Leadership in medicine: do we need a new approach?

All of us who practice medicine are called upon to exercise leadership in a variety of roles; in some instances, a position of leadership will be enshrined in a title, whereas in others the role will be less outwardly apparent but no less critical. Fundamental to success in leadership in modern medicine is the recognition that we now work in teams whose members are interdependent; leaders must learn the skills necessary to motivate, guide, and develop teams and team members. Communication is a key skill for the leader of today; effective communication, its various methodologies and styles, can be learned and improved upon.