Nursing is a growing field, and many different types of nurses are emerging as the profession expands. Nursing management roles allow experienced nurses to teach, support, and guide their fellow nurses while delegating work and facilitating patient care. However, to do this effectively, each head nurse who takes on a managerial position must decide on their preferred nurse leadership style.

The qualities of a nurse in a managerial position are important because it greatly impacts their team and work environment. In this guide, we’re unpacking seven leadership styles in nursing that effective nurse leaders rely on to organize and motivate their colleagues.  

Each nursing leader’s approach has its strategies with associated strengths and weaknesses. This guide will help you find the right style for your upcoming nurse leadership role or help you craft your own to better suit the unique needs of your position. 

#1 Transformational 

Those with a transformational nursing leadership style are effective leaders because they bring out the best in themselves and their colleagues. Like a coach giving a half-time pep talk, transformational leaders aim to build strong relationships amongst their healthcare team and inspire them to be motivated workers.¹ They see everyone’s potential and help them to live up to it by working together toward shared goals, such as providing superior care. 

• Strengths – People often like to work under inspirational leaders. When a manager motivates their team to excel, they help each individual improve their weaknesses and maintain their passion for their career. Studies show that hospitals implementing transformational leadership strategies had less than half of the nurse turnover as other facilities. Staff working under transformational leaders also report increased morale and higher job satisfaction.²
• Weaknesses – The motivational nature of the transformational leader isn’t always the most effective approach for the job. In highly-disorganized facilities or with staff who need close monitoring and specific instructions, inspirational speeches may need to be set aside in favor of more direct leadership strategies. In such cases, an autocratic leadership approach might be a better fit.

#2 Autocratic

Autocratic leaders don’t need a lot of help making choices. Like the governing figures of their namesake, autocratic leaders tend to forego their colleagues’ input in favor of their own decision-making process. Their approach is defined by structure, and they possess a keen ability to delegate. While the style may come across as harsh compared to other leadership techniques, there are certain situations where autocracy is the best option.

• Strengths – Autocratic leaders are called upon in times of emergency when lives are on the line, and care must be delivered posthaste.³ When there’s no time to decide who will dress wounds and who will administer IVs, an autocratic nurse leader knows each of their colleagues' strengths and puts them to work without hesitation. Likewise, when a medical team cannot govern and guide themselves, an autocratic leader can impartially delegate tasks to get them back on track.
• Weaknesses – Autocratic leaders aren’t necessarily looked up to with admiration and reverence. When employees feel unseen as individuals and only valued for their labor, morale can tank and take worker satisfaction with it. Reviews of autocratic leaders note decreased employee motivation and increased feelings of neglect among staff working under them.⁴

#3 Laissez-faire

If autocratic leadership tells everyone exactly what to do, the laissez-faire style is the opposite. Literally meaning “allow to do” in French, those with a laissez-faire leadership style take a hands-off approach to manage their team.⁵ They rely on the capability and self-direction of their colleagues to get work done and provide quality care to their patients. In essence, laissez-faire leaders only get involved insomuch that they need to, and micromanagement isn’t part of their toolkit. 

• Strengths – Employees can feel more validation when given greater freedom and capacity for self-direction. Inviting workers into the decision-making process can empower them and validate their importance to the team. Consequently, laissez-faire leaders passively motivate their colleagues to work toward common goals without the need to dictate orders constantly.⁶
• Weaknesses – With great freedom comes great responsibility, and not every healthcare worker has yet learned to manage their responsibilities. Self-direction isn’t necessarily everyone’s strong suit, and some people must have their duties outlined. If a laissez-faire manager is placed in charge of an inexperienced team (or one that previously worked under the watchful eye of an autocratic leader), healthcare quality can suffer.

#4 Transactional

Transactional leaders champion order and accomplishment in their organizational approach. Managers with a transactional leadership style can be considered hands-on, favoring active oversight of their colleagues’ duties instead of delegating self-direction. They can incentivize their staff to work harmoniously toward common goals by providing clear, achievable objectives and contingent rewards.

• Strengths – Transactional leaders often run tight ships that operate effectively and regularly achieve the goals they set for themselves. Research shows that nurses who work under transactional leaders report high satisfaction with their jobs due to clearly outlined expectations, positive and helpful feedback, and worthwhile rewards for exceptional performance.⁸
• Weaknesses – Transactional leaders are goal-oriented and can lose sight of their staff's strengths and personal needs in pursuit of achievement. They often work well in conjunction with like-minded colleagues who are motivated by structure. Conflict can arise with more individualistic coworkers, however.  

#5 Task-oriented

Task-oriented leaders understand the comings and goings of their team. They meticulously plan the duties, roles, and objectives each of their colleagues fulfills. They likewise take an active role in team monitoring and ensuring everyone stays on task. Task-oriented leaders should possess excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage large groups without losing track of each member’s responsibilities. 

