An empowered team is enthusiastic about its work and will deliver high quality care. The key, argue Elizabeth Curtis and Rhona O’Connell, is transformational leadership

Achieving and sustaining high quality patient care and containing costs are important aspects of a nurse manager’s role, and a successful manager needs to have the skills and ability to motivate and develop staff. This article focuses on how effective leadership can increase motivation and empowerment among nurses, examines the relevance of transformational leadership to motivation, and suggests practical ways of maintaining a motivated work environment.