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Chapter 7 Discussion
community (Sofarelli and Brown, 1998).Burns (1978) suggests that the
transformational leadership style seeks to “satisfy needs” by involving the
“whole person and followers”, resulting in reciprocal relationships between
leader and followers. Transformational leadership theory suggests that leaders
use their “charisma” to provide vision and direction for their followers and
ultimately, to achieve transformation of organisations. Encouragement and praise
for achievement are essential to the success of this leadership style, and can help
to gain trust and respect from team members and consequently improve their
motivation and morale. These characteristics were not described by the research
participants in this study and hence this may have affected the residents
autonomy whereby staff retention and flexible approaches to care are essential.
7.2.3 The Personal: Person to Person
Findings from this study suggest that communication from person to person is
essential for resident autonomy. Residents expressed that staff made little effort
to get to know who they were and had little understanding of their past lives,
their present wishes or their future desires. Horanson-Hawks (1991) highlights
the importance of communication in order to share power and suggests that
individuals should acquire power skills such as trust, communication,
knowledge, concern, caring, respect and courtesy. This study revealed that the
relationship between one person and another is essential for successful
communication and subsequent resident autonomy. This includes the relationship
between residents, between staff and residents, between staff and families, and
between staff. Davies, Ellis and Laker (1997) reported that communicating and
providing information or explanations about care results in positive effects for
older people in relation to their autonomy.In this study, sharing of information as
a form of communication to the resident was evident in only 9% of the residents’
sets of documents.
Horanson-Hawks (1991) suggests that in order for power to be shared there must
be communication for the mutual establishment of goals. Yet the observations in
this study revealed little or no communication between staff, between staff and
residents, or between staff and families in respect of care planning for the mutual
establishment of goals. Interviews revealed that staff believed that their