The challenges of leading professionals

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the role of organisational leaders and leaders within the professions in ensuring that society is well served by its professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on the authors own observations over 25 years of educating and developing clinical leaders.

Findings

This paper explores the particular challenges of leading professionals in fields such as, law, education or healthcare, where relationships can often be fraught and combative rather than constructive and effective. The paper concludes that if leaders insist on managing professionals as part of a connected hierarchy it will simply continue to provoke resistance.

Originality/value

This paper explores the particular challenges of leading professionals in fields such as, law, education or healthcare, where relationships can often be fraught and combative rather than constructive and effective.

Citation

Iles, V. (2014), "The challenges of leading professionals", International Journal of Leadership in Public Services, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 44-51. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLPS-12-2013-0033