Effective Leadership and Management in General Practice

No matter what stage you are at in your GP career, you are likely to have varying degrees of leadership and management responsibilities. According to the GMC, management within a healthcare context can be defined as:

‘Getting things done well through and with people, creating an environment in which people can perform as individuals and yet co-operate towards achieving group goals, and removing obstacles to such performance.’

All GPs have an obligation to be aware of the principles of effective management and to work cohesively with nurses, specialists and non-medical professionals in multidisciplinary teams. A GP must be able to draw upon a variety of resources, play a role in setting and developing priorities and make other leadership decisions to improve the provision of healthcare within their practice.

The seven principles of effective management for doctors are:

• Selflessness
• Integrity
• Objectivity
• Accountability
• Openness
• Honesty
• Leadership  

Leadership Styles

As a GP there are several approaches to leadership you can adopt. Leadership styles can be broadly grouped into four categories:

• A directive leader should find aspects to positively acknowledge and give direction, ensuring to check that those under their management understand what is expected of them.
• A supportive leader should coax ideas from those working under them, listen and encourage and keep the decision-making process collaborative by asking open questions.
• A coaching leader should find things to praise, lead with their own ideas (making sure to explain their thinking) and consult and listen before arriving at a final decision.
• A delegating leader should allow others to take the lead, ask to be kept informed and challenge those working under them to excel.  

The leadership approach you choose to adopt should be tailored towards the particular situation, individual or goal in question. Effective leaders use all four styles to ensure the competence and commitment of the people they work with.

Effective Teamworking

Working effectively as part of a team within a general practice setting is vital to delivering high quality treatment to patients. All GPs must demonstrate an appreciation of what makes a good team and why they are a good team player. The key points to working effectively as part of a team within general practice are:

• Clear understanding of the overall goals of the team.
• Clear understanding of your own individual responsibilities within the team.
• Ability to clearly communicate with your team members.
• Ability to listen to the views of others.

Motivating Your Staff

Motivation is what makes people act or behave in the way they do. If we want to influence someone we ask ‘What are their motives and how can I motivate them?’. A highly motivated person is more likely to go out of their way to learn skills or find information to improve their performance. Effective leadership can only be achieved by:

• Making staff feel valued by regularly monitoring their work, creating a co-operative atmosphere and making everyone feel an important part of the team.
• Providing development opportunities by setting standards and targets, providing on the job training and development and stretching staff skills.
• Recognising achievements by praising success and reporting the team’s results and achievements.
• Providing challenge by increasing individual responsibilities, encouraging new ideas from staff and delegating wisely.

Conclusion

Whether you are a Partner responsible for running your own practice or a salaried, locum or Registrar GP with responsibility for leading a team, effective team working and leadership are central to the goal of delivering first-rate patient care. In order to ensure effective teamwork, leaders and managers must balance the demands of the task, the team as a whole and the individuals within the team. The most effective leaders understand the importance of motivating team members and adapt their management style to suit differing situations and individuals.

Key points

• Management is the ‘Overall control of people and resources based on a previously agreed approach’.
• Leadership is ‘Guiding a team of people to achieve a specific goal or vision’.

• A GP should vary their leadership style depending on the demands of the task and the needs of the individuals within the practice.
• Effective team working is underpinned by effective leadership and management.
• The ability to motivate people is key to successful leadership.