ABSTRACT
Kotter differentiates between leadership and management, describing management processes as those that are concerned with planning, budgeting, organising staffing, controlling and problem solving and leadership processes as those that involve establishing direction, aligning people, motivating and inspiring. Leadership is about influence, influencing across the system at the micro level with patients and families, to influence with peers, team members, other teams and influencing upwards. The skills utilised for leadership will be variable and will require assessment of the situation, the context, the history of the organisation and knowledge about motivational strategies of those who are being influenced. Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Modern organisations have evolved and changed significantly over time, which has presented new challenges for the development of the skills and styles of leadership.
