Explain why it important to understand leadership styles and traits as a future public
health professional. Include discussion of some of the unique challenges faced by public
health leaders, and how knowledge of personal leadership style and skills can help one
navigate and lead in the public health system. In replies to peers, provide additional
examples to support the ideas presented or justify whether you agree or disagree with the
ideas presented by others.
Leadership Styles
It is gratifying as a healthcare practitioner to be able to mentor leaders, managers as well
as help people to become what is within them to help them achieve their dreams. Understanding
leadership styles and traits help healthcare officials towards this end as it ensures that they
continue to learn more about how they can be better at what they do as well as empower the
different staff on how to be better at what they do as well. Understanding these two aspects helps
healthcare professionals realize the differences between management skills and leadership to be
able to maximize their skills in each area. These two work hand in hand, but they are two
components of an effective leader. Management skills are more technical and range more on how
structure, planning, and daily activities are done while leadership is more of values
characteristics as well as people skills involved. The realization of the difference makes health
professionals perform their duties better (DUSM, 2020) .
Inclusion and diversity challenges are some of the significant problems that affect
healthcare leaders in the public sector. Leadership has to begin by taking a role that is open to
having these kinds of discussions. There are probably leaders who do not get this fact. They talk
LEADERSHIP STYLES 2
about the fact as a matter of diversity of opinion and thought without necessarily acknowledging
that it might come with some crude ways of saying that women and other protected
characteristics are representatives of diversity. A leader can thus create an environment for open
and honest conversations for professionals to open up and speak their minds so that the
leadership can subsequently think about it. I agree with the ideas presented by others because I
believe in the freedom of speech and expression. I also believe that communication is vital when
it comes to proper and effective healthcare administration to patients.
References
DUSM. (2020, April 3). Leadership Styles and Their Impact on Patient Outcomes. Retrieved
from DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: