Clinical Leadership Development – A 360 Approach

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how clinical leaders rate themselves on selected leadership skills.

METHODOLOGY
Wesley Medical Center staff and physicians (N=35) participating in the Wesley Leadership Institute completed the Leadership Practices Inventory and requested 10 people to complete the Observer of the LPI. The average respondent was 42 years of age, Caucasian, and there were slightly more females than males in the sample. Education levels ranged from associate degree education to PhD including three DO’s and 10 MD’s. Health care provider positions varied with the two largest groups being physicians and nurses. Allied health professionals included two pharmacists and one respiratory therapist. Physician assistants and administrators were also included. Years of health care experience averaged 17 with years at Wesley Medical Center being slightly less at 10+ years of employment. Participants averaged eight years in their current departments, with an average of seven years in a leadership position.

KEY FINDINGS
According to the author “analysis resulted in a statistically significant one-third of leaders reporting that they believe they are leading better than their 360 observer peers rated them” (p. 12) and the largest gap was for the leadership practice of Enable Others to Act, followed by Model the Way.