A leadership model is a theoretical framework for how best to manage

employees. Although leadership models are similar to leadership styles, these

are two separate concepts. While the model serves as the conceptual structure
to explain what makes a leader great.

1. Transformational

Integrity and vision are core qualities of transformational leaders. As a

transformational leader, you will achieve your goals through open lines of
communication with staff, demonstrating your integrity and the respect you hold for
your staff’s experience and knowledge. This mutual respect leads to gains in staff
satisfaction and employee retention, both shown to improve overall patient care and
safety. ((Hongyun Tian et al., “The Impact of Transformational Leadership on
Employee Retention: Mediation and Moderation Through Organizational Citizenship
Behavior and Communication,” Frontiers in Psychology,
2020: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00314/full))

Once you present your vision for a project, you will need to motivate others to make it
reality. However, you risk ignoring the needs of individual staff members in pursuit of
fulfilling your grander mission.

2. Transactional

Transactional leadership is a straightforward rewards-based model. It works off the

concept that an employee’s personal interests (as opposed to company interests) are
the principal factors motivating them to complete an assigned task or reach a
performance level. If you’re a transactional leader, you will set performance goals for
staff, promise a reward, and provide that reward upon their successful completion of
the goal—or impose a consequence if staff don’t meet their goals. This method of
leadership can be very effective for getting work done, but it fails to allow space for
building relationships at work and inspiring staff to contribute new ideas.

The transactional model is one of the most prominently utilized in the medical
industry. It can be a useful approach for establishing and meeting short-term
objectives, such as completing specific tasks, achieving quantifiable patient
satisfaction goals, and successfully following all safety protocols. ((DF Sfantou et al.,
“Importance of Leadership Style towards Quality of Care Measures in Healthcare
Settings: A Systematic Review,” Healthcare, October 14,
2017: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/5/4/73/pdf))

3. Servant
As a servant leader, you will mix selflessness with a focus on the higher needs of
others as staff work toward achieving your vision. Through self-reflection and
awareness, you gain insight into your own purpose in life and work, the meaning of
their leadership initiatives, and your personal character. By mentoring your staff, you
are able to lift up others to greater success, improving morale and the business.

The interdisciplinary nature of healthcare requires a range of professionals to work as

a team. This aligns with the servant leader’s desire to work collaboratively and elevate
team members, all in service of improving patient care.

4. Autocratic

Autocratic leaders do not consult with or consider the opinions of others when making
decisions. You determine a course of action and relay your ideas with full expectation
that staff will complete your assigned actions without question. This method of
leadership works well in situations requiring quick decision making.

The ability for doctors, nurses, and other high-level healthcare professionals to make
snap decisions in times of emergency is critical to saving lives. But the autocratic
leader should also be mindful that employees and patients may be left feeling
invisible, neglected, and potentially even abused if they are treated in ways that
disregard their needs.

5. Democratic

The opposite of autocratic leadership is democratic leadership, also known as

“participative leadership.” As a democratic leader, you will seek out the input and
perspectives of your staff, although the final decision belongs to you. Your use of
collaboration and discussion can spark an increase in creativity and innovation.
However, you may feel challenged in situations where you must juggle many diverse
perspectives and ideas.

Some leadership decisions in healthcare require staff input and brainstorming to

develop a creative solution to an ongoing challenge. The democratic leadership model
helps greatly to encourage employee participation in thinking outside of the box.

6. Laissez-Faire

The phrase “laissez-faire” translates literally from the French as “allow to do.”
((Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Laissez-faire,” last updated March 2,
2021: https://www.britannica.com/topic/laissez-faire)) It represents a political,
economic, and leadership model that involves passivity. If you are a laissez-faire
leader, you will provide the tools your employees need and then step back to allow the
staff to work everything else out. This hands-off approach represents a deep level of
trust.

