By Dr Brighton Chireka
If you want to be an effective leader, it’s important to first understand and apply self leadership. In healthcare, this means being able to motivate and guide yourself in order to provide the best care possible for patients. While it may seem like a daunting task, developing self leadership skills is essential for any healthcare professional who wants to be successful. Here are some tips on how to get started.
Defining self leadership
Self leadership is an important concept for those who are aiming to excel beyond their current level. It involves utilising a set of skills that can help you make positive changes in your life and stay focused on your goals. Self-leaders have the strength and courage to navigate through difficult times, recognize opportunities, face challenges, and take ownership of their lives. Developing self-awareness, cultivating a growth mindset, cultivating resilience, and setting new goals are core tenets of self leadership. True self-leaders understand themselves deeply enough to be conscious of how they want to live in the world and prioritise actions which will help them reach their objectives with clarity and intention.
Why self leadership is important in healthcare
Self leadership plays an important role in healthcare. Good self leadership facilitates patient care by placing the patient’s physical, psychological, and social needs at the center of medical decisions. Self leadership can also help healthcare workers manage their time, make well-thought out decisions based on evidence, and promote a culture of safety with clear processes and structures for accountability. Additionally, employees who practice good self leadership can more effectively engage in interdisciplinary communication with other healthcare providers to ensure efficient patient care. Utilising good self leadership skills can help transform healthcare systems into a place where patients receive individualised and effective care.
How to develop self leadership skills
Self leadership is an invaluable skill that can bring about positive changes in our lives. To develop self leadership skills, a person must first be aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. Learn to understand why certain decisions or actions may lead to good outcomes, or why they may lead to negative ones. Knowing this can help the person make better decisions by putting them in control of their choices. Self leadership skills also involve setting personal goals and working towards achieving those goals, regardless of external challenges or successes. It is important to remain confident and motivated in order to push forward despite any potential hurdles on the way. Finally, be sure to reflect on every milestone accomplished and use it as a source of inspiration for future endeavors. In sum, self-leadership requires thoughtfulness and dedication but with a positive attitude and determination, one can gain the valuable traits associated with this particular skill set.
Applying self leadership in healthcare settings
Self leadership is becoming increasingly important in the healthcare field. Healthcare professionals have a unique opportunity to take more control and responsibility for their careers, thereby improving their workplace environment and outcomes. Taking ownership of one’s career requires courage and effort, especially in a challenging field like healthcare. However, equipped with the right resources and knowledge, self leadership can create tremendous value in healthcare settings—enabling professionals to both reach their own goals while understanding their vital role in providing top-tier care to patients. Leaders who practice self leadership can guide patients through times of treatment while bringing out the best in themselves along the way.
It is essential that healthcare professionals work on their self leadership skills to help improve the overall quality of care. Self leadership encourages a sense of ownership and responsibility, which leads to better performance and engagement. With more effective self leadership, medical teams can quickly address issues, set new goals for their departments, and improve collaboration among peers. As a result, patients will benefit from better care that is tailored to their unique needs. Becoming a self leader requires continual development of personal knowledge and awareness as well as team building skills so that everyone involved in patient care can work together harmoniously. The power of self leadership is undeniable: it allows healthcare teams to achieve more than they ever thought possible.
