Leadership Styles of Educational Leaders in Healthcare & Academia

Abstract

This study sought to determine the main leadership style used by clinical professors and other educational leaders in academic settings as well as the leadership style they used when teaching in clinical settings. There were eight (n = 8) voluntary interprofessional educational leaders who took part in this study. It was determined that the servant leadership style was predominantly being practiced among these clinical professors in the healthcare setting; whereas, the coaching leadership style was preferred for educational purposes. This research demonstrated that there was a consistent pattern among professors who practiced in the health sector relied on the servant leadership style predominantly and this stemmed from their clinical background and experiences. It was unanimous that while teaching and interacting with a student in the academic environment, all participants practiced the coaching leadership style.