By abdicating responsibility for the decision-making process, laissez-faire leaders risk

the situation spiraling into chaos without proper organizational structures in place to
guide the company’s direction. In healthcare environments, laissez-faire is usually a
poor approach, given the potential for negativity and discord brought on by the lack of
structured leadership.

7. Bureaucratic

Following the rules is the secret to bureaucratic leadership success. In this most
formulaic of leadership models, you have a defined job title, a set of responsibilities,
and a pre-existing method for responding to urgent needs. Requiring such strict
adherence to established rules and protocols can create a rigid and tense workplace for
employees.

Bureaucratic leaders can be effective in some arenas, especially those involving

finance and data security. In healthcare, a minor deviation from protocol in certain
arenas can lead to serious repercussions from regulators or government oversight
agencies, making the detail-oriented nature of bureaucratic leaders an asset.

8. Charismatic

Do you have the charm and vision to grow a company and turn your staff into your
“disciples” to achieve the company goals you outline? Conviction and a magnetic
personality can take you around the globe as a charismatic leader. Inspiring your team
to share your passion for your vision takes skill, but it can bring rewards in the form of
higher employee engagement and a better bottom line.

In medicine, charismatic leaders can have a positive impact, leading staff to

participate more often in your initiatives. With such an intense focus on your goals,
however, you may develop tunnel vision, forgetting the big picture or falling prey to
self-absorption. Distracted focus can cause major issues in organizational efforts.

9. Pacesetting

Pacesetting leaders are driven to get results. You set the bar high and push your staff
to achieve goal after goal. As a pacesetting leader, you can be quite effective in
getting things done, but your constant hard-driving pace will wear down some
employees. It’s a difficult style to sustain successfully over an extended period.

A healthcare environment is probably not the best fit for pacesetting leadership,
although there may be exceptions. Consider a medical research lab racing to create a
COVID-19 vaccine. The drive and passion of a leader who has assembled a team of
skilled professionals can manifest success. But, as in any industry, the pacesetting
leader may burn themselves out—and take their team with them. ((Manavi Pathak,
“Pacesetting Leadership Style,” Human Capital, Oct. 15,
2019: https://humancapitalonline.com/Leadership/details/499/Pacesetting-Leadership-
Style))

10. Ethical

The concept of fairness is vital to ethical leaders. This model brings a balance of logic
and a sense of justice, with deep reverence for the rights of everyone involved. By
making ethics a top priority, you treat your staff with respect and honesty that is
mutually returned, benefiting everyone.

Ethics are a key topic for healthcare organizations as they strive to deliver equitable
patient care. To be an effective community resource, the institution must maintain a
high level of trust and goodwill with patients and the public. Ethical leaders in areas of
public relations can be impactful as they work to showcase the strengths of the
organization. ((Mary Kay, “Leadership Skills #7: Great Leaders Have Ethics,”
AboutLeaders.com, Jan. 5, 2016: https://aboutleaders.com/leadership-skills-7-great-
leaders-have-ethics/#gs.3azem0))

11. Affiliative

Affiliative leadership requires a “people first” mindset. It’s about creating

collaborative relationships and becoming an emotional support system for your team.
Connecting on a direct and personal level with your employees positions you to
quickly resolve conflicts among staff.

Healthcare organizations can benefit from the affiliative leadership model. The
baseline emotion for affiliative leaders is compassion, an essential quality when
working with staff and patients. ((Paquita C. de Zulueta, “Developing compassionate
leadership in health care: an integrative review,” Journal of Healthcare
Leadership, Dec. 18,
2015: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5741000/))

12. Coaching
Much like a sports coach, a coaching leader works with individual staff members to
develop their strengths in an effort to improve the overall success of the organization.
If you’re a coaching leader, you are goal oriented rather than focused on tasks. You
look at the big picture and don’t get lost in the details.

The coaching leadership model applies well to the world of healthcare and studies are
often available in an MSN degree program. You can provide tools and support for
staff who want to strengthen their skills in order to improve performance, benefiting
the company and patients.