The Impact of Leadership on Health Care in the United Arab Emirates

The Impact of Leadership on Health Care in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates’ health care system undergoes continuous review, regular change, and level-based transformation. The consequence of the revisions within health and social care sectors influence a significant aspect of the organizational culture. Some of the transformations impact the planning and delivery of services. The alterations also change the approach used by care providers in the execution of their duties based on the need to benefit the users of care services and the local communities. Over the years, the aims and objectives of service provision in the health and social care sectors have changed significantly (Erik, Robben, and Blair 672). The emergence of rights and advocacy groups continues to influence the development and implementation of reforms and policies. Further, research generates different perspectives in the running of the social and health care sectors. Leadership styles in social and health care sectors endeavor to create an enabling environment that facilitates interactions and the delivery of patient-based services to clients.

Leadership styles provide a mechanism for solving issues that interfere with progressive growth and development. In health and social care sectors, leadership plays a significant role in the implementation of change and efforts to enhance service delivery. Studies show that the responsibility for the transformation and improvement of services does not rest with the leaders in the health and social care alone (Erik, Robben, and Blair 672). Other external factors, such as the political climate, influence the progress towards the achievement of transformational goals. Therefore, frontline managers of social and health care facilities actively seek advice and guidance on the practical measures that can improve the impact of transformational actions. The leaders identify the importance of using specific leadership styles in guiding operations of a social and health care facility. They also appreciate the need to incorporate other leadership styles in management to enhance the delivery of patient-based care services.

Leadership and the Difference between Management and Leadership

Management and leadership play a crucial role in the delivery of effective social and health services. Although the two concepts share certain similarities, they involve different types of viewpoints, expertise, and comportments. Good managers should endeavor to practice practical leadership skills, and good leaders should focus on learning and incorporating management skills and enhance their effectiveness in guiding the operations of a social and health facility (Ayeleke et al. 83-84). Numerous literature insists on the need for the incorporation of management and leadership based on the need to enhance the delivery of quality health services. The success of the health and social care sector relies on the ability to select individuals with effective leadership and management styles to guide operations. Changes in the socio-economic and political environment prompt the need to determine effective leadership styles that promote effective service delivery to clients in the social and health sector.

Leadership refers to the behavior of an individual when guiding the actions of a group of people towards the achievement of shared goals and objectives. Despite a significant lack in data on the role of effective leadership in the accomplishment of improvements patient care and institutional outcomes in health care, recent research initiatives focus on the measures to facilitate the identification and incorporation of various leadership styles in the running of operations in the health care sector in the United Arab Emirates (Ayeleke et al. 84-85). On the contrary, management denotes the ability of an individual to realize and maintain the smooth running of operations through the processes of planning and to organize the resources of an organization and staff members to achieve identified goals. Individuals possess different skills and potential; thus, the attributes of an individual determines their potential to lead or manage the operations of an organization. An individual may possess the characteristics of a leader without showing quality management attributes.

There exist numerous styles of leadership. The method of administration selected for a particular organization depends on various internal and external factors. The size of the facility and the level of competition in the industry may prompt the use of specific leadership styles. Different leadership styles may prove applicable in particular environmental settings without meeting the needs of another institutional setting. However, an effective leadership style inspires, motivates, and guides activities based on the need to realize organizational goals (Ayeleke et al. 85). Poor leadership interferes with plans for growth because it diminishes measures for the accomplishment of identified goals and objectives. The characteristics of effective leadership include vision, creativity, passion, imagination, courage, innovation, and openness to change. Leaders in the health care sector rely on their skills and personal characteristics in the selection of appropriate leadership styles for the execution of their duties in institutional leadership.

Types of Leadership Approaches

Leadership style denotes the way an individual uses power to lead other individuals in an organizational setting. Studies reveal several leadership styles based on the number of organizations that subscribe to the ideals. The process of selecting a leadership style considers the function of the leader, the followers, and the situation. Some leaders prefer working with a small number of people in decision-making (Ayeleke et al. 86). Again, some employers lack leadership skills and the need to assume responsibility. Further, a consideration of the prevailing situation contributes to the determination of the most effective leadership style in the pursuit of organizational goals and objectives. The need for quick decision-making in the health care sector may compel leaders to make decisions without consulting followers for immediate solutions. Individuals at the helm of leadership in health care sectors should demonstrate the ability to work with followers and to make quick decisions that limit potential risk to the operations of the facility.

Transactional leadership denotes the leadership style that focusses on maintaining or continuing the status quo. The leadership style involves an exchange process; hence, followers in a transactional leadership setting receive immediate, tangible rewards the executing roles and functions identified by the transactional leader. It involves a basic approach that focusses on exchange. The success of transactional leadership in a health care setting relies on the ability of the leaders to observe clarity, focus on expectations, and immediate feedback (Ayeleke et al. 86-87). The behaviors of a leader that demonstrate transactional leadership qualities include the provision of clear expectations on the performance of followers and the identification of corresponding rewards for meeting identified objectives. Transactional leadership contributes to the establishment of roles and responsibilities for the employees. In the health care setting, however, the leadership style may interfere with the provision of quality care services because the employees may contribute bare-minimum work based on the knowledge of the worth of their effort all the time.

