The human side of management

The psychology of leadership attempts to explain how leaders can use the science of psychology to be better leaders and improve the performance of their teams. It puts to rest the long-standing debate regarding whether great leaders are born or made. Great leaders understand and willingly cultivate the traits and behaviours that will make their leadership effective. The meaning of leadership varies between cultures, and has also evolved over time. The current prevailing view is that leadership skills are nurtured, and great leaders are made as opposed to being born with these traits.

Leaders play a crucial role in the dental practice, just as they do in any other organisation. The leaders in the dental practice often encounter significant stress as their decisions can have far-reaching and long-term direct effects on real people. It is often the case that clinicians and dental nurses take up managerial positions after years of service in the dental profession. When this happens, they may have to deal with the conflict between their administrative duties and their clinical duties. They might also face resistance and non-cooperation from their colleagues who object to this change of roles.