Most of us have heard about influential leaders like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet. These men all inspired millions of people despite having very different leadership styles. Although they were running billion dollar operations, the different leadership styles they displayed can easily be replicated in small businesses, including medical practices.
Since the medical field is constantly evolving as rules and regulations change, and new methods of diagnosing and treating an illness are developed, the most important characteristics of any leader is that they must be able to adapt quickly to change and that they are able to address complex problems and be able to find a solution to them. They should also be able to create a supportive work environment for their team while keeping them engaged and motivated.
The way that this looks as a management style is different for everyone; however, below are a few of the most common types of leadership styles that can help a medical practice thrive. As you go through this list, keep in mind that the different leadership styles are not mutually exclusive. An effective leader should be able to adapt to the needs of the team and the business and may employ different styles in order to achieve the goal of the practice.
Transformational Leadership
This type of leader focuses on motivating and inspiring team members by creating common goals. They make everyone feel like a valued member of the team which helps promote collaboration and teamwork.
Servant Leadership
Like transformational leadership, servant leadership strives to develop a work environment that values open communication, trust, and collaboration. This is an ideal leadership style to adopt when dealing with a team that is no longer engaged with their work or doesn’t feel like they are part of the team.
Democratic Leadership
Rather than simply developing a work environment that is welcoming, democratic leadership takes this style one step further by allowing employees to be included in the decision making process. This can build a sense of empowerment and accountability within a team which could further lead to a stronger sense of buy-in from team members.
If you are planning to grow your business, you may want to use this leadership style with caution as it gets harder and harder to manage as the team gets bigger.
Transactional Leadership
In this form of leadership, managers set SMART goals and reward their team when these goals are achieved. However, they also hold their team and themselves accountable when goals are not met.
Although this is a great way to achieve a short term goal such as reducing the days of your billing cycle or reducing response time when patients call in or message the practice. However, you may not want to rely on it to keep your team motivated and engaged long-term.
Autocratic Leadership
As the name suggests, this leadership style focuses on the leader making decisions independently. Since they don’t seek the opinions of other team members, this could cause tension between the leader and the team and result in a lower buy-in. This could be used in emergency situations but is not a truly effective management style long-term, particularly if you are trying to scale a business and need a strong, loyal team supporting you.
Need help?
As you can see, there are different types of leadership styles that will work well at different periods of time in different practices. The most important thing that you need to remember is that you have to be flexible as the business needs change. If you are struggling with your team or are unsure of how to grow your business, give us a call. Orchard Medical Management can provide just the HR and practice management support that you need to move your practice forward.