Personal values and beliefs are of immense importance to an individual since they dictate what a person judges to be of importance or worth in their lives. Pandey and Singh (2008, p.310) define personal values as “the deepest beliefs and sentiments we subscribe to” and state that values have a direct bearing on a person’s success and accomplishments in life. A person’s core values are also central to their leadership abilities. It therefore makes sense for a person to be aware of their personal values. Clark (2008) theorizes that an understanding of one’s values and beliefs can result in excellence in leadership. With this in mind, I shall through this discussion highlight my core values and how they apply to my leadership role in nursing.
I can authoritatively state my being in the nursing profession is as a direct result of my core values. It has always been my goal to positively impact the lives of other people through my career. My first career was in the computer industry and I began by studying for a degree in computer sciences. While I excelled in the profession, it was not fulfilling to me since I was not making any significant difference in people’s lives. I therefore opted out of this career and chose to pursue a course in the health services industry where I was certain that I would make a tremendous difference in the lives of others. My interest in leadership stems from the understanding that it is only through exemplary leadership that one can make optimal impact in any organization
One of my core personal values is altruism which is defined as the unreserved concern for the wellbeing of other people. This personal value is very well reflected in my choice of profession as the nursing field affords one with numerous opportunities to be beneficial to the lives of others. As a result of my personal value of altruism, I show high levels of concern both for my patients and my staff members. A study on leadership by Alimo-Metcalfe and Alban-Metcalfe (2001) demonstrated that the single most important positive leadership factor was whether the leaders showed genuine concern for their staff.
Another value that I posses is having a positive attitude. As human beings, we are constantly predisposed to think the worse of situations and adopt a cynical view of life. I had an upbringing that instilled in me the value of positive attitude from a very tender age. For most times, I work with patients who have had mastectomies and have chosen to undergo breast reconstruction. In these situations, I find myself going out of my way to ensure that the patient is well taken care of and optimistic about the success of the procedure. My leadership abilities are also enhanced by my recognition of my value of positive attitude since I am able to inspire the other employees.
The most significant lesson that I leant through self-reflection is that my core values and beliefs directly impact my leadership capabilities. As such, my effectiveness as a leader is inherently tied to my core values. This is a truth that is corroborated by Carroll (2005) who articulates that an effective leader must be in touch with their core values and beliefs. Knowing one’s values enables a person to be self-aware and he/she is therefore able to inspire other people through his/her values. Through the self-reflection of my personal values and beliefs, I have developed a greater self-awareness which I can use to enhance my leadership.
References
Alimo-Metcalfe, B & Alban-Metcalfe, R. (2001). “The Development of a new transformational Leadership questionnaire” Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 74, 1-27.
Carroll, T.L. (2005). “Leadership skills and attributes of women and nurse executives: Challenges for the 21st century”. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 29(2): 146-153.
Clark L. (2008). “Clinical leadership: Values, beliefs and vision”. Nursing Management, 15(7): 30-35.
Pandey, S. & Singh, M. (2008). “Women Empowerment and Personal Values as Predictors of Reproductive Health”. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, Vol. 34, No.2, 309-316.