dc.description.abstract | Aim. This study investigates which leadership styles can be identifi ed among general practice lead physicians and how
they are associated with and predicted by staff and context characteristics like profession, gender, age, work experience,
and team size. Method/material. In a cross-sectional study self-administered questionnaires were distributed to staff
physicians (42% females) and support staff (98% females) at 101 primary health care centres in North Norway. A total
of 127 and 222, respectively, responded (response rate 59%). Items were ranked on Likert scales (range 1 – 5). Results.
Analysis revealed three signifi cantly different styles (mean scores/Cronbach ’ s alpha): change style (3.36/0.898), task style
(3.17/0.885), and relation style (2.88/0.900). The lead physicians were perceived as practising change style the most and
relation style the least. Males experienced signifi cantly more of all three styles. Support staff scored lowest for all styles.
Age was negatively correlated with relation style and change style, while work experience was negatively correlated with
change style. No signifi cant association was found between styles and team size. Conclusion. Leadership in rural general
practice can be identifi ed in terms of task, relation, and change styles. Change style is the most perceived style. Males
seem to be most attentive to leadership styles. However, within the staff physician group, there is less difference between
genders. Support staff scores lowest for all styles; this might indicate either less need for leadership or dissatisfaction
with leadership. Age and work experience seem to reduce employees ’attention to relation and change styles, indicating
that maturity reduces needs for these leadership styles. Due to growing demands for leaders to take care of effi ciency
and change in general practice, more young female physicians, and more diverse staff groups, these fi ndings may be
useful to understand leadership and leadership training for general practice. | en_US |