HIM 520 Module 1 Discussion Example

Reviewed by Delia Ravenscroft, MSN, RN

This HIM 520 Module 1 Discussion sample compares leadership styles through a practical question: how should a new director lead three health information departments that were run very differently? It is written for SNHU HIM 520 (HIM-520), where MS Health Information Management candidates study how to lead people through change. The composite director at a three-hospital system in central Tennessee inherited teams led in two contrasting ways, one by clear targets and rewards and one by close relationships and shared problem solving. The post compares transactional, transformational and relational styles, draws on research showing that both transformational and contingent reward leadership predict results, that relational styles are linked to better outcomes for health care staff and that psychological safety supports team learning, and explains the blend the director will use. It asks classmates which style shaped their best team.

CourseHIM 520 Leading as a HIM Professional
ModuleModule 1
Paper typegraduate discussion post on leadership styles in health information management
LengthAbout 350 words, 3 pages
FormatAPA 7 student paper
SchoolSouthern New Hampshire University
ProgramMS Health Information Management
UpdatedSeptember 2026

Free sample paper for HIM 520 Module 1

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Module One Discussion

Two Former Managers, One Merged Team

Six months ago Sycamore Bend Health acquired its third hospital, and I became director of a single health information department built from three. Two of the former managers could hardly have led more differently. At the flagship hospital, the coding manager set daily targets, posted results by name and rewarded the top performers. At the new hospital, the manager met each coder weekly, wanted to know what was slowing people down and let the team decide how to divide work. Both teams performed reasonably well, but they now report to me, and they expect opposite things.

What this page is doingThe writer introduces two contrasting leadership styles.
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The research suggests that neither former manager was simply wrong. Judge and Piccolo (2004) analyzed many studies and found that transformational leadership, which inspires and develops people, and contingent reward, the transactional practice of clear expectations tied to rewards, were both strongly related to follower satisfaction and performance, while passive leadership was not. In health care settings, Cummings et al. (2018) reviewed studies of leadership styles and found that relational styles focused on people were consistently associated with better satisfaction, well-being and retention among staff, while styles focused narrowly on tasks were associated with poorer outcomes. Meanwhile, Edmondson (1999) showed that teams whose members felt safe to raise problems without being embarrassed engaged in more learning behavior and performed better, which describes what the new hospital's weekly conversations produced. The flagship team, by contrast, rarely reported problems until they showed up in the numbers.

For our merged team, I plan to keep the clarity of the first style and the relationships of the second. Expectations will be explicit, measured and fair, but results will be discussed privately rather than posted by name, and each supervisor will hold regular one-on-one meetings that start with obstacles rather than numbers. I will judge myself by whether coders from all three hospitals bring me problems early.

What this page is doingResearch informs a blended approach for the merged team.
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Coding turnover is 21% across the system, so the stakes are real. For classmates: which leadership style shaped the best team you have worked on, and what did the leader actually do that made the difference?

What this page is doingThe post closes with a question for peers.
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References

Cummings, G. G., Tate, K., Lee, S., Wong, C. A., Paananen, T., Micaroni, S. P. M., & Chatterjee, G. E. (2018). Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 85, 19-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.04.016

Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999

Judge, T. A., & Piccolo, R. F. (2004). Transformational and transactional leadership: A meta-analytic test of their relative validity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 755-768. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.89.5.755

What the HIM 520 Module 1 instructions ask for

The first HIM 520 discussion invites you to examine leadership styles and their effects on health information teams. HIM 520 instructors usually look for roughly a page backed by leadership research in APA 7, then replies that move the conversation forward with a new example or source. Describe leaders you have seen or a realistic case in concrete behaviors rather than labels, then compare styles such as transactional, transformational, servant or relational leadership using research on their effects. Decide what your own approach will be and name specific practices you will use, such as how you will share results or hold one-on-one meetings. Close with a question that asks classmates about the behaviors of leaders they admired.

How this HIM 520 Module 1 discussion example is built

Sycamore Bend Health's new system director inherits two former managers, one who posted coding results by name and rewarded top performers and one who met coders weekly to remove obstacles. Judge and Piccolo show that both transformational leadership and contingent reward predict performance, Cummings and colleagues link relational styles to better outcomes for health care staff and Edmondson connects psychological safety to team learning. The director blends clear, fair expectations with private results and regular one-on-ones, sets a personal test of whether problems surface early and asks HIM 520 classmates which leader behaviors built their best teams. The post names 21% coding turnover as the reason the choice matters.

Where the HIM 520 Module 1 rubric puts the points

Leadership posts in HIM 520 tend to be scored on accurate description of styles, concrete examples of leader behavior, sound use of research, a clear personal approach with specific practices and engagement with classmates, plus APA 7 citations. Graduate posts that stand out avoid ranking one style as always best and instead show how evidence supports a blend suited to the situation. Graders reward writers who translate concepts into observable actions, such as how performance results are shared. A reply that adds fresh research, or respectfully questions a classmate's example, deepens the discussion and demonstrate the independent reading expected at the graduate level.

HIM 520 Module 1 help: the mistakes that cost points

HIM 520 leadership posts slip when they define styles from a textbook without examples, declare one style superior without evidence, describe the writer's approach in general terms or cite research that does not match the claim. Some drafts also forget to connect leadership to health information work specifically. If your prompt asks about a particular framework, such as servant leadership, emotional intelligence or situational leadership, share it along with the assigned readings, and your post will be organized around that model. Mention your current role if relevant, and whether you supervise anyone now. HIM 520 posts we write follow this path: two leaders, research, a blended approach, specific practices and a question.

Get HIM 520 Module 1 written to your instructions

Send the HIM 520 Module 1 discussion prompt and a short description of leaders you have worked with. The post will compare their styles through concrete behaviors, apply research on leadership effects, set out a specific approach and ask peers a question, ready within 24 to 48 hours, the first request free. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Southern New Hampshire University document.

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More HIM 520 papers and related MS Health Information Management samples

HIM 520 Module 1 questions, answered

Where can I find a free HIM 520 Module 1 Discussion sample?

The complete HIM 520 Module 1 post is on this page: leadership styles in a merged HIM department and what the evidence says each style changes.

What is the difference between transformational and transactional leadership?

Transformational leaders inspire and develop people; transactional leaders set clear expectations and link rewards to meeting them.

Which leadership style works best in health care teams?

Reviews link relational, people-focused styles to better staff satisfaction and retention, though clear expectations also predict performance.

What is psychological safety?

A shared belief that team members can raise problems or admit mistakes without being embarrassed or punished.

Should HIM leaders post productivity results by name?

Public ranking can undermine safety and trust; many leaders share team results openly and individual results privately.