Leader identity development in healthcare: an existential-phenomenological study
ISSN: 1751-1879
Article publication date: 18 May 2018
Issue publication date: 31 January 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to take an existential-phenomenological perspective to understand and describe the experienced leader identity development of healthcare leaders working in dual roles. Leader identity development under the influence of strong professional identities of nurses and doctors has remained an under-researched phenomenon to which the study contributes.
Design/methodology/approach
Existential-phenomenology serves as a perspective underpinning the whole research, and an existential-phenomenological method is applied in the interview data analysis.
Findings
The study showed leader identity development in healthcare to be most strongly influenced and affected by clinical work and its meanings and followers’ needs and leader–follower relationships. In addition, four other key categories were presented as meaningful in leader identity development; leader identity development is an ongoing process occurring in relations of the key categories.
Originality/value
The existential-phenomenological approach and analysis method offer a novel way to understand leader identity development and work identities as experienced.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was conducted as part of the Humanly Efficient Leadership research project, funded by The Finnish Work Environment Fund, Lapland Hospital District and Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District.
Citation
Koskiniemi, A., Vakkala, H. and Pietiläinen, V. (2019), "Leader identity development in healthcare: an existential-phenomenological study", Leadership in Health Services, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 83-97. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-06-2017-0039
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited