Emerging Leadership Models in Healthcare

Emerging leadership models are placing greater emphasis on relationships, collaboration and shared responsibility to strengthen teams, culture and patient outcomes.

For decades, healthcare leadership has been shaped by hierarchical structures where authority flows from the top down. While these models provide clarity of role and accountability, they can also limit the contribution of frontline teams, reduce psychological safety and create cultures where speaking up feels difficult. 

This shift does not mean hierarchy has no place in healthcare. Rather, it reflects a broader understanding of what is needed for more effective leadership. 
 

From Hierarchy to Relationship 

Contemporary leadership thinking increasingly recognises that the way leaders relate to their teams is as important as the decisions they make. Relational leadership places trust, communication and collaboration at the centre of leadership practice, creating the conditions for teams to contribute, learn and improve. 

One contemporary model is Human-Centred Leadership in Healthcare (HCL-HC), which places human relationships at the centre of leadership practice. Developed in response to the complexity of modern healthcare environments, the model emphasises leaders’ ability to build trust, cultivate growth and create healthy, connected communities.  

This matters in a broader context too. A McKinsey report on the US nursing workforce found that nurses who felt their contributions were not valued by their organisation were significantly more likely to consider leaving. Leadership culture was identified as one of the most influential factors in retention decisions. 

The findings highlight that retention is influenced by more than workload alone. When nurses and frontline health workers feel their contributions are not valued, leadership culture can become an important factor in their decision to stay or leave. Human-centred leadership addresses this by recognising the value of the people delivering care and creating environments where staff feel supported, empowered and able to contribute.  
 

Leadership as a System Enabler 

Transformational and empowering leadership approaches recognise that effective leadership is not just about managing performance. It is about creating the conditions for teams to innovate, raise concerns and take ownership of quality and safety. 

When leaders actively build trust, model open communication and share decision-making, the effects extend beyond team morale. These approaches can create stronger conditions for teams to raise concerns, contribute ideas and take ownership of improvement, supporting a culture where quality and safety are shared responsibilities. 

For healthcare organisations navigating workforce pressures, changing models of care and increasing consumer expectations, investing in leadership capability can help create the culture and conditions needed for sustainable improvement.  
 

Building Leadership Capability 

The Improvement Academy offers custom training programs designed to help healthcare organisations build leadership capability that reflects contemporary approaches. Programs are tailored to the specific needs, context and goals of each organisation. To find out more, contact the Improvement Academy team. 

Reference List 

McKinsey & Company. (2021). Nursing in 2021: Retaining the healthcare workforce when we need it most. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/nursing-in-2021-retaining-the-healthcare-workforce-when-we-need-it-most 

Ovid Technologies. (n.d.). Relational leadership: A contemporary and evidence-based approach to human-centred leadership in healthcare. Nursing Management. https://www.ovid.com/jnls/nursingmanagement/fulltext/10.1097/01.numa.0000834580.84896.55~relational-leadership-a-contemporary-and-evidence-based