STYLES

Background: Effective nursing leadership is pivotal in healthcare, significantly influencing team dynamics, job satisfaction, and the quality of patient care. The leadership styles adopted by nurse managers can either enhance or impede team performance, yet the specific dynamics within the context of Nigerian tertiary hospitals remain underexplored. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate leadership styles in nursing and their impact on team performance among nurses at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City. Methods: A correlational survey design was employed, with a sample of 272 nurses selected from a population of 850 using stratified and convenience sampling. Data were collected using a validated, self-structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages) and inferential statistics (Chi-square test) via SPSS version 25. Results: The findings revealed that transactional (50.8%) and laissez-faire (46.0%) leadership styles were predominant among nurse managers, with minimal evidence of transformational leadership. These styles were perceived negatively and were significantly associated with low team performance, including confusion (54.4%) and poor coordination (51.1%). Key factors influencing leadership style adoption included personal traits (69.5%), availability of resources (65.1%), and the nature of the clinical unit (62.9%). A significant relationship was found between leadership styles and team performance (p=0.026). Conclusion: The study concludes that the prevalent leadership styles at UBTH are largely ineffective, adversely affecting team cohesion and performance. There is a critical need for leadership development programs focused on transformational and participatory approaches to foster a more supportive and efficient work environment for nurses

In Using Colours and Style to Express Specific Emotions, the research explores how fashion designers can utilize colour and style to create specific emotions in fashion design. The research is based on colour psychology theories and enclothed cognition, expanding from a theoretical understanding towards a practice-led approach where a framework for fashion design was established. In using a practice-led approach, the research project ended with the creation of a four-piece fashion collection for women encapsulating the basic emotions of mankind: anger, fear, surprise, and grief. The research project explores how specific colours, fabrics, and shapes can be used to convey specific emotions from an abstract point in fashion design to more concrete clothing. The ability to apply these concepts in practice shows how abstract psychology emotions can be successfully communicated in a way where colour and fashion can be combined with a specific intention to create more emotional garments in fashion design