Self-evaluation and evaluation of nursing leaders' Leadership Styles

Objective: to evaluate the concordance between the leadership styles self-evaluated by the Nursing managers and evaluated by their subordinates in a private hospital. Methodology: an observational, cross-sectional, quantitative, and analytical study, with population of 31 managing nurses and 125 subordinates. Herman Bachenheimer's instrument of Situational Leadership was employed, adapting it to the subordinates. The concordance between self-evaluation and evaluation by the subordinates was analyzed in the four leadership styles (Directing, Guiding, Participating, Delegating), with the Kappa coefficient statistical test, test statistic (Z) >1.96, 95% confidence interval and PASW Statistics, version 18. Results: the self-evaluation of the Nursing managerial staff has a tendency for the Guiding Style and, according to the evaluation by their subordinates, there is a minimum difference among the four styles. Their concordance is low, but significant, with 19.3%. It was identified that the subordinates perceive that they possess the necessary competences to autonomously perform the tasks assigned, and that there is trust and assertive communication between both groups, which facilitates knowledge exchange. Conclusion: the Nursing managers and their subordinates perceive various leadership styles, and concordance is low. To attain superior leadership styles, the subordinates must develop autonomy and empowerment.