Question

Conduct a search to find a leader in health care. As an idea, you might explore the websites of for-profit and non-profit organizations and find the bios of their CEOs. Select a leader in health care to further examine. Which leadership theory best describes this individual’s leadership style? What is the rationale that supports your findings? Provide specific examples to support your response.  

Answer 1

I chose Dr. Christine Cassel from the Kaiser Permanente School of medicine planning dean. Dr. Cassel is the 2016 Gail L. Warden leadership excellence award recipient. “Dr. Cassel, former National Quality Forum (NQF) president and CEO, is widely recognized for reinvigorating the NQF and elevating the roles of quality, safety, patient outcomes, and affordability in healthcare reform. Initiatives implemented under her leadership continue to play a significant role in advancing quality improvement and filling gaps in measuring healthcare effectiveness across the U.S.” (Rice, 2015) Dr. Cassel has been a prominent leader in many organizations and medical schools for many years. She educates physicians on how safety, quality and cost effectiveness play a role in the populations health.

Her leadership is based on Path-goal leadership. According to our text, “which proposes that employees are increasingly motivated to be exemplary followers if they believe undertaking or completing a task will lead to an outcome they find satisfying. In path-goal theory, two situational variables influence leadership style: the makeup of the followers and the nature of the task. Supportive leadership takes the followers’ needs into account as the leader strives to provide an environment that is supportive and friendly.” (Frates, 2014, 5.3) Dr. Cassel is well known for motivating staff members to provide safer quality care. As a leader she has concentrated on filling the gaps in health care and providing a quality improvement.

References:

Frates, J. (2014). Health care management: Theory in action . San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Rice, Sabriya. Modern Healthcare. 8/10/2015, Vol. 45 Issue 33, p0030-0030. 1p.