Both management and leadership are important to laboratory service delivery. Although leadership and management roles share similarities in some respects, they may involve distinct outlooks, skills, and behaviors. Good managers strive to be effective leaders, and effective leaders need management skills to be successful. Leaders have a vision of what can be achieved, communicate it to others, and evolve strategies to realize it. They motivate people and can negotiate for resources and support systems to achieve their goals. Managers ensure that available resources are well organized and applied to produce the best results. In a resource-constrained, challenging environment, leadership plays a pivotal role in the organization's meaningful existence and success.
In clinical laboratories, pathologists, scientists, managers, and supervisors may all play managerial roles to different degrees, but it is the quality of their leadership that makes the difference in patient care. Whilst we refer to these positions, we should not forget that every staff member is responsible for leading themselves. There is much literature on general leadership theories, traits, and styles, but there is a relative scarcity of information on how these can be applied in the clinical laboratory environment. Managing staff members plays a major part in providing a successful and high-quality laboratory service; thus, being able to influence and change unsuitable behavior or attitude is a prerequisite for anyone in a managerial position in the laboratory. The chances of success in these roles are determined by the leadership qualities and skills of the person in the position. Laboratory professionals are not usually well equipped to solve social and psychological problems, but, in general, their strengths lie in their technical abilities and scientific reasoning. Consideration of different leadership styles helps readers develop personally and become more effective in the laboratory social environment.
Those who find themselves in leadership roles must be able to address risks and potential problems as they arise and adapt their leadership style and strategy to most effectively address each unique situation. We are leaders and also followers, and interchange between the two many times during our work. This allows us to develop humanity and empathy toward the staff members we lead and can also help us critically evaluate our own styles to make them more effective.
Effective leaders can add value simply by being present on teams. They are inspirational and motivating. They know the right things to say to help people understand what's needed, and they can convince people to support a cause.
