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Leadership competency is a general term rather than a specific set of skills. The term is related to performance on the job that requires an integration of a number of skills (Braveman, 2016). Several areas of competency that makeup an effective leader include: cultural competence, interprofessional values, effective communication skills, ethical decision making ability, and perspective thinking (Dunbar, 2015).

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A leader can be defined as one or more people who selects, equips, trains, and influences one or more follower(s) who have diverse gifts, abilities, and skills and focuses the follower(s) to the organization’s mission and objectives (Winston & Patterson, 2006).

Competence can be defined as a combination of knowledge, skills and personal characteristics (Müller & Turner, 2010).

Certain competencies of leadership may include knowledge, values, abilities, and behaviors that help an individual contribute to or successfully engage in a role or task (Seemiller & Cook, 2014).

Other variables found in the competency school of leadership included achievement orientation, analytical thinking, as well as impact and influence (Müller & Turner, 2010).

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Leadership competency involves the awareness of various leadership styles and implementing strategies to effectively guide an individual or a group of individuals. Effective leaders are those who understand their strengths and limitations and have increased self-awareness (Early, Lavandero, & Ulrich, 2014). Guiding through change is a key concept that is developed through leadership experience. Organizations and people are constantly going through a change, and effective leadership competency requires effective decision making through high-pressure situations. A competent leader is an individual aware of the group’s diverse backgrounds and cultures, and someone who respects those differences. Leadership competency involves the ability to allow for interprofessional growth within the group, thus a competent leader provides group members the tools to succeed individually and as a team. A leader with strong ethics and someone who provides a sense of safety creates a positive environment which furthers competency in leadership (Dunbar, 2015).

McCauley's areas of leadership (2006):

Leading an Organization

Managing change

Identifying and solving problems

Setting a vision or strategy

Leading Self

Demonstrating ethics and integrity

Increasing capacity to learn

Increasing self-awareness

Leading Others

Communicating effectively

Developing others

Managing work groups and diverse styles

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Warren Buffett,
CEO, Berkshire Hathaway

Leading an Organization:

Ethical decision making:  regard for consumer and employee needs and responses

Autonomous employment--no micro-managing

Addresses issues in real time

Provide resources and assistance when needed

Optimistic

Cultural competence:  importance of women in the workforce and boardroom

Leading Self:

Admits mistakes

Displays empathy:  makes leadership and growth opportunities personal

Trust self and others

Interprofessional value:  entry into healthcare

Leading Others:

Effective communication:  open style about mistakes and praise

Public Praise:  encourages staff to go above and beyond in order to be recognized in front of peers and consumers

Explanation of all things so that others can understand what he is doing

Perspective thinking:  encouraging consumer-centered care and understanding

Make changes based on mistakes

Allow for questions to be asked

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Braveman, B.  (2016).  Assessing and promoting clinical and managerial competency.  In F. A. Davis (Eds.) Leading and managing occupational therapy services: An evidence-based approach.  (pp. 297-326).

Buffett, W. (2013, May 2). Warrent Buffett is bullish...on women. Retrieved from http://fortune.com/2013/05/02/warren-buffett-is-bullish-on-women/

Cho, E. K. (2015). Developing leadership competence in early childhood educators. New Waves, 18(2), 53.

Dunbar, S. B. (2015). Leadership theories. In S. B. Dunbar & K. Winston (Eds.), An occupational perspective on leadership: Theoretical and practice dimensions (2nd ed., pp. 3-14). Thorofare, NJ: SLACK Incorporated.

Early, S., Lavandero, R., Ulrich, B. (2014). Leadership competence: Perceptions of direct care nurses. Nurse Leader, 12(3), 47-50.

Haft, S. (Producer), & Weir, P. (Director). (1989). Dead poets society [Motion Picture]. United States: Touchstone Pictures.

McCauley, C. (2006). Developmental assignments: Creating learning experiences without changing jobs. Greensboro, N.C.: Center for Creative Leadership Press.

Müller, R., & Turner, R. (2010). Leadership competency profiles of successful project managers. International Journal of Project Management, 28(5), 437-448. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2009.09.003

Seemiller, C. (2016). Leadership competency development:  A higher education responsibility. Reclaiming Higher Education’s Purpose in Leadership Development, 2016(174), 93-104.

Seemiller, C., & Cook, M. (2014). The student leadership competencies guidebook: Designing intentional leadership learning and development (First ed.). San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.

