A leader is best when people barely know he exists.
Not so good when people obey and acclaim him.
Worse when they despise him.
Fail to honour people, they fail to honour you.
But of a good leader, who talks little
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
The people will say “We did this ourselves”.
Lao-tse

Role of the leader within a health care team

Health care providers are only a part of the health team which includes support staff, administrative staff and those at satellite locations. The team consists of a group of people who share a common health goal and common objectives, as determined by community needs. Each member contributes according to his or her competence and skills and in coordination with the others.

The health care team exists to serve the community. Even if working for a manager or other employer, you are ultimately responsible to the people you serve clinically: the community and users of your service. It is from these people and groups that you must seek direction. Observing, listening and learning, discussing and deciding, organizing, participating and informing are the foundation of the relationship between the community and the team.

The leader is not expected to make all the decisions or do all the work, but must encourage others and coordinate efforts. Final responsibility for any endeavour rests with the leader.

Responsibility is the essence of leadership.

Leaders can be given authority by the group or by an outside power, they can assume authority or earn authority and responsibility. They can be appointed, elected or chosen by a group. Leadership can be shared by two or more people or rotated within a group. In an informal situation, different members of a group may take leadership roles with respect to different issues or tasks. It is important that all members of a group share the same idea of what the leader’s role will be.

Some people adopt leadership roles with greater ease than others, but there are no born leaders. Leadership requires a set of skills that can be learned and developed over time. They include: