Kingsway Hospital Organogram
3.8 CONCLUSION
4.2.5 Interpersonal Skills
Measuring the HGM's interpersonal skills against the composite model, it can be concluded from the case study that the HGM possesses poor interpersonal skills. A leader needs to understand and be able to influence people to deliver by using interpersonal skills. The HGM's constant lack of communication and interaction annoys and frustrates people.
• Doctors
In June of 2001, ten months after the appointment of the HGM, doctors became frustrated with the HGM's lack of interpersonal skills and his inability to establish a workable relationship with them. They approached the Regional Manager and cited on-going problems, the HGM's apparent apathy to their concerns, delivering on promises taking decisive action and avoiding personal meetings with them.
They demanded intervention from a higher level to address their genuine concerns. The Regional Office responded by sending a regional manager to attend doctors meetings and in the event of problems the Regional Manager is contacted.
Whenever, there is a problem with the doctors, the regional manager has to be contacted. The doctors are not happy with this arrangement because of delays, and inefficiencies in the protracted approach to resolving issues. They also question the need to treat the symptom and not the cause by resorting
to external senior management. They raise the following question: "Why is a person in charge who cannot manage or cope, hence the need to refer to the regional manager".
• Staff
Most staff avoids interaction with the HGM, because of his apparent lack of interpersonal skills, which negatively affects outcomes, results and staff morale, adding undue stress in the work environment. Keeping records of all communication, makes staff people like they being policed, which creates an unpleasant working environment in which staff feel insecure and distrustful. A minority of staff were afraid of asking or querying operational issues. Generally, staff found the HGM's interpersonal skills confusing, frightening and insecure. This made them seek or turn to their immediate line managers / supervisors. A unit manager said: "the hospital environment is fraught with emotions, health hazards and patients needing lots of tending loving care, without having a leader who puts undue pressure and duress into staff, making them vulnerable to errors and delivering sub standard results. "
4.2.6 Adaptability / Flexibility
The HGM's inflexible leadership style and his inability to adapt to different people under various situations, makes it a very onerous working environment. Staff have not been ab le to understand the HG M' s management sty le. The HGM's autocratic leadership style is often interpreted as intimidating and he is perceived to be a bully. People do not enJoy working under an inflexible leader and comments range from: "dislike, resentment low morale, unhealthy to unacceptable". The situation causes great strain and stress on individuals adversely affecting performance, work record, physical and mental health. There is a higher than normal level of absenteeism at Kingsway Hospital. The
illness could be associated with their working environment and the leadership style, and could possibly be interpret as psychosomatic .
• Nursing Manager
The nursing manager has been employed at Kingsway Hospital for over twenty years, with no history or medical problem related to bronchitis or loss of voice. However, since the appointment of the current HGM, she regularly takes ill, especially after her return form annual leave. She loses her voice and becomes weak and ill, that she has to take sick leave for a minimum of a week. It IS rather disturbing, as it has become a pattern. Despite numerous medical tests, no medical grounds were established for her condition.
The HG M' s autocratic leadersh ip style incorporates high task behaviour leadership which is not conducive to the working environment.
4.2.7 Support
People find it very difficult to understand the HGM's, lack of support and guidance. Staff and doctors find it onerous to meet their tasks and outcomes without support from the leader. Not having proper guidance results in the incorrect outcomes and a waste of effort, time and resources. Some staff feels a sense of disillusionment which negatively affects their self esteem, while others do not take risks, offering no suggestions or getting involved in anything other than their work. Some have resorted to "doing the bare minimum". Due to these attitude suggestions, opportunities and perhaps great ideas are lost, leaving staff feeling disillusioned and betrayed due to lack of support.
4.2.8 Trust / Integrity
The first concern with trust is integrity. Interview results revealed that staff is under the perception that the HGM does not trust them. Their strongly feel their integrity and values are under the spot light. Not having close interactions with the HGM staff found it uncomfortable and difficult to build a strong working relationship with the HGM. The HGM does not see his autocratic leadership style creating a perception of distrust amongst the staff; hence there is a stalemate in the situation. The second concern with trust is support which was reviewed (see 4.2.7 above). The third concern is double dealing. The staff is under the misconception that the HGM double deals because he makes decisions and takes action without informing, consulting or involving them. The HGM in his position as leader feels it is his prerogative to act when the need arises. A report of a personal interview follows:
• While the HRM was on study leave, she arranged with the assistant (HRA) for a report be completed and submitted to the Regional Office. The HRA chose to send the report to the HGM for his approval and submission to the Regional Office. The HGM acknowledged the report and agreed to submit it after reviewing the report. A day later, the HRM was contacted and asked to report to work because the report had not been submitted to the Regional Office. The HRM assured the HGM there had to be some plausible explanation, as the HRA is very competent. The HGM was not prepared to accept this, and insisted on her return. The HRM was on study leave and lived forty kilometres away from the hospital. On investigating the matter, the HRM was told that the HGM had been given the report the previous day and took responsibility to submit it. The HRA was not aware the report had not been submitted. After ensuring the report was sent off, the HRM contacted the HGM and explained the situation to the HGM. His response was that
he was not the responsible manager, nor did he understand the requirements, hence he was in no position to review the report. The HRM and the HRA felt a sense of betrayal as this was not communicated to either of them on receipt of the report by the HG M.