Public health leadership: Competencies to guide practice

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Leadership Studies
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The need for standardized leadership competencies in public health practice was identified.
• Existing core and discipline-specific competencies required augmentation to address leadership needs.
• Collaboration between professional organizations and government funding initiated the development process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive set of interdisciplinary leadership competencies for public health professionals in Canada.
• To integrate these competencies into existing frameworks and professional development structures.
• To explore the application and relevance of these competencies in real-world public health scenarios, including crisis management.

Main Methods:

• A multimethod research approach was employed, including a scoping literature review.
• Online surveys and webinar-based focus groups gathered broad stakeholder input.
• A modified Delphi process ensured consensus on the final competencies.

Main Results:

• A total of 49 leadership competencies for public health practice were identified and defined.
• These competencies were organized using the LEADS Canada framework.
• The competencies were designed to complement existing core and discipline-specific public health competencies.

Conclusions:

• The developed leadership competencies provide a foundation for advancing public health practice across disciplines.
• These competencies can be utilized for professional development, mentoring, and performance evaluations.
• The relevance of these leadership competencies is particularly evident in navigating complex public health challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.