Nurse leaders must use behaviors that foster effective teams. The purpose of this study was to determine the behavioral style by 3,396 nurse leaders who attended leadership and communication continuing education courses. Sessions included identifying behavioral style preferences using the DiSC® Personal Profile Instrument. Of the four behavioral dimensions, Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness, 73% scored highest in Dominance and Conscientiousness. The remaining 27% scored highest in preferences for Influence and Steadiness. Nursing leaders may benefit from awareness of differences in behavioral style preferences to enhance communication and team effectiveness, as well as improve satisfaction among team members.
Keywords: Behavioral style; leadership; manager; nurses; teamwork.