Leadership Philosophy

Leadership behavior is critical to the development and maintenance of a resilient and

effective work environment. Many studies suggest that effective leadership is not only important

for healthcare teams, but may be required for benefits such as strengthening healthcare quality or

implementing adequate healthcare team integration (Sfantou et al., 2017). Specifically,

leadership is defined as an interpersonal relationship between those who have the responsibility

to lead and those who have an active choice to follow. The development of a strong relationship

ensures that those in leadership positions can direct the team towards shared goals designed to

benefit the organization as a whole (Al-Sawai, 2013).

There are a range of leadership styles, each with its own pros, cons, and inherent benefits.

Each style is primarily defined by the core values and mission of the person in the leadership

position. One particular leadership style that has been shown to be beneficial within the

healthcare setting is the Work Empowerment Theory where all members of the team are

empowered to have access to important information, support each other, and most importantly

have continued opportunities to learn and develop. Research suggests that this model is linked

with optimal patient outcomes (Asiri et al., 2016). Therefore, while each leader can have his or

her own unique methodologies and approach to leadership, it is apparent that there are some

central themes and responsibilities that may increase his or her chances of having positive

healthcare outcomes for all who are involved.

My core values in leadership are greatly defined by my previous experiences and

observation of other strong leaders in the field. Therefore, one of my key values is respect. Each

member of the team should be treated with the same respect as any other member of the team as

they are each inherently valuable to the overall functioning of the team and each person plays a

distinct role in the success of any healthcare approach. By ensuring that each member is not only