ABSTRACT
Leadership is also about developing an awareness of oneself in context and how one might actively participate in moving the vision forward. While the interprofessional teams in the case studies offered multiple perspectives on leadership, there are some common themes. The work of Hartley and Allison (2000), who looked at the role of leadership in modernisation and improvement of public service, helps to identify those themes or elements of leadership, persons, positions and processes. Studies and observations of leadership have often focused on the characteristics, behaviours, skills and styles of leaders as persons. Individuals play key roles in shaping circumstances. The position of the leader may be important in giving authority. Equally, a person without a formal position of authority may be a leader because others perceive them as influential. Leadership also involves a set of processes that occurs among and between individuals, groups and organisations. These processes provide vehicles for motivating and influencing others in partnership working, working across organisational boundaries to find solutions together. We add a fourth P to this set of themes-purpose. Purpose is the reason for doing things and involves underlying values. Setting a vision and determining a strategy contribute to actualising these values. Purpose is related to the primary task of individual organisations. However, when groups, teams or agencies collaborate, the purpose of the joint programme is more encompassing (adapted from Rogers and Reynolds, 2003, p. 58).
