Application: Taking a Stand
Effective leaders have a high degree of self-awareness and know how to leverage their strengths in the workplace. Assessments are a valuable tool that professionals can use to learn more about themselves and consider how their temperament and preferences influence their interactions with others.
As you engage in this learning process, it is important to remember that everyone—regardless of temperament type or related preferences—experiences some challenges with regard to leadership. The key to success is being able to recognize and leverage your own strengths while honoring differences among your colleagues.
At some point in your leadership career, you will encounter an ethical or moral dilemma that requires you to take a stand and defend your position.
For this Assignment, you evaluate an issue and consider how you could act as a moral agent or advocate, facilitating the resolution of the issue for a positive outcome.
To prepare:
• Consider the examples of leadership demonstrated in this week’s media presentation and the other Learning Resources.
• To further your self-knowledge, you are required to complete the Kiersey Temperament as indicated in this week’s Learning Resources. Consider your leadership style, including your strengths for leading others and include your results from Kiersey Temperament Sorter to describe potential challenges related to your leadership style.
• Mentally survey your work environment, or one with which you are familiar, and identify a timely issue/dilemma that requires you to perform the leadership role of moral agent or advocate to improve a situation (e.g., speaking or acting on behalf of a vulnerable patient, the need for appropriate staffing, a colleague being treated unfairly).
• What ethical, moral, or legal skills, dispositions, and/or strategies would help you resolve this dilemma? Define the differences between ethical, moral, and legal leadership.
• Finally, consider the values and principles that guide the nursing profession; the organization’s mission, vision, and values; the leadership and management competencies addressed in this course; and your own values and reasons for entering the profession. What motivation do you see for taking a stand on an important issue even when it is difficult to do so?
To complete:
Write a 4 to 5 page paper (page count does not include title and reference page) that addresses the following:
• Introduce the conceptual frameworks of the ethical constructs of ethics, moral, or legal standards and the purpose of the paper.
• Consider an ethical, moral, or legal dilemma that you have encountered in your work environment and describe it.
• Analyze the moral, ethical, and legal implications utilized in this situation. Describe your role as a moral agent or advocate for this specific issue.
• Consider your leadership styles identified by your self-assessment and determine if they act as a barrier or facilitation during this dilemma.

Readings
• Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2015). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

o Chapter 4, “Ethical Issues”

This chapter examines ethical frameworks for decision making and principles of ethical reasoning. You are also introduced to the ANA Code of Ethics and Professional Standards, MORAL decision-making model, and ethics committees.

o Chapter 5, “Legal and Legislative Issues”

Chapter 5 provides an overview of the many legal and legislative issues of which leaders and managers need to be aware. As you read this chapter, keep these issues in mind.

o Chapter 6, “Patient, Subordinate, and Professional Advocacy”

Nurses are the best advocates for patients and the profession. This chapter examines more closely the role of becoming an advocate, patient rights, subordinate advocacy, whistle-blowing, professional advocacy, advocacy in legislation and public policy, and media.

• Cianci, A. M., Hannah, S. T., Roberts, R. P., & Tsakumis, G. T. (2014). The effects of authentic leadership on followers’ ethical decision-making in the face of temptation: An experimental study. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(3), 581-594. doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2013.12.001

Abstract excerpt: The present research investigates the impact of authentic leadership on followers’ morality, operationalized as ethical decision-making, in the face of temptation. This experiment finds that authentic leadership and temptation interacted to affect individuals’ ethical decision-making. Specifically, authentic leadership significantly inhibited individuals’ from making unethical decisions in the face of temptation, whereas followers of neutral or less authentic leaders were more likely to succumb to temptation..

• Disch, J. (2014). Using Evidence-Based Advocacy to Improve the Nation’s Health. Nurse Leader, 12(4), 28-31. doi:10.1016/j.mnl.2014.05.003

Abstract excerpt: Evidence-based practice is 1 of the 5 competencies that the Institute of Medicine has identified for all health professionals. Its intent is to employ evidence-based practice and integrate best research results, clinical expertise, and patient values to make patient care decisions. This article will explore the concept of evidence-based advocacy and describe ways in which one prominent nursing organization, the American Academy of Nursing, uses evidence-based advocacy to positively impact the nation’s health and advance the nursing profession

• Martin, M. B. (2014). Transcultural Advocacy and Policy in the Workplace: Implications for Nurses in Professional Development. Journal for nurses in professional development, 30(1), 29-33. doi: 10.1097/NND.0000000000000027

Abstract: This article introduces the role of nursing professional development specialists in serving as a resource for both patient and staff advocacy regarding cultural and linguistic matters. The impact of changing demographics, support for civil rights, and established policy related to culture and linguistics is emphasized. An overview of policy at local, state, and national levels is suggested to promote nursing professional development in the interest of culturally and linguistically compliant nursing practice.

• Woods, M. (2014). Beyond moral distress preserving the ethical integrity of nurses. Nursing Ethics, 21(2), 127-128.
This guest editorial discusses the difficulties involved in dealing with those sometimes-painful moral problems encountered in practice.

Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS-II). (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2016, from https://www.keirsey.com/

Complete the online assessment and receive a free mini report. More extensive reports are available for purchase.

RESULTS

Your Keirsey Temperament Sorter Results indicates that your personality type is that of the ARTISAN

Artisans are the temperament with a natural ability to excel in any of the arts, not only the fine arts such as painting and sculpting, or the performing arts such as music, theater, and dance, but also the athletic, military, political, mechanical, and industrial arts, as well as the “art of the deal” in business.
Artisans are most at home in the real world of solid objects that can be made and manipulated, and of real-life events that can be experienced in the here and now. Artisans have exceptionally keen senses, and love working with their hands. They seem right at home with tools, instruments, and vehicles of all kinds, and their actions are usually aimed at getting them where they want to go, and as quickly as possible. Thus Artisans will strike off boldly down roads that others might consider risky or impossible, doing whatever it takes, rules or no rules, to accomplish their goals. This devil-may-care attitude also gives the Artisans a winning way with people, and they are often irresistibly charming with family, friends, and co-workers.
Artisans want to be where the action is; they seek out adventure and show a constant hunger for pleasure and stimulation. They believe that variety is the spice of life, and that doing things that aren’t fun or exciting is a waste of time. Artisans are impulsive, adaptable, competitive, and believe the next throw of the dice will be the lucky one. They can also be generous to a fault, always ready to share with their friends from the bounty of life. Above all, Artisans need to be free to do what they wish, when they wish. They resist being tied or bound or confined or obligated; they would rather not wait, or save, or store, or live for tomorrow. In the Artisan view, today must be enjoyed, for tomorrow may never come.
There are many Artisans, perhaps 30 to 35 percent of the population, which is good, because they create much of the beauty, grace, fun, and excitement the rest of us enjoy in life.
Even at work, your motto could be, “Let me entertain you. Let me make you smile.” In fact, bringing playfulness to situations can be one of your greatest contributions on the job. In your ideal job, you have the opportunity to apply your talent for performing and improvising communications so that they appeal to the individuals or groups of people in your environment. Because of your gift for words, your ideal position might include tasks that allow you to apply your communications talent for the good of the organization.