As an effective follower I have high and reasonable expectations for my

leader and preceptor Jessica a RPN at Villa Forum Nursing Home. A leader should be an
expert in the area they wish to teach. That person should be able to demonstrate content
that is being taught and have an explanation for everything. If I were to seek for
demonstration of how to insert a Foley catheter, my leader should be knowledgeable and
confident in gathering all the needed equipment and completing a sterile technique with
my client feeling minimal to no pain. I believe experience is important for a leader. The
more experience a leader has, the better a leader can teach based on their personal
experience which I find very valuable especially when studying to become a registered
practical nurse. Kelly and Crawford state, Nursing leaders focus on a professional and
purposeful vision that provides direction towards the preferred future (p. 169, 2013). By
having a vision the leader is well equipped to deal with more complex issues that may
arise and better demonstrate techniques and situations to those they teach. I would expect
my leader to be well educated and trained in the field they work. A competent leader is
very important. Knowing your boundaries and capabilities is crucial in order to deliver
the best care possible. This level of maturity is important when teaching followers
because a follower needs someone professional to guide them into the path that is
expected of them. Lastly an honest leader is a well-respected leader. When your leader is
honest with you and is able to lead with certainty that exerts a positive message to the
follower.

My leader Jessica best represents a democratic leadership style. The

democratic leadership style is a more involved type of theory. Getting involved and

working together to accomplish tasks at hand while also utilizing professional power is
the type of person my leader is. Kelly and Crawford believe, Democratic leadership is
participatory, with authority delegated to others (p.173, 2013). The first week of clinical
my leader demonstrated qualities of an Autocratic leader. She had made all the decisions
and used her power as an RPN to ensure I was being taught correctly on how the unit had
worked. Over time her true style of a Democratic leader was shown and to this date we
work together to accomplish our established plan for the day. Through report we come
together and create goals we wish to accomplish in the day. This is a clear example of a
democratic leader, someone who uses their power to teach but works closely with their
follower to establish a professional working relationship. Throughout my clinical
experience Jessica has demonstrated excellent team building qualities. After being
thoroughly trained on things such as Point click care, their documentation system, and on
how they administer patient specific medication, I was better able to understand how the
unit worked. I became very independent on the floor very quickly, but still to this day
Jessica and I chose to work together very closely because we have found it to be the most
effective way of completing our daily assignments.

The quote, Leaders are made, not born, by Vince Lombardi is a quote in
which I agree with. I believe leaders are made and not born because of many contributing
factors. People cannot be born into having certain characteristics of a leader. Things such
an effective communication skills, intelligence, self awareness, and determination are all
examples of an effective leader. I believe all of these attributes of a person are developed
throughout life and no one is born with them. A person must face life experiences or

become educated on certain things in order to know how to be a leader. I also believe
some people are not fit to become leaders. There may be some people who dont have
virtues such as patiences or a positive attitude, which leaders must be have. This is also
another reason why I believe leaders are not born, but they are made. Becoming a leader
is a type of calling. A person may find himself or herself willing and eager to teach and
coach others to become a better version of themselves for any type of reason. The passion
and dedication a leader has is a distinctive characteristic they posses which makes them a
good leader. These types of qualities are manifested throughout your life. Through
personal experiences, life lessons, and understanding a person is made into a leader, not
born into one. The only time were an exception is made is when we look at Royal
families. The royal family in London England is an example, specifically Prince William.
Prince William is an example of someone who is born a leader because of culture and his
family. Although Prince William is born a leader he is still trained how to be the best one
he can be throughout his life.

References

ReferencesKelly, P. and Crawford, H. (2013). Nursing Leadership and

Management. (2nd ed). Toronto: Nelson Education