Charismatic leadership denotes the leadership style, where the charismatic leader demonstrates their revolutionary power in the execution of roles and duties in the health care setting. Charisma in leadership involves measures that endeavor to transform the values and beliefs of followers. Apart from affecting attitudes towards identified goals and objectives, charismatic leaders change the inherent behavioral orientation that helps develop specific goal-oriented approaches. Charismatic leaders demonstrate influential personalities; therefore, they attract a large number of followers. In the health care sector, charismatic leaders help build a strong following by using their characters to affect attitude change and a focus on the collective goals and objectives of the organization (Ayeleke et al. 87-88). It encourages the employees to demonstrate skills and contributory measures in the achievement of identified goals. However, focusing on the contribution of a single charismatic leader in affecting attitude change among employees may interfere with operations when the individuals choose to use their influence for personal gain. Charismatic leaders inspire transformation and goal achievement.

Transformational leadership focusses on initiating change at all levels of an organization. The change initiatives target the institution, groups, and individual members of the workforce. Transformational leaders use their power and position to encourage other members of the workforce to contribute more to the organization through the execution of roles and duties. Transactional leaders can motivate members of staff to do more than they perceived in the current setting of the organization (Ayeleke et al. 88). They encourage the team to engage clients and patients in the health and social care settings; hence, it promotes measures that focus on the realization of health care goals. Transactional leaders use their position to set increasingly challenging expectations and focus on the achievement of higher performance—the ability to empower followers results in the development of a more committed and satisfied group of followers.

Servant leadership style focuses on team strength. Servent leaders engage in activities that encourage the development of trust among team members while serving the needs of patients. Servant leadership occurs when individuals at the helm of leadership serve their fellow workers. Unlike traditional leadership, the main objective of servent leadership focuses on service to the workforce of an organization (Ayeleke et al. 88-89). The current health care system in the United Arab Emirates experiences a variety of challenges. Providers of health care services grapple with problems such as increased costs, poor quality nursing care, increased turnover rates, and the high rate of medical errors.

The need to provide services that meet the growing demand for enhanced health care services prompts the need for effective leadership styles. Servant leadership facilitates a focus on the measures to improve the quality of services to clients. It also enables the development of interest in the examination of the issues that face the employees based on the need to find solutions to encourage a focus on the provision of patient-based care services (Ayeleke et al. 90-91). Servant leadership provides a mechanism for the interaction between health care staff and managers; thus, it enables the process of sharing personal stories and the determination of practical measures of intervention. Providing for the needs of the workforce allows them to focus on the needs of the patients without distraction from personal needs.

The Impacts of Past and Present Leaders of UAE on Health Care System

The political climate of a country influences the provision of social and health care services to the citizens. As an external factor in the delivery of quality health care to clients, politics play a crucial role in determining not only funding but also the provision of an enabling environment for doctor-patient interactions. Change in the regime interferes with the provision of social and health care services because it forces the health care sector to change management strategies to meet the ideals of the new system (Ayeleke et al. 92-93). Despite the primary role of providing essential health care services to citizens, past and present leaders in the United Arab Emirates continue to impact the health care sector negatively. They develop policies that limit the effectiveness of the health care facilities and workers in incorporating internal leadership styles with the external environment to facilitate the provision of needs-based care.

Past and present political leaders in the United Arab Emirates develop policies on funding that limit research ineffective leadership styles for managing health care. Lack of research on leadership styles denies managers the opportunities to gain more in-depth knowledge to facilitate doctor-patient interaction; thus, it interferes with service delivery to patients. Effective leadership in health care requires that managers identify potential leadership styles by attending forums and discussions on leadership. The lack of adequate funding limits measures to learn about leadership strategies (Ayeleke et al. 93-94). It interferes with the goals and objectives of the health care sector based on the need to provide quality services because it denies the filed practical approaches in garnering support and cooperation between leaders and the workforce. The government should develop effective measures that protect the funding of health care institutions from interference when regime change occurs. Facilitating adequate funding enables the health care sector to focus on providing leadership in the execution of roles and duties to realize health care goals and objectives.

Past and present leaders in the United Arab Emirates have not developed measures to deal with the scourge of corruption. The government records significant losses annually because of corrupt leaders. The plague denies the health sector necessary resources; thus, it limits the effectiveness of the measures to provide essential health care services to citizens. Corruption leads to not only the loss of funds but also the loss of medical equipment under corrupt deals by political leaders (Ayeleke et al. 94-95). Despite measures by the government to fight corruption, political leaders continue to develop loopholes that facilitate their destructive efforts to satisfy their insatiable greed. Consequently, citizens suffer because corruption limits access to essential services. It forces citizens to seek medical care from private institutions that offer services at high charges. The government should compel corrupt leaders to serve prison terms apart from repaying stolen public resources.

Conclusions

Effective leadership styles such as transactional, servant, charismatic, and transformational leadership creates an enabling environment for doctor-patient interaction. The leadership styles facilitate the provision of patient-based care to the citizens of the United Arab Emirates. Despite the difference in approaches used by the leadership styles, the main objective lies in guiding members of the medical staff to enhance cooperation and the delivery of services to patients. Identifying an effective leadership style serves as a strategy to provide for the increasing needs in the medical field. It helps to correct issues such as corruption and inadequate funding that occur as a result of a change in the political leadership of the country. Servant leadership style proves the most authentic in the health care environment in the United Arab Emirates. It encourages the development of measures that not only focus on the need to offer needs-based care but also attempts to provide for the needs of the members of the health and social care community.

Works Cited

Ayeleke, Reuben Olugbenga, et al. “The Concept of Leadership in the Health Care Sector.” Leadership (2018): 83-95.

Koornneef, Erik, Paul Robben, and Iain Blair. “Progress and outcomes of health systems reform in the United Arab Emirates: a systematic review.” BMC health services research 17.1 (2017): 672.