Leadership Self-Assessment Reflective Essay Guide for Nurses

Leadership Self-Assessment Reflective Essay Guide for Nurses

Self-awareness is essential for developing leadership skills. Recognizing your own strengths, weaknesses, and values, and understanding emotional intelligence and learning styles can help you to be a more effective nurse leader.

For this assignment, you have the opportunity to take a variety of self-assessments to learn more about yourself and identify your assets and weaknesses as a leader. This will assist you in discovering how you can improve your own self-leadership skills. You will be asked to think critically about your results and submit a reflection as directed below.

Refer to the topic Resources. Select and complete three self-assessments. Be sure to document the results of each assessment to assist you in completing the reflection portion of the assignment below.

Self-Assessment Reflection

Becoming self-aware is an ongoing process requiring introspection. The more often people practice self-reflection, the more opportunities they have to understand their own behaviors and adapt their approaches to working with other people, which can improve both your own and other\’s abilities to meet their professional goals.

In a 1,000-1,250-word reflective essay, address the following:

1. Provide a rationale and brief summary for selecting each self-assessment. Summarize the results you obtained on each assessment.
2. Identify the leadership style that closely aligns to your philosophy of care and explain what appeals to you about that style.
3. Reflect on how you might incorporate elements of that particular style as you exercise leadership in a practice or health care organization setting.
4. Discuss any particular areas for improvement the assessments helped you identify and some steps for improving your leadership capabilities.
5. Analyze the characteristics of an effective professional nurse leader, or individuals in nursing leadership. Discuss the characteristics and explain why they are effective for leadership in nursing.
6. Analyze different leadership theories and leadership styles. Select one theory and leadership style, different from your own, and explain how they each support a professional nurse leader or individual in nursing leadership. Consider how the theory shapes the nurse leader in such things as collaboration, conflict resolution, decision-making, and negotiation.

What This Assignment Is Really Testing

The Grand Canyon University’s Leadership Style Reflective Essay isn’t just asking you to take three quizzes — it’s asking you to demonstrate metacognition: the ability to think critically about how you think and lead. Professors are specifically looking for:

• Genuine reflection, not just a summary of scores
• Explicit connections between your assessment results and real nursing practice scenarios
• Evidence-based leadership theory woven into your personal narrative
• A clear understanding that leadership styles are not fixed — they evolve with experience

The most common reason students lose points on this assignment is treating it like a report rather than a reflection. Your voice, your clinical experiences, and your honest self-critique are what earn full marks.

🎯 How to Select the Right Three Self-Assessments

Not all self-assessments carry equal weight for this assignment. The goal is to choose three that together paint a multidimensional picture of you as a leader. A strong combination typically covers:

Pro tip: Choose assessments that contrast each other slightly. If your EI score is high but your cultural awareness score reveals blind spots, that tension creates the most compelling reflection — and shows your professor you’re engaging honestly.

💡 Expert Commentary: Breaking Down Each Required Section

Section 1 — Rationale & Assessment Summaries

Don’t just paste your scores. For each assessment, answer:

• Why did this particular tool appeal to you?
• What did you expect the result to be, and were you surprised?
• What does this score mean in the context of patient care?

A weak response: “I scored 72/100 on emotional intelligence.” A strong response: “My EI score of 72 suggested moderate competency in empathy, which I found consistent with feedback I’ve received during clinical rotations — particularly in situations involving end-of-life conversations where I’ve sometimes struggled to stay present without becoming emotionally overwhelmed.”

Section 2 — Identifying Your Leadership Style

The most commonly aligned styles students identify include:

• Servant Leadership — prioritizes team well-being and patient outcomes over authority
• Transformational Leadership — motivates through vision and inspiration
• Democratic/Participative Leadership — values team input in decision-making

When explaining why a style appeals to you, tie it directly to your philosophy of care — a statement of your core nursing values. If you haven’t written a formal philosophy of care before, this is your opportunity. A simple framework:

“I believe nursing is fundamentally an act of advocacy. My philosophy centers on [core value], which means I approach patient care by [specific behavior]. This naturally aligns with [leadership style] because…”

Section 3 — Incorporating Leadership in Practice

This section trips up many students because it stays too abstract. Make it concrete with specific scenarios:

• Staff conflict: How would your leadership style guide you when two nurses on your unit have an ongoing interpersonal dispute?
• Resource constraints: How do you lead when your unit is short-staffed and morale is low?
• Patient advocacy: How does your leadership style show up when a patient’s care plan is not being followed?

These scenarios ground your reflection in clinical reality and demonstrate critical thinking.

