Respond to peer Lourdes

1. Describe and give examples of your two strongest leadership competencies and two most significant leadership gaps, weakness, or developmental opportunities.

My primary leadership strengths are strong personal ethics, emotional self-awareness, and the ability to build authentic relationships through transparent communication. Areas identified for professional development include enhancing future-focused strategic leadership and fostering innovation. In my Strengths-to-Strategy Plan, I recognized integrity and emotional intelligence as my most prominent leadership attributes. Annual performance evaluations consistently affirm my self-awareness, emotional regulation, and transparent communication with colleagues and team members. These competencies align with transformational leadership behaviors that emphasize ethical conduct, trust, and collaborative team relationships. Evidence demonstrates that transformational leadership significantly improves employee engagement, motivation, and workplace well-being in nursing environments, where leadership behaviors directly shape team performance (Nurmeksela et al., 2025). Similarly, leadership styles that prioritize supportive communication and relational approaches are strongly associated with greater job satisfaction among nurses (Specchia et al., 2021). My self-reflection also revealed opportunities to strengthen my capacity to plan and implement future-focused initiatives and to engage in visionary reflection. Occasional self-doubt highlights the importance of continued confidence-building in leadership roles. Recognizing these strengths and areas for growth underscores the value of intentionally cultivating strategic leadership capabilities. I aim to leverage emotional intelligence to foster trust, collaboration, and innovation within healthcare teams.

1. Describe and explain how your leadership strengths differ from management skills or behaviors.

My leadership strengths differ from traditional management behaviors because my focus is on relationship-building, empowerment, and trust. Rather than relying primarily on task-oriented skill sets, I emphasize collaboration and team development. My leadership philosophy prioritizes clear communication and encourages individuals to contribute their strengths, which aligns with transformational leadership principles. Research shows that transformational leadership improves employee engagement and workplace satisfaction by fostering supportive relationships and meaningful work environments (Nurmeksela et al., 2025; Specchia et al., 2021). In nursing practice, however, leaders must also assume managerial responsibilities when operational demands arise. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, nurse managers guide unit staff by communicating a vision for excellence, serving as change agents, and motivating staff to participate in quality improvement initiatives while promoting collaboration among staff, administrators, and patients. At the same time, nurse managers must oversee essential unit functions that directly affect patient care, staffing, and budgetary constraints, while supporting strategic goals (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], n.d.). While management ensures operational stability, leadership goes beyond task oversight, influencing attitudes and building effective teams that unite around shared goals. Understanding when to activate leadership behaviors versus management functions enables nurse leaders to balance staff empowerment with operational accountability and support organizational success.

1. Describe how you will integrate emotional intelligence into your leadership identity and how this may impact the characteristics of your followers.

Integrating emotional intelligence into my leadership identity will enhance my ability to inspire and influence others, thereby fostering engagement, collaboration, and professional growth. Self-awareness and empathy enable me to remain composed under pressure, communicate effectively, and address team concerns thoughtfully. Nurmeksela et al. (2025) report that transformational leadership behaviors rooted in empathy and supportive relationships significantly increase nurses’ work engagement. Additionally, leadership styles that emphasize empowerment and positive relationships are strongly linked to higher job satisfaction and healthier workplace cultures in nursing (Specchia et al., 2021). Intentionally attending to team members perspectives and perceived experiences fosters a culture of safety and encourages team building. Ultimately, applying emotional intelligence to my leadership identity will promote motivation, trust, and innovation, thereby elevating both team performance and the overall workplace culture.

References

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2012, December). Nursing notes. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from

Nurmeksela, A., Schavoronkoff, K., & Jokiniemi, K. (2025). The impact of nurse managers’ transformational leadership on nurses’ work engagement: A crosssectional study (Y. Oh, Ed.). Journal of Nursing Management, 2025(1), Article 9980485.

Specchia, M. L., Cozzolino, M. R., Carini, E., Di Pilla, A., Galletti, C., Ricciardi, W., & Damiani, G. (2021). Leadership styles and nurses’ job satisfaction. Results of a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4).