Consistency of leadership matters

No matter what "evidence" you seek, leadership is always in the top ten of factors necessary for change and transformation of systems of care - or any system for that matter. There are books, papers and reviews all trying to qualify the type of leadership that works well.

I've been asking myself whether length of time in a leadership role makes a difference. When I look about me at the organisations who are held up as role models for good organisational processes, good collaborative working and good results - most often the leadership team has been in place for many years. Not just one leader, but at least 2 or 3 of the team.

Perhaps it important just to be there to hold the history and to maintain some form of continuity. Doing this while everything changes around you means the good leaders are naturally those who learn to adapt themselves  and their organisation, to the changing context.  I suspect they don't have great charismatic abilities, not do they espouse clever theories - they just get on with the job - year by year.

I applaud that level of commitment.