NHS FPX 5004 Assessment 1 Leadership and Group Collaboration

In response to our conversation and subsequent written communications, I would like to inform you of my desire to assume the role of Project Leader.

While the specific needs identified for such a project is disheartening, I’m thankful that the organization is actively seeking to engage the community to ultimately produce impactful and sustainable solutions utilizing organizational capabilities and industry best practices.

As a healthcare professional, my passion for the well-being of others is of the utmost importance. Upon initiating my academic studies and entering the healthcare field as a trained professional, the Hippocratic Oath was of the utmost importance. While the Oath has been historically taken by physicians, the included principles of medical confidentiality and maleficence have served as my ethical compass throughout my career. If afforded the opportunity to serve, I intend on standing upon this fundamental ethical foundation as it relates to all duties and responsibilities.

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My initial understanding is that our target community of Haitians are reluctant to utilize prescribed healthcare services as evidenced by significantly diminished utilization. Also, this apprehension is the result (real or perceived) of cultural values and norms not being understood and thus honored. Furthermore, an internal employee survey has revealed that 75% of employees directly or indirectly serving this target community have expressed “concerns” about not only diversity but also workplace incivility and poor work-life balance.  NHS FPX 5004 Assessment 1 Leadership and Group Collaboration

While I have several questions to include survey methodologies, overall community engagement initiatives and resource allocation, I do feel confident that I have the training, experience and passion to effectively address these most pressing issues. Foremost, it’s imperative that you understand my approach to leadership and collaboration.

From childhood to date, I’ve always desired to be effective in all endeavors. Foremost to me is clearly defining goals and objectives while establishing a clear direction and subsequent means by which goals and objectives will be realized. This approach has served me well throughout my youth, periods of educational pursuit as well as during my entire professional career.

During my time in undergraduate school, I recall studying Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Specifically, it’s been noted that “when a deficit need has been ‘more or less’ satisfied it will go away, and our activities become habitually directed towards meeting the next set of needs that we have yet to satisfy. These then become our salient needs. However, growth needs continue to be felt and may even become stronger once they have been engaged” (McLeod , 2007, p. 2). Applying this concept to business, I believe that continued growth, observation, collaboration and assessment is necessary. Furthermore, successful managers align their vision with that of the larger organization of which they are a part (Davis, Hellervik, Sheard, Skube, Gebelein, 1996,     p. 300).

In today’s workplace, project leadership is critical to success. All of mankind’s greatest accomplishments—from building the great pyramids to discovering a cure for polio to putting a man on the moon—began as a project (Larson, Erik W., Gray, Clifford F., 2018, p.3). While often thought of as a private sector tool used to ensure efficient productivity, project management is very useful (and often critical) to achieving desired societal outcomes. The successful project leader is someone who can achieve desired results by effectively using all available resources (including people).

For our purposes and discussion, the ideal project leader will be someone who values diversity. As an African-American female, I readily relate to the historical and ongoing challenges realized within “communities of color” as well as historically marginalized groups such as women. Someone who clearly reflected a true sense of purpose as it relates to diversity was Martin Luther King Jr (MLK). While I’m certainly not comparing myself (nor anyone else) to MLK, his overall methodology during the Civil Rights Movement reflects those of an outstanding project leader.

NHS FPX 5004 Assessment 1 Leadership and Group Collaboration

As a leader, I possess a number of professional and personal qualities to successfully lead the needed project team. Not unlike MLK, I possess a great deal of love and compassion for the well-being of others. Whether in my professional and personal life, I’m pained by inequity derived from a fundamental disregard or marginalization of others. In respect to the task at hand, the Haitian community is one of diversity within itself as well as in comparison to the larger diaspora found in the United States. The historical significance of the founding of Haiti, international relationships, resource allocation, governance and immigration policy has immensely impacted the typical experience of our Haitian residents. We must first and foremost engage ourselves in both learning this history and aligning ourselves with those capable and desiring to understand.

Another critical requirement of a successful project leader will be to identify someone who can successfully build collaborations. As history teaches, MLK was able to build very powerful collaborations even among groups diametrically opposed politically, socially, religiously, demographically, financially and historically. In my professional capacity as a healthcare leader, I too effectively utilize collaboration to ensure successful healthcare outcomes. To do so, there are matters of personnel, insurance, diagnosis, emotional and legal considerations which must all be managed and appropriately adjudicated.

I’ve found that establishing and maintaining effective collaboration is critical to project leadership. Whether identifying project stakeholders, balancing technical and sociocultural needs, appropriately identifying routine operations from those which should be used within a project plan, or successfully identifying and leading throughout all project stages, the importance of effective leadership can’t be underestimated.

The composition of the interdisciplinary group of professionals will be one of the first focuses of my leadership of this project. My understanding is that the projected number of team members will be 4-6 persons. After assuring that we are utilizing an effective means of identifying and ultimately selecting these persons, I would commence with initial communications to those selected so as to schedule our first meeting.

Once the team is together, I would take the time to formally introduce myself while also providing a brief yet revealing insight into myself both as a person and a leader. As a collaborative leader, I value having a range of ideas, opinions and viewpoints expressed within a professional manner. While all viewpoints are valued and likely appropriate for our desired outcomes, it’s also imperative that I maintain the appropriate level of authority in making final decisions while also managing overall execution.  NHS FPX 5004 Assessment 1 Leadership and Group Collaboration KP

Some may resent aspects of their viewpoints not being included within our final decisions and thus a potential for conflict exists. However, it’s incumbent upon me as a leader to demonstrate courage and align varying viewpoints with our project goals. Making sure that the team has input in establishing the actual project goals and designating stakeholders to assure timely execution will further help to avoid project diminishing conflicts. To ensure effective collaboration, my approach is to use all available resources to properly lead and encourage effective communication within the team.

Our communication will take place within a designated project management tool. As an example, I’ve utilized Microsoft Project and found that it’s relatively easy to use and consists of powerful tools to document, communicate, measure, analyze and track resource expenditures at all phases of the project cycle. Those team members lacking previous experience will find the tool to be easy to learn and inclusive of “help” functions that can address most operational questions. As a “one-stop” depository, information is available at any time to all team members.

The practices of accountability, decision making, and delegation are also easily managed with Microsoft Project. From “decision trees” to “accountable party”, each owner of a designated task and/or outcome is identified. A multitude of software operations (reminders, alerts, direct communication, etc) can be made operational to ensure each team member is aware of their respective duties. Interestingly, team members can also see the impact of their respective actions (or lack thereof) as it relates to the larger project goals which serves as a form of accountability. I’m ultimately responsible for assuring that deliverables are satisfied. When necessary, individual guidance, counseling, an/or instruction will be provided.

As a lead, my passion for developing an atmosphere reflecting acceptance of all within the workplace has been a major part of my professional success. Actively engaging others, maintaining a flexible decision-making process reflecting group collaboration, and encouraging both formal and informal engagement amongst employees is highly important.

In closing, I would like to thank you for considering me for this critical leadership position. Upon a more comprehensive review of my candidacy, I believe you’ll find me to be highly professional, motivated and uniquely qualified to assume the role of project leader!

Bibliography

McLeod, Saul (29 December 2021) [2007]. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”. SimplyPsychology. Retrieved 10 January 2022.

Davis, Brian L., Lowell, Hellervik W., Skube, Carol J., Gebelein, Susan H., Sheard, James L.[1996]. Successful Manager’s Handbook.

Larson, Erik W., Gray, Clifford F., [2018]. Project Management: The Managerial Process

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