Leading through the ‘new normality’ of health care

Abstract

Health care institutions are witnessing a ‘new normality’, which profoundly reshapes the strategic and management challenges faced by health professionals in their attempt to achieve excellence in the design and delivery of care. This ‘new normality’ triggers a transformation of conventional managing models and leadership styles, which have proved to be unfit with the changed attributes of the external and internal contexts of health care organizations. The ‘new normal’ leadership style relies on the ability of leaders to make sense out of the new challenges that are faced by health care organizations and on their capability to act managerially, sticking to an empowering approach which enables followers. However, the transformation of conventional leadership style is impossible if a rethinking of training activities and learning experiences delivered to health professionals is missing. The article provides an overview of the issues that health leaders and managers encounter in the ‘new normality’ of health care, identifying several unanswered questions which should be addressed to thrive in the changed landscape of health services’ delivery.