. Leader’s purpose defines the motives that the leader uses to manipulate or aid in guiding his or her behavior in leadership and also boost his or her self-image or leader portrait. Therefore, leaders must be self-conscious about …show more content…
The argument held about a greater positive influence resulting from adaptive reflection concerning leadership theories leans towards the adaptive reflection’s nature of solving problems, which should, in fact, result in clarity on the linkages of cause-effect (Brady & Cummings, 2010). Similarly, ruminative reflection focuses on one’s self-image which may enhance the identity of leadership, thus leading to the impact of an individual’s implicit leadership theories. Clinical depression research evidence shows that maladaptive reflection results from affect and moods, while on the other hand rumination reflection is associated with the internal state awareness of each individual being elaborated on a deeper level (Silvia, 2002). Therefore, the kind of explication that forms the implicit theory of leadership in a person totally depends on the reflection nature that takes place. Adaptive reflection has the probability of leading one’s leadership to a more problem-solving focused and positive leader with regards to their implicit theories of leadership, while maladaptive reflection has the likelihood of deflecting one’s leadership to a problem aversive and negative leader. This is to simply say that the kind of reflections sensitizes or primes one acquires in their leadership aspects relate to the implicit theories of leadership that they themselves