Regina Temple on Leadership and Leadership Styles

Regina Temple: Leadership and Effective Communication

Communication, especially effective communication, is certainly one of the biggest parts of successful leadership in healthcare. How a team performs hinges on how well they communicate with one another. According to healthcare veteran Regina Temple, the anchor of that communication network is the leader.

The obvious benefits of effective communication from a leader are the smooth delegation and clear explanation of tasks, with almost zero room for misinterpretation. The best leaders do way more than assign work and clarify instructions.  

Many people do not realize it, but effective communication is seldom negative. A trademark of great leaders is that they are master motivators who inspire their subordinates to do their best. It could not be achieved without effective communication. Another reflection of effective communication can be seen in company culture, or more specifically, how a leader can cultivate their team, its relationships, and how it can fit in the culture the business is trying to promote. 

Regina Temple says one often overlooked aspect of effective communication is the ability to listen. That's what great leaders do; they listen. That is why they can learn as much as they can about the people on their teams and why they can motivate people and facilitate smooth transitions.

Effective communication also affects the many approaches to leadership. Healthcare systems are large organizations composed of departments, groups, and specialties. Leadership should utilize multidisciplinary teams and put diverse skills to work, providing the best patient care. 

The Different Approaches of Leadership 

Ethical Leadership

Sometimes, leaders must make tough decisions for the organization, which may favor some staff members. Amid these challenges, a great healthcare leader has to act from a grounding in ethics. They should be able to treat staff members with fairness and respect. 

Conflict Management

When communication gaps grow between practitioners, conflict can arise. In these situations, Regina Temple says that an effective healthcare leader has ways to work out conflicts to create a positive outcome. It can include incorporating strategies of compromise and mediation, negotiation, and enhanced communication to resolve issues and restore harmony.

Collaborative Leadership

This type of leadership requires strong communication with coworkers to help them make informed decisions. Regina Temple explains that collaboration is both a cooperative and assertive process. Through it, administrators and clinicians work together to reach the organization's goals. As a healthcare leader, you must be the first to model collaborative behaviors, like motivating and encouraging teamwork between practitioners across multiple disciplines. 

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders emphasize a sense of mission. They empower others to achieve it together and communicate their vision with the team, motivating members to perform beyond expectations. Through this, everyone shares their insights and works with a collective purpose, adds Regina Temple. 

Regina Temple has served in the healthcare community for over 30 years with experiences ranging from for-profit to not-for-profit organizations, unionized to non-unionized facilities, and acute care settings to outpatient centers. Read more of her insights on healthcare and leadership by following this page.