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Contingency Theory

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Contingency Theory

Good and effective leadership is vital in all healthcare institutions to ensure the smooth

running of operations. According to Mondini et al. (2020), managers and leaders must carry out

activities such as goal planning, decision making, resolving conflicts, leading, and motivating

employees. Therefore, managers need to base their leadership skills on appropriate theories that

support their decisions. The contingency theory of leadership was proposed by Fred Edward

Fielder, an Australian psychologist. According to Willcox et al. (2018), the theory states that

there is no one specific way to lead an organization.

The contingency theory is a class of behavioral theories that maintains one leadership

style may be effective in some situations and ineffective in other cases. The theory is established

on the assumption that a leader’s ability to lead is dependent on situational factors. According to

Fielder, the situational characteristics that determined leadership effectiveness are task structure,

leader-position power, and leader-follower relations. Good working relationships with junior

workers, strong leadership power, and highly structured tasks enhance leadership effectiveness.

The theory further suggests that the leader’s personality and the circumstances under which the

leader is operating are key determinants of effective leadership.

Therefore, a leader’s success depends on the situations at the moment. The

leader’s personality determines how appropriately he can act when making decisions. For

instance, self-motivated leaders aim to achieve above their goals and objectives. Self-motivated

leaders will use motivation to influence employees to exceed their expectations. Fielder indicates

that effective leadership is determined by how appropriate the leadership style a leader chooses

fits the current situation at hand (Willcoxet al., 2018). Leaders are encouraged to weigh the
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underlying circumstances and apply a suitable style that matches the situation. They should be

flexible and not rely on a single leadership style to address all problems.

As a nurse, I believe in delivering quality individualized patient care. I believe in

providing personal care and showing empathy to all my patients. In my practice as a nurse,

nursing goes beyond treating an illness. I educate my patients and make them aware of good

health and nutrition practices to improve their health. As a nurse, I have been able to work with

patients from different cultures. Therefore, I have learned to deal and communicate with patients

regardless of their culture. I was also able to complete my baccalaureate degree. Furthermore, I

have learned the art of being a nurse and can now work independently without the physician’s

supervision. Most importantly, I have collaborated with nurses from other fields, sharpening my

interdisciplinary teams’ skills and knowledge.

My nursing philosophy has continually grown throughout my nursing career. Treating

patients who got better and were discharged to go home gave me the motivation to give patients

the best care. However, losing my patients during treatment was devastating, but I learned how

to do things better from every situation. I envision myself to be a visionary leader. It is always

important to have set goals to achieve. As a visionary leader, I will inspire my team to achieve

the healthcare institution’s vision and mission. Consequently, I will also encourage teamwork to

develop a strategic plan to achieve our goals.

There are instances when I have used the contingency theory of leadership in my nursing

career. For example, the emergency department was overcrowded with patients who need urgent

medical attention at one time. Even though I was not in the obstetrician department, I acted

depending on the situation and helped a woman give birth to her child. The other nurses had their

hands full due to the many patients. The case, therefore, called me to act promptly to save the
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patient’s life. As a nurse leader in the future, I will use the contingency leadership theory always

to examine the situation and act accordingly to provide relevant solutions.

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References

Mondini, C. C. D. S. D., Cunha, I. C. K. O., Trettene, A. D. S., Fontes, C. M. B., Bachega, M. I.,

& Cintra, F. M. R. (2020). Authentic leadership among nursing professionals: knowledge

and profile. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 73(4).

Willcox, A., Sutherland Boal, A., de Padua, A., Balaski, B., Ens, B., Toye, C. R., ... & Harris, Y.

(2018). Leadership and influencing change in nursing. University of Regina Press.