Scenario
Use the following scenario as a basis to complete the assessment.
Imagine that you were hired for the job that you applied for at Western Medical Enterprises and you have been working there for a few months. One day your boss stops by your office and says the following:
Hi, I just have a couple of minutes. Please forgive me for stopping in without advanced notice. We got the results of a recent employee survey at one of our remote clinics – Lakeland. The survey indicates we have some issues to address. The data show 75 percent of the employees have concerns about at least one of the following: diversity issues, workplace incivility, and poor work-life balance.
Senior leadership has asked me how I plan to respond, and my first inclination is to put you in charge of assembling a team to address one of the issues. You have demonstrated effective organizational and communication on other projects and I think you will be a great asset as we moved forward.
I have to run right now, but I’ll send you an e-mail with more information before I leave today.
See you later!
Subsequent E-mail
Thanks for carving out a few minutes for me this morning. I just want you to know that this is really a great opportunity for you. I know you have been interested in taking steps to becoming a leader in this organization and now it’s time to realize your potential.
As you know we opened the Lakeland Medical Branch Clinic to serve area residents who were unable or unwilling to use the services offered at the main hospital. The first two months of operation saw strong patient volume. Since then, the numbers have dropped off dramatically. This prompted leadership to start asking some questions which lead to the internal survey that I mentioned yesterday.
I just met with leadership and they determined that the priority right now is the diversity issue because we have the opportunity to improve outcomes for both employees and the community.
This is part of an e-mail I got from the clinic director last week:
“. . . after careful examination of all aspects of the organization and talking with some neighborhood leaders we have concluded that residents in the community do not feel comfortable coming to the clinic. It seems the staff are lacking the ability to develop a trusting relationship with the residents primarily because they do not understand the cultural values and norms. The neighborhood residents, which you know are predominantly Haitian, often feel their beliefs, values, and health practices are not understood.
When staff members were hired, we only considered their past work experiences, education, and potential. We may have failed to fully consider their ability to work with diverse populations.”
This information is intended to give you a better understanding of the issues to be addressed. Time to get started as things need to move quickly.
I want you to assemble a committee to clearly define the problem and ultimately provide guidance on solutions. Before introducing you to the clinic director and executive team, I want to review your approach specific to leadership and collaboration.
I want two things from you in a written document (Use the Leadership and Group Collaboration Template). The first part is just for me, but the second part I intend to share with the clinic director.
First, identify and analyze a leader you would choose to lead a project like this and explain why. It can be anyone that is qualified. Considering someone that you know personally may give you greater insight and depth of knowledge. Consider how he or she inspires a shared vision, challenges the process, enables other to act, encourages the heart, and faces challenges and opportunities. Then select one of the characteristics or traits that make them successful and compare it to your own. Your choice will tell me a lot about your leadership approach and priorities.
My second request is related to your leadership and fostering of teamwork and collaboration among a group of interdisciplinary professionals. We are looking for 4–6 members to serve on a committee who will be considering the diversity issue and ultimately making a recommendation on how to address it. I want you to:
• Describe your role and style in leading the group (750–1,000 words). How will you lead and communicate? Will you be an authoritative, collaborative, democratic, servant, or transformational type of leader? Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your approach in the context of this project.
• Describe how you would facilitate collaboration to maximize team effectiveness (750–1,000 words). You might consider:
o Communication technologies.
o Practices (accountability, decision making, delegating). o Techniques for sharing information and ideas.
o Share other ideas you might have.
Remember this information will be shared with the clinic director so keep it clear, focused and professional. Creativity is important; however, we want to be sure that your ideas and approaches align with current healthcare organization trends and practices, so include references from current academic or professional resources to support you points.
I have confidence in you!
Draft a professional response to your supervisor in the attached document
Additional Requirements
Your assessment should also meet the following requirements:
Format: Complete your assessment using the Leadership and Group Collaboration Response Template.
Sources: Please reference at least two sources from your own research. You may cite multiple supporting examples from each source.
APA format: Use current APA style to format your paper and to cite your research sources in-text and in a references page.
Length: 1,500 words
Font and font size: Use Times New Roman, 12-point font and double-spaced lines.
Written communication:
Express your main points, arguments, and conclusions coherently.
Use correct grammar and mechanics.
Proofread your writing.
