Why and How to Uncover What Team Members Say About Their Leaders

Effective teamwork is paramount in medical practice. The foundation for great teamwork according to research is the mutual trust and understanding of work tasks between the team leader and each team member. These qualities can be developed especially through the thoughtful application of five leader behaviors: Inclusion, Modeling, Improvement, Rewarding, and Respecting. Medical practice leaders can learn these behaviors much as any habit can be formed. This article discusses why this is important and how to implement a self-directed leadership improvement program for better organizational outcomes.