The role of the unit chief: an integrated perspective

The practice of modern hospital psychiatry has led to a dramatic increase in the complexity of the role of the unit chief. Although there is a large literature on leadership functions in general, the specific and unique tasks of this role have not been delineated. In this paper, four interrelated tasks of the unit chief are described: boundary management, generation of resources, the mobilization of consensus, and consultation and evaluation. These tasks are divided into functions that address organizational and human needs and are linked with prerequisite psychological valences which enhance their implementation. Examples are designed to demonstrate functional and dysfunctional consequences of the four tasks.