Section 4 — Areas for Improvement

Professors want vulnerability + action plan, not just self-criticism. Use this structure:

1. Identify the gap (what the assessment revealed)
2. Acknowledge the impact (how this gap could affect your team or patients)
3. Commit to a specific step (not just “I will work on this”)

Example:

“The Big Five assessment revealed a low score in conscientiousness, suggesting I may struggle with organization under pressure. In a charge nurse role, this could affect medication administration workflows or handoff communication. To address this, I plan to implement a structured end-of-shift checklist and request mentorship from a senior charge nurse over the next 90 days.”

Section 5 — Characteristics of Effective Nurse Leaders

Research consistently identifies these as the top characteristics of effective nurse leaders:

• Clinical competence — credibility with staff requires demonstrated skill (Kelly & Hearld, 2020)
• Emotional intelligence — the ability to regulate one’s emotions while attuning to others (Weiss et al., 2019)
• Communication clarity — both in crisis situations and routine handoffs
• Ethical grounding — modeling integrity in gray-area situations
• Resilience — sustaining performance under chronic workplace stress

What makes these specifically effective in nursing (vs. other industries) is the stakes involved. A leadership failure in a hospital isn’t a missed deadline — it can be a patient safety event.

Section 6 — Alternative Leadership Theory

A commonly underused but highly relevant theory for this section is Situational Leadership Theory (Hersey & Blanchard), which argues that no single leadership style is optimal — effective leaders adapt their style based on the competence and commitment level of each team member.

Why it’s powerful for nursing:

• A new graduate nurse needs directive leadership (clear instructions, close supervision)
• An experienced charge nurse needs delegating leadership (autonomy, trust)
• A mid-career nurse going through burnout may need coaching leadership (supportive, collaborative)

This theory directly supports:

• Collaboration — by matching your approach to each colleague’s needs
• Conflict resolution — by diagnosing why conflict exists (skill gap vs. motivation gap) before intervening
• Decision-making — by knowing when to consult the team vs. act unilaterally in emergencies
• Negotiation — by adjusting assertiveness based on context

❓ FAQ: What Students Actually Ask About This Assignment

Q: Can I use free online assessments like 16Personalities or the VIA Character Strengths survey? A: Most GCU instructors accept reputable free assessments as long as you can document your results and critically analyze them. When in doubt, check with your instructor before submitting. Peer-reviewed or professionally validated tools (like the MBTI or GENOS EI) tend to score better.

Q: Does the 1,000–1,250 word count include references? A: Typically no — word counts in GCU assignments refer to body content only. References and headings are generally excluded, but confirm with your course syllabus.

Q: What’s the difference between a leadership theory and a leadership style? A: A theory explains why certain leadership behaviors are effective (e.g., Transformational Leadership Theory argues that intrinsic motivation drives performance). A style is the behavioral pattern a leader actually uses (e.g., being inspirational, visionary, or participative). Section 6 asks you to address both — a common source of confusion.

Q: How personal should my reflection be? A: Very. This is a reflective essay, not a research paper. First-person writing (“I believe,” “In my clinical experience”) is not only acceptable — it’s expected. Avoiding personal voice is what makes essays feel generic and score lower.

📚 References

• Kelly, R. J., & Hearld, L. R. (2020). Burnout and leadership style in behavioral health care. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 47(4), 581–600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-019-09679-z
• Weiss, S. A., Tappen, R. M., & Grimley, K. (2019). Essentials of nursing leadership & management. FA Davis. https://www.fadavis.com/product/nursing-fundamentals-essentials-nursing-leadership-management-weiss-6
• Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Life cycle theory of leadership. Training and Development Journal. https://www.situational.com/the-cls-difference/situational-leadership-what-we-do/
• Siangchokyoo, N., Klinger, R. L., & Campion, E. D. (2020). Follower transformation as the linchpin of transformational leadership theory. The Leadership Quarterly, 31(1), 101341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2019.101341
• Saleem, F. et al. (2020). Impact of servant leadership on performance. Sage Open, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019900562

Sample Expert Answer and Explanation

Leadership Style and Self-Assessment

Effective leadership is paramount in nursing, where the well-being of both the healthcare team and patients hinges on collaborative, thoughtful, and visionary guidance. Various leadership theories and styles have emerged, each offering unique perspectives on how leaders can inspire, guide, and shape their teams (Kelly & Hearld, 2020). Self-assessment is integral in understanding oneself and proper leadership tendencies.

Self-Assessment Rationale and Summary

In order to understand and have a clear overview of myself, I focused on three tests on emotional intelligence, the big five personality test, and the cultural diversity awareness test. I chose the Emotional Intelligence Test to gain insights into my ability to navigate and understand emotions, an essential aspect of my interpersonal relationships. Scoring 45 out of 100 aligns with my self-perception.