Sellers, P. (2018, March 8). Warren Buffett reveals his secret to great leadership. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/08/warren-buffett-reveals-secret-to-great-leadership-success.html

Winston, B. E., & Patterson, K. (2006). An integrative definition of leadership. International Journal of Leadership Studies, 1(2), 6-66.

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For new practitioners to develop and strengthen their own leaderships skills they must first understanding the qualities that connote leadership competency.  As previously mentioned, when discussing contemporary leadership, Dunbar (2015) identified five critical areas in which practitioners should aim to develop competencies: cultural competence, interprofessional value, effective communication, ethical decision making, and perspective thinking.  The application of these five competencies can be seen in the following examples:

Cultural Competence - An OT practitioner is working with a consumer who has immigrated from Afghanistan.  This consumer loves to the cook and share food traditions of his culture with others.  The therapist suggests meal preparation as an occupation-based activity for therapy, and actively seeks out information about cultural traditions and practices that will help her to facilitate a meaningful therapeutic experience for the consumer.

Interprofessional Value - A rehab manager is overseeing a staff of 10 therapists  Two of the therapists, an OT with 25 years of experience and a new DPT graduate, have been experiencing difficulty collaborating to achieve positive patient outcomes.  There has been consistent conflict regarding each therapist’s role in patient care.  The rehab manager steps in to facilitate an open discussion and guides the therapists to a better understanding of the other’s scope of practice.  Following this discussion the therapists demonstrate the ability to better collaborate and use their unique and specific knowledge to enhance patient outcomes.

Effective Communication - An OT practitioner is working in a mental/behavioral health setting with a consumer who is having difficulty managing her medications due to what she perceives as negative side-effects.  The therapist uses motivational interviewing as a tool to guide the consumer to articulate her experience of the side-effects.  The therapist plans to share the information she has learned with the consumer’s psychiatrist, and also works with the consumer to develop the skills to advocate for herself when discussing her concerns with her psychiatrist.  The resulting positive outcomes of this effective communication will vary based on the specific situation, but it is likely the psychiatrist will gain a better understanding of the consumer’s experience and may be able to adjust medication/dosage OR the consumer will gain a better understanding of the purpose of her medications and why she should take specific dosages.

Ethical Decision Making - An OT practitioner working at a SNF is directed by her manager to place a patient at the highest rug level and engage him in the highest amount of therapy for the next few days so the facility will receive the maximum amount of medicare funding for the entire length of the patient’s stay.  That afternoon the patient is seen by his PCP and is placed on palliative care and given approximately four weeks to live.  The OT tells her manager she does not feel comfortable carrying out the previously delineated plan of care.  The manager insists the OT complete her directions and threatens to take disciplinary action if the OT refuses.  The OT explains the ethical dilemma of the situations and holds to her convictions.  She is ultimately written up by her manager, but demonstrates an unwavering dedication to the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and competence in this area of leadership.

Perspective Thinking - An OT practitioner working in a school setting is attending the first IEP meeting for a child he has evaluated.  The parents are resistant to accepting the label required for the child to receive additional services in the school setting, and the meeting ends without a solid resolution.  The OT and the school social worker arrange to meet with the parents later that week to further discuss the label for the child, as well as other options for accommodations and modifications that could be made in the classroom.  During the meeting, the parents are still resistant to the IEP requirements.  Seeing the situation for the perspective of the parents, the OT identifies an alternative solution and makes recommendations for a 504 and suggests the parents speak with their PCP about receiving a referral for OT services outside of school.  He even refers the parents to a former GVSU OST classmate who runs her own holistic, client-centered, and evidence-based pediatric practice he believes would be a good fit for this child.

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Movie: Dead Poets Society (Haft & Weir, 1989).

In this movie, Robin Williams plays the role of Professor John Keating. Mr. Keating displays leadership competency within his teaching style throughout the movie. His character shows leadership competency through his passion and enthusiasm to facilitate growth and learning amongst his students in genuine and innovative ways. Overall, Mr. Keating is not afraid to go against the cultural norm of the all-boys preparatory school when it comes to teaching and leading his students.

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Cho, E. K. (2015). Developing leadership competence in early childhood educators. New Waves, 18(2), 53.

Early, S., Lavandero, R., Ulrich, B. (2014). Leadership competence: Perceptions of direct care nurses. Nurse Leader, 12(3), 47-50.

Seemiller, C. (2016). Leadership competency development:  A higher education responsibility. Reclaiming Higher Education’s Purpose in Leadership Development, 2016(174), 93-104.