Practical Leadership in Nursing and Health Care: A Multi-Professional Approach PDF

Introduction: The Need for a New Style of Leadership

As we launch into what we hope will become a core and favourite book of yours, one that is well thumbed and referred to over and over in the coming years, we focus in this introductory chapter on what leadership is to us so that we can begin on the same page.

A number of authors suggest that the need for leadership (and leadership development) in health care is now a priority. We would go further to suggest that not only good leadership, but also a new paradigm of leadership is essential to ensure the future of health care at a quality we are all proud of. We are supported by other authors: The UK Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (2012) reported to members that ‘a new type of leadership is needed in modern organisations in order to build positive workplace cultures that get the best out of people and support innovation, empowerment and ethical behaviour'. The Kings Fund (2012), in a leadership review in health care in the UK, also proposed that a new style of leadership is required.

Contemporary thinking about leadership demonstrates an emphasis on leadership as a collaborative and relational activity that generates high openness and trust, with a shared responsibility, and no longer focuses on one person as ‘leader'. It is, if you like, all to do with purposeful influence, within a specific context, through relationship, driven by a desire for service improvement, not personal gain. It is based on integrity, trust, honesty and a deep connection to relationship with others in order (in health care) to enhance service delivery and patient care through deep and authentic engagement. This latest thinking encompasses an assumption that the roles of global healthcare practitioners are changing, and that each person needs to ‘step up' and play their part in ensuring quality and making change happen. Leadership in practice is now everyone's responsibility and needs to be at all levels, working across all boundaries (Welbourne et al. 2012). It is no longer appropriate to sit back and assume someone else will take the lead.

Within an increasingly complex and constantly evolving healthcare environment, there has never been a more critical time to look at leadership effectiveness. If this is what excites you, drives you, concerns you, attracts you, or even just intrigues you, and especially if this stance underpins your work, then read on.