The Need for a Leadership Competency Framework for Physical Therapists: A Perspective in Action

Abstract

Background and Purpose. “Leadership at all levels” has been identified as one of the 12 critical issues facing organizations around the world. The American Physical Therapy Association Vision calls physical therapists “to lead” efforts to transform society. Leadership competencies essential for practice recently have been identified. These competencies illustrate how physical therapists independent of professional role and position can support achievement of the Quadruple Aim. The profession has taken steps to prepare physical therapists with clinical competencies to practice as movement system experts; however, like many health professions, education has struggled to keep pace with professional formation and leadership skills that shape role identity. More emphasis needs to be placed on developing skills needed to lead, advocate, and influence change. The purpose of this position article was to expand conversation on leadership and propose an evidence-based framework, which can be used to build competence throughout entry-level curricula. This framework can bring the profession one step closer to adopting leadership as an essential domain of competency and providing the missing link to bridge the gap in achievement of the Vision. Position and Rationale. Leadership should be recognized as an obligation of all physical therapists and developing leadership an obligation of education, as it is critical to our evolving role identity. Adoption of a leadership competency framework informed by competencies will help assure graduates exhibit leadership skills to challenge current practices and advocate for transformation of the health care system. The team explored established leadership frameworks to evaluate “fit” of the 57 leadership competencies. Although frameworks offered valuable perspectives, none sufficiently “fit” the evidence to support widespread adoption. This led us to design a Leadership Competency Framework for Physical Therapists (LCF-PT) to categorize, enhance utility, and clarify interpretation of these competencies. Discussion and Conclusion. The LCF-PT organizes 57 competencies into 3 tiers and 11 thematic clusters that can further advance our role as movement system experts and build a more robust role identity consistent with a doctoral profession. Without a framework, DPT education programs will likely remain fragmented, unintentional, and inconsistent in the development of leadership competencies in Doctor of Physical Therapy graduates. Future research needs to validate the LCF-PT by stakeholders to confirm the framework is sufficiently robust to guide leadership development at all levels. This framework also can support eventual benchmarking of best practices in education in the future. To move forward as practitioners of choice and to ensure our voices are heard, all physical therapists must acknowledge that “to lead” at all levels is critical to role identity, achievement of the Quadruple Aim and the Vision to transform society by improving the human experience. This clarity will move us closer to “dreaming the not-so-impossible dream,” challenge current practices, implement evidence, and advocate for transformation of the health care system.