Select a Peer-Reviewed Journal article from a healthcare journal that relates directly to the issues and dilemmas around healthcare leadership. Cite the Journal Article in APA. Summarize the article in your own words (not the abstract) that reflects critical thinking communicated by clear and cogent writing. Concentrate on how well the article demonstrated the evidence to support its claims. What were its strengths and weaknesses? Finally, reflect on how this article may affect your work in healthcare leadership. The review should be 2-3 pages, but no less than two pages.
I have posted articles below as examples that you can use to help with references and you may choose one of these for your analysis. See the assignment rubric for more details.
• Avolio et al. _2009_Leadership_current theories, research - PDF Document (440.6 KB)
• Berland 2017_Johari window_10-1108_IJHG-06-2016-0032 - PDF Document (248.5 KB)
• Martin_2020_ SHAPE_ millenials16-202004000-00012 - PDF Document (517.4 KB)
• Delam_Laza_ 2014_Leadership chg landscape - PDF Document (4.19 MB)
Supportive Relationships: Desire for mentors, peer-to-peer relationships, and transparent communication.
Holistic Wellness: Expectation of work-life balance, mental health support, and flexible schedules.
Autonomy and Flexibility: Need for control over their work methods and schedules, moving away from rigid supervision.
Purpose and Vision: Requirement for their work to be clearly linked to a meaningful organizational mission.
Empowerment and Development: Demand for continuous learning, clear career pathways, and leadership opportunities.
The author argues that healthcare organizations that deliberately incorporate these five elements into their leadership models and organizational culture will be better positioned to attract, engage, and retain the Millennial talent necessary to fill future leadership and clinical roles. Conversely, organizations that cling to rigid, top-down, command-and-control structures face a significant risk of talent drain and competitive decline.
Critical Analysis
Evidence to Support Claims
The article effectively demonstrated its claims by employing a mixed-methods approach, which is a significant strength. The claims about Millennial preferences (S.H.A.P.E.) were not derived solely from theoretical assumption but were substantiated by triangulating data:
Quantitative Data: The use of an original survey instrument (though the specifics of its validation were not fully detailed) provided statistical evidence of preferences. For example, the prioritization of "Purpose and Vision" over traditional financial rewards or job security provides concrete, measurable support for the claim that this generation is intrinsically motivated.
Qualitative Data: The inclusion of semi-structured interviews with Millennial healthcare professionals provided rich, contextual, and illustrative data. These narratives explain why Millennials prefer autonomy or how they define a "supportive relationship," lending depth and humanizing the statistical findings. This qualitative evidence moves the analysis beyond simple correlation to establishing a stronger rationale for the observed preferences.
The strongest evidence lay in the consistent alignment between the qualitative themes emerging from the interviews and the statistically significant priorities identified in the survey results.
Sample Answer
The following analysis focuses on the article by Martin (2020) concerning generational leadership preferences, as it directly addresses contemporary issues and dilemmas around organizational culture and talent retention in healthcare.
Critical Review: Millennial Leadership Preferences and Organizational Strategy
APA Citation
Martin, C. (2020). SHAPE: Millennial generation leadership preferences in healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Management, 65(3), 205-217.
Article Summary
Martin's (2020) article investigates the leadership preferences of the Millennial generation (born roughly 1981–1996) within the context of the U.S. healthcare industry. The core issue addressed is the impending leadership gap: as Baby Boomers retire, Millennials, who are now the largest segment of the workforce, are skeptical of traditional, hierarchical leadership structures and are leaving healthcare at high rates. The study's purpose was to identify specific leadership styles and organizational characteristics that attract and retain this cohort, using the acronym S.H.A.P.E. as an organizing framework for their preferences: