Healthcare Leadership: Moving From Clinical Specialist to Healthcare Leader

Abstract

Medical doctors may not have the necessary evidence-based knowledge of specific leadership styles to excel in a leadership role. This article explores the various leadership styles adopted by a clinical professional transitioning into a leadership role. The goal-path theory, developed by Robert House in 1971, was used as the theoretical lens for this study. Twenty peer-reviewed scientific articles, written in English and published between 2015 and 2020, were analyzed and synthesized to produce results. The results showed that employee retention was positively associated with transformational and authentic leadership styles; organizational commitment was positively related to transformational, transactional, and genuine leadership styles; and job satisfaction was positively related to transformational and authentic leadership styles. In particular, the transformational leadership style showed higher employee retention and job satisfaction rates than the transactional and non-interventional leadership styles. The original and transformative leadership styles increased job satisfaction and commitment, but the correlation between an authentic leadership style and these benefits was less clear. Clinical professionals must apply a transformational leadership style to become influential leaders.