Clinical Leadership

Leadership

• Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.
• It is the process of encouraging and helping others to work enthusiastically towards objectives.
• Leadership involves creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen.
• A leader has qualities or characteristics that influence others to achieve a shared goal.

Leadership vs. Management

• Management is a process of planning, while leadership is the process of influencing for the purpose of achieving shared goals.
• John Kotter distinguishes between leaders, who transform potential into reality, and managers, who plan and budget.

Leadership Styles

Autocratic or Authoritarian Style

• Under autocratic leadership, all decision-making powers are centralized in the leader.
• The leader does not entertain suggestions or initiatives from subordinates.
• Autocratic management can be successful due to strong motivation and quick decision-making.
• However, it creates a high degree of dependency on the leader.

Participative or Democratic Style

• Democratic leadership favours decision-making by the group.
• The leader wins cooperation and motivates group members effectively and positively.
• Decisions are made through consultation with group members and participation.

Laissez-Faire or Free-Rein Style

• A free-rein leader does not lead, but leaves the group entirely to itself.
• Subordinates are given maximum freedom to decide their own policies and methods.
• This style relies on good teamwork and can be lacking in overall direction.

Entrepreneurship Leadership Style

• Characterized by a strong interest in dealing with customers rather than employees.
• A strong dislike for bureaucratic rules and regulations.
• Anxiety to consolidate business gains as quickly as possible.

Theories of Leadership

Trait Theory

• Focuses on individual characteristics of successful leaders.
• Leaders possess traits that make them distinct from followers.
• Ralph Stogdill identified traits such as a strong desire for accomplishment, creativity, intelligence, initiative, and high tolerance.

Behavioural Theory

• Main focus is on the behaviours of actual leaders.
• Determines how various kinds of specific leaders' behaviour affect the performance and satisfaction of followers.

Managerial Grid

• Developed by Blake and Mouton.
• Concerned with the style of leadership and managerial grid.
• Measures concern for production and people.

Contingency Theory

• Behaviour of a leader depends upon the characteristic of the situation.
• Implies under what conditions will employee-oriented leadership be effective, and under what conditions production-oriented leadership will be effective.
• Most popular theories include Fiedler's contingency model, Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory.