The National Public Health Leadership Institute: Evaluation of a Team-Based Approach to Developing Collaborative Public Health Leaders

Abstract

Recent public health literature contains calls for collaborative public health interventions and for leaders capable of guiding them. The National Public Health Leadership Institute aims to develop collaborative leaders and to strengthen networks of leaders who share knowledge and jointly address public health problems. Evaluation results show that completing the institute training increases collaborative leadership and builds knowledge-sharing and problem-solving networks. These practices and networks strengthen interorganizational relationships, coalitions, services, programs, and policies. Intensive team-and project-based learning are key to the program's impact.

An Evaluation of the National Public Health Leadership Institute–1991-2006

“…[8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Two prior PHLI evaluations and 1 evaluation of a regional leadership program reported organizational and system changes. 9,10,14 This evaluation's accompanying article 5 showed how PHLI strengthened leaders' understanding, skills, selfawareness, and "sense of belonging" to an informal "community of practice" 15 from which they drew vision, ideas, validation, confidence, and a sense of obligation to contribute to the field.…”

“…Another described the social capital or "value" that emerges from these relationships, including the sense of identity with and participation in a shared "enterprise": As shown previously, 5,[9][10][11] PHLI created this network by giving its graduates common concepts and skills in systems thinking and shared leadership, which advocate building networks. 42 PHLI also increased many leaders' interest, initiative, and confidence to engage in voluntary work and fostered bonds through retreats and alumni events that created a shared identity, trust, and obligation to serve the field.…”

Sharing a Playbook: Integrated Care in Community Health Centers in the United States

“…Competencies like communication and collaboration should be included in initial clinical training 49,50 and in continuing education curricula. 51 This will require not only including core competencies in curricula but also providing interdisciplinary training and continuing education opportunities. 51 Training and technical assistance should focus on supporting health centers as they assess current provider roles and identify opportunities to allow provider roles to evolve, informed by evidence-based best practices.…”

Civic capacity: Building on transformational leadership to explain successful integrative public leadership

“…This is achieved through keeping the core values and purpose of the multi-sector collaboration alive. The inspirational motivation component of transformational leadership is directly relevant to providing the necessary vision and value-based leadership in order to transcend differences between partners, help resolve major issues, conflicts, and setbacks, and ally the different identities together (Alexander et al, 2001;Morse, 2010;Nielsen, 1990;Ospina & SazCarranza, 2010;Page, 2010;Redekop, 2010;Umble et al, 2005). Furthermore, transformational leadership is believed to be particularly effective during crises (Osborn, Hunt, & Jauch, 2002), and collaborative contexts frequently involve crises, such as major differences in views.…”

“…Greater communication and greater visibility of collaboration goals and activities increase partners' commitment and involvement in the collaboration (Alexander et al, 2001;Bazzoli et al, 1998;Connelly, 2007;Crosby & Bryson, 2010b;Goodroe & Beres, 1991;Harmaakorpi & Niukkanen, 2007;Huxham & Vangen, 2000;Umble et al, 2005;Vangen & Huxham, 2003). These transparent processes can be workshops, seminars, and agenda and budget-setting processes that enable communication to take place and provide boundary-spanning experiences for participants (i.e., experiences of collaborating partners working together in a joint activity) (Huxham & Vangen, 2000).…”