The article explores the concept of clinical leadership in the National Health Service in the UK by seeking to establish a workable definition and by contrasting it with managerial leadership, focussing on the 'disconnected hierarchy' in professional organizations. It proposes that the problems faced by clinical leadership relate to the current nature of general management in the NHS and concludes by suggesting that clinical leadership is the 'elephant in the room'-often ignored or unaddressed.
The NHS in England has developed a strong focus on clinical and managerial leadership. The article describes both emerging ideas on leadership models and approaches to developing leaders as a background to the description of two evaluation studies of leadership programmes for executive directors and the lessons learned for the future.
PurposeThe paper aims to describe the emerging critique of leader development in health care and to describe an alternative approach.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explores the growing critique of leader development, highlighting the concentration on the development of individual human capital. The creation of social capital through an emphasis on leadership development is explained. Design principles and potential obstacles are identified.FindingsA rebalancing of the field from an over‐concentration on the development of individual leaders to an emphasis on context and relationships is necessary.Practical implicationsAlthough the basic building‐blocks of development will remain the same, there is a need to rebalance them towards leadership rather than leaders.Originality/valueThe paper brings together in one place various strands of concern over leader development in health care and makes a case for change.
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