First Year in a New Leadership Role: Lessons Learned

When discussing leadership, multiple questions arise: what does it mean to be an effective leader?; what are the characteristics of a person that make them so?; and are leaders born, or are they made? Organizations need effective leaders at all levels, especially in the constant and rapidly changing landscape that is healthcare provision. Those in senior leadership roles should encourage junior team members to engage in leadership activities appropriate to their level of comfort and expertise. Integrity and principle are also essential leadership characteristics, particularly when faced with making decisions that are difficult, or considered to be "unpopular." Organizations that wish to develop and maintain effective leadership programs must ensure that they balance the needs of the organization with those of the leaders. Adequate space must be made to facilitate leadership activities as well as personal, academic, and clinical duties. Ultimately, leadership takes practice and persistence on the part of the leader themselves, but also on the part of the organization in which they work.