Back in the 19th and 20th centuries, healthcare leaders typically operated in information silos. Moreover, the ones at the top of the hierarchy typically made decisions without much input from other healthcare staff. Regina Temple mentions that in traditional healthcare leadership modes, high-level administrators and doctors usually did not consider the insights of nurses and front-desk administrators when making decisions. However, things have substantially changed over time. Modern healthcare leaders usually recognize the need of bringing stakeholders from diverse areas of a healthcare organization into the decision making process.
Regina Temple sheds light on the key leadership styles in healthcare
The Covid-19 pandemic particularly forced the healthcare industry to rethink its outdated styles of leadership. The fast-paced and dynamic healthcare systems of today require improved coordination, accelerated decision cycles, as well as swift communication among healthcare team members and stakeholders. Rather than sticking to the traditional hierarchical leadership styles, modern healthcare leaders need to embrace more team-oriented approach to engaged leadership, like:
- Transformational leadership: Transformational leaders are the ones to communicate the vision and value of an organization, while motivating the staff. They assist the staff in tapping into their own sense of what matters about their job and role. These leaders thrive in organizations where leaders must demonstrate how every person and department contributes to a larger goal or mission.
- Collaborative leadership: Collaborative leaders strive to create harmonious work environments where individuals from varying teams and departments communicate effectively and depend on data for decision-making. Their efforts may center on enhancing communication channels and fostering an appreciation for diverse cultures within the organization. For instance, a collaborative leader could introduce a unified communication tool to replace separate communication systems used by different departments. Through this approach, collaborative leaders can cultivate mutual reliance and minimize communication gaps, encouraging more healthcare team members to participate in critical discussions.
- Shared leadership: This leadership style is inspired by the idea that leaders must empower their staff members to make independent decisions. It puts focus on the need to develop collaborative relationships among the staff members. This can be done through task delegation, continuous workplace learning, as well as shared ownership of particular roles and tasks. Shared leadership relies on a strong interpersonal dynamic among team members. Hence, it would not be ideal for less suitable for newer healthcare organizations or those experiencing high turnover rates.
- Distributed leadership: This leadership style stems from the observation that people are living in an increasingly interconnected, globalized world. As a result, the healthcare field is constantly in flux. Distributed leadership adapts to the unpredictability of global supply chains and other disruptions in healthcare systems by adopting a more decentralized approach, while reducing reliance on hierarchical structures. Much like shared leadership, distributed leadership also attempts to return decision making power to workers at varying levels. However, while shared leadership prioritizes the value of task delegation, distributed leadership puts focus on innovation and anticipating new healthcare trends.
As Regina Temple points out, healthcare systems need to adapt to the 21st century, while involves adopting contemporary leadership styles like the ones mentioned above.
