SODEXO DIETETIC INTERNSHIPS

FINAL SUMMARY REPORT

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

1. Review all of your reflective journals and pick out 3-4 specific examples of when you
utilized your leadership skills. What leadership style did you use in each case? How
effective were you? What might you have done differently for a better outcome (if the
outcome was negative), or what can you apply to other situations (if the outcome was
positive)?

During the clinical rotation I utilized my problem solving skills by identifying a problem,
generating solutions, selecting the best solution, and implementing the solution. One of the
problems I noticed was that calorie counts were not being filled out accurately. I surveyed nurses
and aides to figure out if they knew how to properly fill out the form. Most of them claimed they
were never trained on how to fill it out. There were several solutions that I thought could
alleviate this issue. These include updating the policy on calorie counts, providing an in-service
to nurses and CNAs, or reminding dietitians to ensure someone will accurately fill out the
patients calorie count. The solution I chose to solve this problem included all three of the
solution ideas. Because the first two ideas work for a short period of time, the last idea was really
the most effective. During my clinical management rotation meeting with the dietitian staff, I
stressed the importance of communicating with nursing staff to ensure that calorie counts are
filled out properly. One nurse may know how to fill it out but the next nurse may not. When the
dietitians were encouraged of this responsibility, the outcome was that more calorie counts were
filled out more accurately.
Skills I utilized in the foodservice rotation include strategic planning and administrative
skills. Planning, organizing work, assigning the right tasks to the right people, and coordinating
events were performed on a daily basis. On the day of a big heart healthy event for over 300
people the food service department received three last minute catering events. It was an
extremely overwhelming day. The first step I took was to plan and prioritize. I organized a list of
all materials and food that were needed for each event and at what time. I communicated with the
managers and assigned tasks to the catering employees. I assisted with all events by taking some
of the responsibilities on the list. I used my creativity by developing a plan and vision as to how
we can utilize a limited amount of resources for each event. For example, one event required
black tablecloths, however there was not enough black tablecloths because they were being used
for another catering event. By incorporating white tablecloth and re-designing the way the
tablecloths fit on the table, I was able to make the tables look as if they were mostly made of
black tablecloth. Before I continued preparing for the event, I showed the room to the
administrative assistant who was responsible for booking the catering for his approval.
Fortunately he loved the way it looked and the event was extremely successful.
One of the employees at FLIPANY was frustrated about developing a nutrition education
class to a group of children because she couldnt think of any engaging activities. Since I had a
lot of success with this age population, I offered help and creative ideas for lesson plans and
activities. Creating visions and being socially perceptive were skills that were crucial for
developing the lesson plans. I showed her a book of classic games that could be re-created to
SODEXO DIETETIC INTERNSHIPS

incorporate nutrition education. I offered suggestions for activities and told her she could use the
idea if she wanted to. My ideas inspired her to think of her own ideas and we were able to
collaborate and brainstorm multiple activities together.
In each of these cases I utilized a democratic style of leadership. Instead of putting myself
above co-workers and subordinates, I worked with them to obtain accurate calorie counts, host
multiple catering events, and develop nutrition education lesson plans. I provided information,
guidance, and suggestions without giving orders or applying pressure. The democratic style of
leadership was appropriate in these situations because it yielded positive results; Subordinates
were motivated and willingly committed to achieving the goals and there was a high level of
member satisfaction and cohesiveness. I think this style of leadership is a good style to use in any
organization because people respond well to this style no matter what the situation is.



2. Reflect on your leadership style and philosophy. What are your strengths as a leader?
What are areas for further development?

