ABSTRACT
LEADERSHIP IS INSTRUMENTAL FOR ACHIEVING ORGANIZATIONAL change, whether through the exercise of power or influence. In this chapter we introduce the concept of relational leadership and suggest it is particularly essential for achieving change in the current health-care context, given the growing evidence that well-functioning work relationships help to drive the quality and efficiency of health-care delivery, and the well-being of care providers and their patients. Academic medicine, in particular, faces the challenge of fragmented care due to strong disciplinary silos and competing commitments. We argue that relational leadership, relational coordination, and relational coproduction are three mutually supportive forms of reciprocal interrelating based on shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect, that together drive high performance. We present a case study that illustrates the importance of relational leadership for implementing family-centered rounds at Riley Children's Hospital.
