Self-perception of leadership style of dentists: heads of dental departments in community hospitals, Southern Thailand

Abstract

Introduction: Leadership is crucial in all professions and organisations, including the oral health profession. Objectives: The aims of this analytical cross-sectional study were to evaluate the self-reported leadership behaviours and the factors influencing leadership behaviours among dentists who were heads of dental departments in community hospitals, southern Thailand. Materials and methods: The self-administered questionnaire was composed of four parts: personal data; a 45-item Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire version 59 short (MLQ 59 short); a 34-item organisational climate perception; and a 52-item emotional intelligence screening test. Results: Of 134 dentists, 133 returned the questionnaire, providing a 99.3% response rate. The scores on the transactional component had a mean score of 2.98 (SD = 0.46). The transformational scores ranged with a mean of 2.90 (SD = 0.49). The scores of the passive leadership component had the lowest results, with a mean of 1.21 (SD = 0.57). Afterwards, the highest score for each head of the dental department was examined and compared across the three components. Approximately 60% of the dentists fell on the transactional, 34.6% on the transformational and 2.3% on the passive-avoidant scale. Multiple linear regression showed that the factors influencing the leadership of the dentists included emotional intelligence, the professional position of the dentists and the perception of the organisational climate. Conclusions: The majority of heads of dental departments had transactional leadership style followed by transformational leadership style, and passive-avoidance was the least common. Emotional intelligence, the professional position and the perception of the organisational climate significantly increased the transformational leadership score.

Profiling health professionals’ personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence: a systematic review

“…One hundred and forty five studies investigated emotional intelligence ( n = 42,795) Nurses were investigated in 105 studies [ 20 , 79 , 80 , 82 , 91 , 102 , 213 , 216 , 227 – 314 ], 33 studies explored EI with medical doctors [ 239 , 253 , 257 , 265 , 315 – 342 ], three were in dentistry ( n = 661) [ 343 – 345 ], three studied EI in occupational therapists ( n = 1369) [ 346 – 348 ], two in physiotherapists ( n = 189) [ 349 , 350 ], one in radiologists ( n = 22) [ 351 ] and six collectively explored health professionals [ 31 , 342 , 352 – 355 ]. Meta-aggregation of 142 of the studies is provided in Table 4 ; the remaining three studies [ 227 , 236 , 351 ] were synthesised narratively.…”

“… Well-being [ 228 , 252 , 278 , 304 ] Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form 627 5.88 0.23 Nurses exhibit higher than normal well-being. Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) - sum score 100 37.21 3.20 Information not available for interpretation Dentist Emotional Intelligence [ 343 – 345 ] Emotional Intelligence Screening Test 133 172.31 16.40 Dentists exhibit high emotional intelligence (172.31/208). Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test - sum score 528 128.52 16.25 Dentists exhibit high levels of emotional intelligence (128.52/165).…”

“…Dentists were found to exhibit high levels of emotional intelligence across three studies ( n = 661), utilising the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test [ 343 , 344 ] and Emotional Intelligence Screening Test [ 345 ]. Dentists also were reported to have light levels of empathy [ 343 ], which suggests that dentists have a greater than average ability to appreciate the emotions of others and can more easily understand their patients point-of-view.…”

Mediation Role of Job Satisfaction on the Influence of Non-Financial Compensation and Transactional Leadership on Employee Performance

“…Carry out their duties (Alefari et al, 2020). In addition, effective leadership can motivate employees to act to achieve better performance (Por Pan et al, 2020). Sutianingsih (2018) states that Transactional leadership is more appropriate for variables that affect employee performance in th industry in Surakarta City.…”