On the continuum of leadership styles, I consider myself to generally fall in between
authoritarian and democratic. My philosophy on leadership is similar to both theory X and
theory Y. I believe that some people dislike work and need to be directed, whereas others
will work willingly and show responsibility. An example of subordinates that fall under
theory X could be some kitchen aide workers or nursing aides. I have come across these
employees that seek direction, lack motivation, and do not take initiative. On the other hand,
there may be kitchen aide workers and nursing aides who fall into theory Y. They are self-
motivated and capable of working independently. They stay late at work if necessary and will
take responsibility if given the chance. Depending on what theory the majority of
subordinates fall into will determine my style of leadership. For example, if I believe
subordinates demonstrate behaviors of theory X, my leadership will be authoritarian. If they
demonstrate behaviors of theory Y, my leadership will be more democratic.
I think my strength, as a leader is the ability to change my style based on the individual
person rather than the organization as a whole. Therefore, the kitchen aide workers that are
able to be trusted with their responsibilities will not receive as much direction and
micromanaging. I think my second strength, as a leader is the ability to identify my
philosophy of leadership and how it forms the foundation of my style. Understanding the
subordinates and how they feel and think are critical to effective leadership. I have observed
that I have demonstrated democratic leadership in most opportunities that I have had to lead.
Because I enjoy having a democratic style of leadership more than authoritarian,
authoritarian leadership can become exhaustive. I would like to further develop my
leadership by embracing the positivity and effectiveness that come from authoritarian
leadership since sometimes this style can be necessary. You cant choose your subordinates,
but you can choose the way you decide to lead them. I think a good leader has the ability to
influence subordinates to shift from theory X to theory Y workers. Truly understanding what
style works best for each individual will yield higher productivity, success, and happiness
throughout the organization.

SODEXO DIETETIC INTERNSHIPS





3. What leadership skills have you developed throughout the internship? What skills do you
want to continue to work on?


Throughout the internship I have developed administrative, conceptual, and interpersonal
leadership skills.
One of the first set of skills I learned in each rotation was the skill of technical
competence. Showing technical competence and managing people and resources were
important in all rotations. It took me a while in the beginning to learn how each
organization functioned and the roles of my preceptor and other co-workers.
Understanding the fundamentals was necessary so that I could take initiative to problem
solving and become an expert at managing people and resources. For example in the
foodservice rotation the cashiers came to me for help with cash register problems and
discrepancies with check out. Another example is during my community rotation when I
was put in charge of training new interns because I had shown great leadership in
obtaining resources and finding locations for educational lesson plans or how to operate
FLIPANYs online collaborative website.
Interpersonal skills were developed throughout the internship in each rotation. I
am aware of other peoples emotions and beliefs and I have learned how to regulate my
own emotions and beliefs for the good of the organization. For example at times it was
frustrating to teach nutrition to a 6
th
graders who were disrespectful and uninterested in
learning. Instead of expressing anger, I demonstrated emotional intelligence by asking the
class for topics that they were interested in learning about and explained my role as a
nutrition educator. I listened to their feelings and gained their respect instead of yelling or
losing control. Having insight as to what is important to the target audience was crucial in
the community rotation because the success of a lesson plan because there will be greater
interest and greater behavioral change. Socially perceptiveness.
I was able to further develop conceptual skills such as creating visions, and
problem solving throughout all of my rotations. A lot of my visionary skills were used in
the community rotation when developing ideas for lesson plans, health fairs, or
presentations. Problem solving skills were enhanced during the clinical rotation when I
had multiple patient case studies or in foodservice when I had to solve many day-to-day
problems that arose.
The one skill I would like to continue to work on is managing conflict. I am still
somewhat uncomfortable with this type of confrontation because of the limited amount of
experience I have had in the position of resolving issues between employees. I think
managing conflict will be one of my greater qualities with practice because people
usually come to me for advice or mediation outside of work. It will take time for me to be
comfortable with handling conflict but with practice I am confident that I have the ability
to effectively reduce the stress from conflict and build interpersonal relationships.

SODEXO DIETETIC INTERNSHIPS






4. What are some strategies you will use to develop these skills and continue to build on
your strengths?

Conflict is inevitable and can cause stress in an organization for both the leader
and subordinates. By managing conflict and communicating effectively, conflict can be
constructive and used in positive ways. One of my strategies for developing the skill to
manage conflict would be use objective data and facts when settling an argument. The
use of facts and evidence is important because it incorporates an unbiased viewpoint.
Another strategy will be to utilize techniques such as face saving, differentiation, and
fractionation. Chapter 9 in the leadership book is a great resource to use when I feel that I
need help deciding how to manage conflict.
To build on my strengths I intend to take initiative and conquer leadership
opportunities that come my way. A strategy to build on my strengths could include
keeping a diary and learning from my experiences. Another strategy could be
collaborating with leaders that I admire and trust. It all comes down to practice and
experience. Continuously improving myself professionally and personally will help me to
further develop my leadership skills so that I can make a positive difference in the world.


QUALITY ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

____ All questions addressed
____ Answers to questions are insightful and reveal critical thinking skills
____ Answers reveal development of leadership style and skills throughout internship
____ Strategies for further development are clear and doable
____ Summary submitted by deadline