7: Comparative Country Analysis: How Are Clinicians and Health Professionals Supported and Trained to Take on Leadership Roles?

The hybridisation of doctors into clinical leaders is not straightforward. Despite the formal medical leadership roles introduced by politicians at the advent of the new public management era, managerial practices performed by health professionals vary across countries. For instance, national policies in Italy and the UK promoted and encouraged the development of these professional profiles, while in other countries like Germany, where the healthcare system is more fragmentated into private providers which were more sceptical towards clinical leadership, the development of hybrid doctor–managers has been slower (Lega & Sartirana, 2015).

Besides the criticality of government support of the transformation of healthcare professionals, also leadership training and education are considered fundamental for hybridisation. Preparation for leadership differs from managerial preparation, though the distinction between the two is seldom clear-cut in practice. Management may be broadly defined as the ability to control a group or a set of components to achieve a goal. Differently, leadership refers to individuals who succeed in influencing, motivating and enabling others to contribute towards organisational success. In brief, influence and inspiration rather than power and control distinguish leaders from managers. Clinical outcomes are increasingly related to organisational performance as a whole and to team performance in particular, thereby accentuating the relevance of clinical leaders in healthcare organisations.