I’ve always been aware of my strength in identifying emotions through bodily reactions, but the acknowledgment of struggling with more complex emotions resonates with my belief in continuous self-improvement. It’s a true reflection of my commitment to understanding and managing emotions more comprehensively, enhancing my overall emotional intelligence.

The choice of the Big Five Personality Test stems from the relevance of personality traits in understanding individual behavior and interactions. Scoring 69 out of 100 highlights a dominant trait of extroversion, suggesting a generally outgoing and social nature. However, the acknowledgment of various introverted tendencies adds nuance to the assessment. This indicates a balanced personality with a fluidity between extroverted and introverted qualities. The results emphasize the complexity and versatility in personal characteristics, encouraging a holistic approach to self-awareness and interpersonal dynamics.

Selecting the Cultural Diversity Awareness Test was driven by my commitment to fostering inclusive and respectful interactions. Scoring 109 in the high range is affirming. It aligns with my core values of recognizing bias and prejudice and emphasizes my belief in the importance of understanding and appreciating diverse perspectives. This score is a true representation of my commitment to continuous learning, acknowledging the impact of my behavior on others, and actively seeking ways to enhance my cultural competence.

These assessments collectively provide a comprehensive understanding of the individual’s emotional intelligence, personality traits, and cultural awareness (Andrade, 2019). The results indicate specific strengths and areas for growth, paving the way for targeted personal development efforts. Embracing the distinctions revealed in these assessments fosters a holistic approach to self-awareness and the enhancement of interpersonal skills in various contexts.

Leadership Style

The leadership style that closely aligns with my philosophy of care is Servant Leadership. This resonates profoundly with my humanistic approach to care, which places a strong emphasis on the well-being and development of individuals. What particularly appeals to me about servant leadership is its commitment to distributing power rather than consolidating it at the top (Pawar et al., 2020).

This aligns perfectly with my belief that leadership should be about empowering others, fostering collaboration, and creating an inclusive environment. The core concept of prioritizing the well-being of others aligns with my philosophy of care, emphasizing the importance of empathy and genuine concern for the needs of those under my leadership (Mcquade et al., 2021). In a healthcare setting, this is crucial for creating a compassionate and supportive environment that ultimately contributes to better patient outcomes.

The active support provided by servant leadership in helping individuals reach their highest potential resonates deeply with my belief in the continuous growth and development of both team members and patients (Langhof & Güldenberg, 2020). It encourages a culture of mentorship, guidance, and investment in the personal and professional growth of each individual, fostering a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

In essence, the relevance of servant leadership is based on its holistic and people-centric approach (Saleem et al., 2020). By focusing on the needs of others and actively supporting their development, it aligns seamlessly with my philosophy of care. The leadership style achieves organizational goals and also enriches the lives of those within the healthcare system.

Incorporating Servant Leadership in Practice

In my role as a charge nurse, I actively incorporate elements of Servant Leadership to create a supportive and empowering environment for my team. One way I do this is by encouraging a learning culture of bedside care. I ensure that my nurses feel comfortable asking questions, interacting with patients, and trying out new tasks under my supervision. This hands-on approach helps them effectively learn new skills, enhancing their nursing competencies (Farrington & Lillah, 2019). It aligns with the essence of servant leadership, where the focus is on supporting others to reach their highest potential. This strategy contributes to their professional growth and boosts their confidence, fostering a positive and collaborative team dynamic.

Investing in the professional development of my team is another key aspect of applying servant leadership in practice. I provide opportunities for training and education, actively supporting my colleagues when they express a desire to advance their careers. Professional development provides me with the opportunity to nurture their growth and success, aligning with the servant leadership philosophy of prioritizing the well-being and development of others (Farrington & Lillah, 2019). I also make it a point to recognize the hard work and dedication of my colleagues.

This involves acknowledging their efforts, whether through verbal appreciation or other forms of recognition. This recognition not only boosts staff morale but also contributes to increased productivity at work. It creates a positive work environment where each team member feels valued and motivated to give their best. In retrospect, my leadership approach as a charge nurse reflects the principles of servant leadership by fostering a culture of continuous learning, supporting professional development, and recognizing the contributions of my team.

Areas of Improvement

The self-assessments provided valuable insights into areas for improvement in my leadership capabilities. In the Emotional Intelligence Test, it became evident that while I am adept at identifying emotions based on bodily reactions, I struggle with more complex emotions. To address this, I plan to engage in more reflective practices, perhaps through journaling or guided exercises, to enhance my understanding of nuanced emotions and develop strategies for managing them effectively. The Big Five Personality Test highlighted my extroverted nature with various introverted tendencies. To enhance my leadership capabilities, I aim to leverage my extroverted qualities for effective communication and collaboration while actively working on cultivating my introverted tendencies.

