Define what leadership is to you. Share a personal experience that informed your thoughts about health care leadership. List the traits of an authentic leader. Share an effective exercise in developing the skills or habits of an authentic leader.

Leadership is the ability to effectively motivate, guide, and direct people towards a common vision while inspiring trust and respect (Mohanty & Bhowmik, 2020). Leadership focuses on empowering individuals to achieve greater levels of success in both their personal and professional lives. To me, leadership can be defined as taking initiative to bring about change for the betterment of others. A great leader will have the courage to take risks and make difficult decisions that are necessary for advancement or improvement in any given situation. They also possess strong communication skills with which they can communicate their ideas clearly and concisely.

I experienced first-hand the importance of healthcare leadership when I was 17 years old. At this age I had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and required intensive treatment from my medical team at an oncology center in Toronto. One day during treatment, I observed my nurse engaging with other patients whom she perceived were struggling more than myself; through her kind words she reassured them that all would be okay whilst providing comfort at a time when it was much needed. This act depicted true health care leadership as she understood what her patients were going through but also took action by offering emotional support instead of simply sympathizing with them (Langley et al., 2015). It was this experience which informed my thoughts on health care leadership; that a leader should not just understand those around them but take actionable steps towards helping them progress forward even in times of immense difficulty or adversity.

The traits of an authentic leader include honesty, integrity, empathy, self-awareness and accountability (Robinson et al., 2018). An authentic leader must always remain honest regardless of circumstance; being able to admit wrongdoings or mistakes without fear shows strength rather than weakness which builds trust within teams or organizations who look up for guidance from these leaders (Wagner et al., 2016). Integrity goes hand in hand with honesty as this trait emphasizes behaving consistentantly regardless if one is being watched or not; having principles that dictate how one will act no matter situation is key characteristic showing a genuine desire for positive change within an organization(Weinstein & Ryan, 2010). Empathy allows leaders to put themselves into someone else’s shoes thus demonstrating understanding along with kindness which helps build relationships between individuals (Goleman et al., 2002). Self awareness involves knowing ones strengths & weaknesses enabling growth toward becoming the best version possible; through continuous reflection leaders will appreciate their own unique skillset along with potential areas for development (Van Dijk et al., 2017) Lastly accountability ensures adherence to promises made by leaders as well holding oneself responsible for tasks delegated outwards thus building credibility amongst subordinates(Covey & Merrill 1996) .

An effective exercise used develop skills or habits mentioned above involves journaling every day related topics such as: “describe something you did today that demonstrated your honesty” , “what did you do today so demonstrate empathy?” , “ What actions did you take today to improve upon your self awareness? And lastly ‘What goals have you accomplished today where accountability played a role?” By answering these prompts daily it provides insight into how an individual acts/thinks each day which enables further improvements towards becoming better versions of ourselves while simultaneously developing vital traits needed become great healthcare leaders capable improving outcomes benefit those we serve(Frohmaneck 2019).