Leadership in public health

Abstract

Abstract This chapter explores the concepts of leadership relevant to and as applied in public health practice. It looks at various concepts of leadership, frameworks for developing public health leaders, leadership development, and explores how one’s leadership practice and values evolve across their career and life course. It draws upon examples and case studies of public health leadership at global, national, and local levels; in a variety of organizations; and in various contexts to illustrate the diversity of leadership challenges, approaches, and applications. As with other public health skills, effective leadership may be taught, evaluated, and developed, with an individual’s comfort and competence with their preferred and alternative leadership styles evolving over time. This is however highly dependent upon one’s professional ambition, engagement, experience, environment, opportunities, and challenges, both in professional and private spheres. The chapter ends by exploring the principles of authentic leadership, reinforcing the importance of practitioners, at whatever phase in their career, understanding their core values, life purpose, and aligning with their day-to-day practices and the organization’s priorities. While not everyone will currently or ever be in a senior executive leadership role, many aspire to do so at some stage in their career, and everyone working in public health will be called upon to lead an activity at some stage—whether a project, administrative task, strategy, or analysis. So, leadership is ultimately everyone’s business, and the time to prepare by laying strong foundations is now. Leadership is a craft that can be learnt, nurtured, and shared, but it will be for the individual to decide when, where and how they are being called to do so, and ultimately what their answer will be.