Transformational Change

Transformational Change

1. Cultural Integration

   • SJHC close knit vs. larger LHJC
     • Seek feedback from individuals and hold team building exercises to cultivate cohesion and promote employee involvement, engaging staff early to get them onboard implementing transformational leadership
   • SJHC relationship orientated vs. LHJC task orientated
     • Cross training between leaders will enable the leaders to develop their leadership styles relevant to best working practice. Given the cultural differences adopting this situational approach seems appropriate as it lends itself to deal with complex and dynamic situations. This culture can then be embedded into the organisation through training of subordinates and feedback from the bottom up will provide useful insight and further engage employees
   • Ethical considerations: Catholic vs. non-spiritual
     • Leaders need to show emotional intelligence perhaps through an leader-member exchange theory to make informed decisions on ethical issues such as abortion
   • Holding focus groups and feedback sessions provides useful insight to leaders and engages subordnates who feel empowered aiding cultural integration drawing on aspects of transformational leadership
   • Setting expectations and values fosters a harmonious and collaborative envrionment implementing aspects of path-goal theory in the initial stages to mark out the path

2. Leadership Demands and Orientation

   • SJHC shared leadership vs. LHSC Theory E (top down)
     • Opportunity to cross-train leadership styles drawing on strengths of each successful hospital, combining Theory O and E, thus adopting a situational leadership style to adapt to the task at hand
   • Technical understanding of healthcare to deal with nuances and protocol
   • Situational leadership in order to deal with the unpredictable nature of proceedings
   • Requirement for emotional intelligence in order to deal with conflict and unrest caused by the merger and the ability to empathise with stakeholders making considered interventions where required

3. External Pressures

   • Shareholders looking to reduce costs
     • Leaders need to display emotional intelligence in order to manage expectations, whilst also actively managing the consolidation process looking to synthesise processes benefitting from economies of scale.
   • Community to deliver high quality health services
     • Leadership are required to consolidate the merger providing direction and confidence to empower the subordinates and stakeholders
   • Labour market, with shortage of staff
     • A path-goal leadership style increases staff retention as it motivates and engages the subordinates especially in the early stages of consolidation by setting the path way. A transformational style will keep the staff empowered and engaged
   • Political factors demanding a restructuring and lack of facilities
     • Leadership need to allocate resources to ensure deadlines and targets are met, which will foster unification and engagement of employees and stakeholders adopting eleemts of path-goal theory with subordinates and leader-member exchange theory with political relations in order to create a positive relationship
   • Union agreements affecting HR decision making
     • Leadership should look to collaborate with the unions and discuss the binding agreements in place and what can be done to move forward together, adopting aspects of leader-member exchange theory to make informed decisions

4. Potential Staff and Systems Problems

   • Differences in remuneration packages
     • Leadership should work with the unions and look to standardise remuneration packages where possible and address this issue for new employees moving forward, adopting a leader-member exchange theory which encourages positive relations with suboridnates
   • Integration to new colleagues and managers
     • Opportunity to meet new friends and learn from new perspectives, developing the employees so they feel valued, displaying elements of transformational leadership
   • Introduction of different practices and training requirements
     • Implementing a path-goal leadership style in the initial stages of consolidation will help to quickly establish procedures and motivate staff. Cross-training employees will develop their skills an provides an environment to 'ice break'
   • Relocation of 500 staff and 50 physicians
     • Leadership is required to empower stakeholders and project management teams in order to facilitate the consolidation process, displaying transformational leadership
   • Concerns of ageing staff and staff shortages
     • Opportunity to recruit individuals that fit into the new culture and train and develop employees where there are skill gaps allocating resource effectively
   • Uncertainty on proposed date for move
     • Leaders must communicate effectively with subordnates in order to establish and keep to time frames affecting the integration. Leaders need to set the direction from the top but encourage bottom-up communication in order to manage the integration effectively
   • Low staff morale
     • Transformational leadedership will empower the subordinates to engage in the consolidation process and motivate them