Leadership in Public Health: Challenges and Opportunities In Improving the Quality of Public Services

Abstract

Purpose: This work examines the role of Leadership in the Public Sector, with a focus on the leaders' interaction with their teams, aiming to build a harmonious interpersonal relationship to ensure successful management. This, in turn, allows for the creation of management with a predominantly democratic character, with the potential to address both local and societal needs. In this context, it is emphasized that motivation is something intrinsic to each individual, and the leader must have the potential to stimulate it. The general objective of this work is to analyse the importance of leadership in improving the performance of employees in the context of Public Health. Theoretical Framework: Leadership permeates all managerial activities and is not an isolated activity. Its importance is underestimated when judged solely in terms of the proportion of managerial activities that are strictly related to team management. Method/design/approach: This research is exploratory in nature, as it conducted a literature review on the role of leadership in public institutions, using various publicly available sources such as books, journals, theses, internet articles, and monographs. Results and conclusion: The coordinator and 10 employees from various positions out of the total of 40 were selected to participate in the research. It is noteworthy that the leader holds a degree in Pedagogy and is currently pursuing Nursing, is 34 years old, female, and has previously served as a coordinator in the same UBS for 4 years in the recent past, marking her first leadership experience at the age of 26. Currently, she leads a team of 40 people. Research implications: The research emphasizes the creation of a management with a democratic predominance. If the results indicate that leadership plays a significant role in this aspect, it may influence management practices in healthcare units and potentially in other public sector organizations. Originality/value: The research focuses on the field of Public Health, which can be considered original, as it is a specific and critical area of the public sector that is not frequently addressed in general leadership studies.