• Strengths – Studies conducted on task-oriented leadership show it’s conducive to higher healthcare quality and increased satisfaction of staff and patients’ relatives. Task-oriented leaders excel in environments where routine and organization are paramount, such as senior care centers and hospices.⁹
• Weaknesses – Some task-oriented nursing leaders have a tend to go overboard, and their overzealous involvement in their colleagues’ day-to-day duties can be perceived as micromanagement. Nurses may feel smothered when they're on too tight of a leash or think their credentials and knowledge are being questioned when their freedom to self-direct is limited. 

#6 Relationship-oriented

Relationship-oriented leaders stress close connections with their staff as critical to effective management. “At this workplace, we’re more than just colleagues—we’re a family,” is the mantra of the relationship-oriented manager. Supporting staff in their careers, providing opportunities for advancement and development, and recognizing team members for their achievements are key strategies of the style.¹⁰

• Strengths – Relationship-oriented leaders boost team morale by making employees feel at home in their work environment. They stress the importance of inclusive and friendly work culture as an employee motivator over conventional punishment and reward systems. Relationship-oriented approaches work well in training roles where sympathy and understanding toward novice nurses are essential. 
• Weaknesses – The overly-sympathetic relationship-oriented leader risks losing grip on their team and its goals. A sympathetic and friendly face benefits morale, but relationship-oriented managers must pay special attention to ensure each team member is fulfilling the duties of their role and working harmoniously with their colleagues. 

#7 Passive-avoidant

Passive-avoidant leaders are a perfect example of how not to manage a team of healthcare professionals. Passive-avoidant leadership is laissez-faire taken to the absolute extreme and leads to poor leadership outcomes. Avoiding all forms of colleague inquiry and ignoring problems are the key actions of this style. Some even define passive-avoidant management as the complete absence of effective leadership.¹¹

• Strengths –  It can be challenging to determine any strengths of passive-avoidant leaders. If a team operates smoothly on its own or a manager is only responsible for a small collection of loosely-connected individuals, a lack of governance might not be totally devastating. However, passive-avoidant managers are best seen as models of the wrong way to handle managerial roles within a nursing administration. 
• Weaknesses – A passive-avoidant leader is not an effective leader. There are too many to note, but reduced healthcare quality, frustration from staff, and a complete lack of communication are near the top of the list. Passive-avoidant leadership is a bad fit for institutions requiring strict routines and organization to run effectively.

Improve Your Nursing Leadership Skills at Alliant International University

If you’ve had one-to-many passive-avoidant managers in the past and want to do better when you assume a leadership role, Alliant International University has your back. 

Both the bachelor’s of science in nursing program (BSN) and master’s of science in nursing direct entry program (MSN) can help prepare you to be an effective healthcare leader by equipping you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence you need to succeed as a nurse or  nurse manager. Not to mention, the master’s of science in nursing direct entry program allows students with a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as biology or psychology, to meet nursing school requirements without having to complete the BSN first. 

Our state-of-the-art training facilities replicate the same type of healthcare scenarios that nurse practitioners often encounter, so you can practice and refine your leadership skills and learn how to make quick and informed decisions in difficult medical situations. On top of our contemporary facilities, our expert educators are eager to help students develop their theoretical and scientific knowledge by combining in-class workshops with hands-on lab practice.

Reach out to us today to learn more about how the nursing programs at Alliant University can refine your approach to leadership and prepare you to conduct a team of nurses. 

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Sources: 

1.  Sfantou DF, Laliotis A, Patelarou AE, Sifaki-Pistolla D, Matalliotakis M, Patelarou E. Importance of leadership style towards quality of care measures in healthcare settings: A systematic review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). October 14, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5746707/. Accessed February 13, 2023.
2.  Sfantou DF, Laliotis A, Patelarou AE, Sifaki-Pistolla D, Matalliotakis M, Patelarou E. Importance of leadership style towards quality of care measures in healthcare settings: A systematic review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). October 14, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5746707/. Accessed February 13, 2023. 
3.  Sfantou DF, Laliotis A, Patelarou AE, Sifaki-Pistolla D, Matalliotakis M, Patelarou E. Importance of leadership style towards quality of care measures in healthcare settings: A systematic review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). October 14, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5746707/. Accessed February 13, 2023.
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9.  Sfantou DF, Laliotis A, Patelarou AE, Sifaki-Pistolla D, Matalliotakis M, Patelarou E. Importance of leadership style towards quality of care measures in healthcare settings: A systematic review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). October 14, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5746707/. Accessed February 13, 2023.
10.  Sfantou DF, Laliotis A, Patelarou AE, Sifaki-Pistolla D, Matalliotakis M, Patelarou E. Importance of leadership style towards quality of care measures in healthcare settings: A systematic review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). October 14, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5746707/. Accessed February 13, 2023.
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