For the Cultural Diversity Awareness Test, where I scored 109, positioning me in the high range, I recognize the importance of continuous learning in this dynamic field. To further improve my leadership capabilities in fostering cultural competence, I plan to engage in ongoing education, attend diversity workshops, and actively seek diverse perspectives within my team.

Additionally, fostering open communication channels to discuss cultural differences and biases can contribute to a more inclusive and understanding work environment. Recognizing the hard work and dedication of colleagues, as revealed in the assessments, aligns with servant leadership principles. To improve in this area, I plan to implement more regular and specific recognition practices, such as monthly shout-outs or team awards.

Characteristics of an Effective Professional Nurse Leader

Effective professional nurse leaders possess a set of characteristics that contribute to their success in leadership roles. These characteristics contribute to creating a positive work environment, promoting teamwork, and enhancing patient care outcomes. Empathy and compassion are fundamental in nursing leadership (Weiss et al., 2019). Leaders who understand and resonate with the emotions of their team members and patients create a supportive atmosphere. Empathetic leaders inspire trust and build strong relationships, crucial in healthcare settings where understanding and responding to the needs of patients and team members are paramount.

Additionally, Emotional intelligence is paramount in nursing leadership. Leaders with high emotional intelligence can recognize, understand, and manage their own emotions while being attuned to the emotions of others. This skill is vital in the often stressful and emotionally charged healthcare environment (Weiss et al., 2019). A leader who can navigate emotions effectively can foster a positive work culture, enhance teamwork, and provide empathetic and patient-centered care. Along with emotional intelligence, active listening is also a fundamental characteristic of an effective nurse leader (Weiss et al., 2019). By actively engaging in conversations, paying attention to verbal and non-verbal cues, and demonstrating genuine interest in the perspectives of others, a leader can foster open communication.

Alternative Leadership Theory and Leadership Style

There are alternative leadership styles and theories from servant leadership such as transformation leadership style and the relationship or transformational theory. Transformational leaders are known for their ability to inspire and motivate their team to achieve exceptional outcomes (Siangchokyoo et al., 2020). This leadership style involves creating a compelling vision, fostering innovation, and promoting a sense of belonging among team members. The Relationship or Transformational Leadership Theory focuses on inspiring and motivating followers to achieve their full potential and exceed their own expectations.

Leaders utilizing this theory often foster a positive work environment and encourage personal and professional growth among team members. Both the Relationship or Transformational Leadership Theory and the Transformational Leadership Style strongly support collaboration, conflict resolution and decision-making (Siangchokyoo et al., 2020). Nurse leaders utilizing this theory and style contribute to a positive and impactful healthcare environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the self-assessment tests, coupled with the principles of servant leadership, provide a holistic perspective on my leadership style and areas for growth. The Emotional Intelligence Test shed light on my strengths in recognizing emotions based on bodily reactions while pinpointing opportunities for improvement in understanding more complex emotions. Acknowledging these insights, I plan to engage in reflective practices to enhance my emotional intelligence further.

References

Andrade, H. L. (2019, August). A critical review of research on student self-assessment. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 4, p. 87). Frontiers Media SA.

Farrington, S. M., & Lillah, R. (2019). Servant leadership and job satisfaction within private healthcare practices. Leadership in Health Services, 32(1), 148-168.

Kelly, R. J., & Hearld, L. R. (2020). Burnout and leadership style in behavioral health care: A literature review. The journal of behavioral health services & research, 47(4), 581-600.

Langhof, J. G., & Güldenberg, S. (2020). Servant Leadership: A systematic literature review—toward a model of antecedents and outcomes. German Journal of Human Resource Management, 34(1), 32-68.

Mcquade, K. E., Harrison, C., & Tarbert, H. (2021). Systematically reviewing servant leadership. European Business Review, 33(3), 465-490.

Pawar, A., Sudan, K., Satini, S., & Sunarsi, D. (2020). Organizational servant leadership. International Journal of Educational Administration, Management, and Leadership, 63-76.

Saleem, F., Zhang, Y. Z., Gopinath, C., & Adeel, A. (2020). Impact of servant leadership on performance: The mediating role of affective and cognitive trust. Sage Open, 10(1), 2158244019900562.

Siangchokyoo, N., Klinger, R. L., & Campion, E. D. (2020). Follower transformation as the linchpin of transformational leadership theory: A systematic review and future research agenda. The Leadership Quarterly, 31(1), 101341.

Weiss, S. A., Tappen, R. M., & Grimley, K. (2019). Essentials of nursing leadership & management. FA Davis.

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