Skip to main content

Improving Health Care Organizations Through Servant Leadership

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Health care managers are often absent from organizational developments in practice despite evidence on the foundational role of first line management to facilitate changes. This chapter presents contributions to servant leadership and a model for developing care processes and well-being at work based on findings derived from studies of exceptionally successful managerial work in hospital wards. Key elements in the servant leadership approach was anchoring in practice and having a sincere follower- and servant focus through continuous involvement and interconnecting values, goals and challenges from different perspectives, and the development and implementation of care processes. The practice servant leader is attentive to psychosocial dynamics and fosters humility and a community of equals. The practice servant leader uses loci of anchoring to involve staff and interconnect management and practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Andreasson, J., A. Eriksson, and L. Dellve. 2016. Health Care Managers’ Views on and Approaches to Implementing Models for Improving Care Processes. Journal of Nursing Management 24 (2): 219–227. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arman, R., E. Wikström, E. Tengelin, and L. Dellve. 2012. Work Activities and Stress Among Managers in Health Care. In The Work of Managers, ed. S. Tengblad, 105–130. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barley, S., and G. Kunda. 2001. Bringing Work Back In. Organization Science 12: 76–95. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.12.1.76.10122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berlin, J., and G. Kastberg. 2011. Styrning av hälso-och sjukvård. [Health Care Governance]. Malmö: Liber.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P. 1986. The Forms of Capital. In Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education, ed. J. Richardson, 241–258. Westport: Greenwood.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charmaz, K. 2006. Constructing Grounded Theory. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Choi, S. 2011. Competing Logics in Hospital Mergers – The Case of the Karolinska University Hospital. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, J.S. 1988. Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital. The American Journal of Sociology 94: 95–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dellve, L. 2015. Crafting Servant Management Practices, Despite Governance Control, to Support Professionals Work Engagement During Developments of Health Care. Full-paper presented at Leadership and Philosophy, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dellve, L., and A. Eriksson. 2017. Health-Promoting Managerial Work: A Theoretical Framework for a Leadership Program that Supports Knowledge and Capability to Craft Sustainable Work Practices in Daily Practice and During Organizational Change. Societies 7 (2): 12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dellve, L., J. Andreasson, A. Eriksson, M. Strömgren, and A. Williamsson. 2016. Nyorientering av svensk sjukvård: Verksamhetstjänande implementeringslogiker bygger mer hållbart engagemang och utveckling – i praktiken. [Re-orientation of Swedish Healthcare: Servant and Practice Oriented Management Approaches Builds Sustainable Engagement and Developments]. Stockholm: TRITA-STH-PUB Kungliga Tekniska högskolan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson, A., R.J. Holden, A. Williamsson, and L. Dellve. 2016. Case Study of Three Swedish Hospitals’ Strategies for Implementing Lean Production. Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies 6: 105–131. https://doi.org/10.19154/njwls.v6i1.4912.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gittell, J.H. 2009. High Performance Healthcare: Using the Power of Relationships to Achieve Quality, Efficiency and Resilience. New York: McGraw Hill Professional.

    Google Scholar 

  • Granovetter, M. 1973. The Strength of Weak Ties. American Journal of Sociology 78: 1360–1380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenleaf, R.K. 1970/2010. The Servant as Leader. Westfield: The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1972/2009. The Institution as Servant. Westfield: The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunnarsdóttir, S. 2006. Quality of Working Life and Quality of Care in Icelandic Hospital Nursing (PhD Thesis). London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London. Reykjavík: Institute of Nursing Research University of Iceland.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2011. “Servant Leadership” (in Icelandic). Glíman 8: 245–262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hakanen, Jari, and Dirk van Dierendonck. 2012. Servant Leadership and Life Satisfaction. The Meditating Role of Justice, Job Control and Burnout. International Journal of Servant Leadership 8 (11): 253–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasle, P., A.P. Nielsen, and K. Edwards. 2016. Application of Lean Manufacturing in Hospitals-the Need to Consider Maturity, Complexity, and the Value Concept: Application of Lean Manufacturing in Hospitals. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries 26 (4): 430–442. https://doi.org/10.1002/hfm.20668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, M.A., and M.D. Comer. 2010. Start with Humility: Lessons from America’s Quiet CEOs on How to Build Trust and Inspire Followers. Westfield: The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kool, M., and D. van Dierendonck. 2012. Servant Leadership and Commitment to Change, the Mediating Role of Justice and Optimism. Journal of Organizational Change Management 25 (3): 422–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laub, J. 2003. From Paternalism to the Servant Organization: Expanding the Organizational Leadership Assessment (OLA) Model. School of leadership studies. Regent University. Servant leadership research roundtable.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2010. The Servant Organization. In Servant Leadership: Developments in Theory and Research, ed. D. van Dierendonck and K. Patterson, 105–117. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, T., R. Suddaby, and B. Leca. 2011. Institutional Work: Refocusing Institutional Studies of Organization. Journal of Management Inquiry 20 (1): 52–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Losada, M., and E. Heaphy. 2004. The Role of Positivity and Connectivity in the Performance of Business Teams: A Nonlinear Dynamics Model. American Behavioral Scientist 47 (6): 740–765.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noteboom, B. 2002. Trust: Forms, Foundations, Functions, Failures and Figures. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Olesen, K.G., E. Thoft, P. Hasle, and T.S. Kristensen. 2008. Virksomhedens sociale kapital – Hvidbog. Copenhagen: Arbejdsmiljørådet.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pejtersen, J.H., T.S. Kristensen, V. Borg, and J.B. Bjorner. 2009. The Second Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 38 (3): 8–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494809349858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prosser, S. 2010. Servant Leadership: More Philosophy, Less Theory. Westfield: The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R.D. 1995. Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital. Journal of Democracy 6 (1): 65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rafnsdóttir, H., S. Gunnarsdóttir, and R.H. Arnardóttir. 2011. “Leadership and Performance in Nursing: Staff Perception of Servant Leadership, Job Satisfaction, Job Related Factors and Service Quality at Akureyri hospital” (in Icelandic). Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga 91 (4): 8–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strömgren, M., A. Eriksson, D. Bergman, and L. Dellve. 2016. Social Capital Among Healthcare Professionals: A Prospective Study of Its Importance for Job Satisfaction, Work Engagement and Engagement in Clinical Improvements. International Journal of Nursing Studies 53 (1): 116–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strömgren, M., A. Eriksson, L. Ahlstrom, D. Bergman, and L. Dellve. 2017. Leadership Quality: A Factor Important for Social Capital in Healthcare Organizations. Journal of Health Organization and Management 31 (2): 175–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tengblad, S., ed. 2012. The Work of Managers: Towards a Practice Theory of Management. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2017. Management Practice – The Doing of Management. In The Oxford Handbook of Management, ed. A. Wilkinson, S.J. Armstrong, and Michael Lounsbury, 325–342. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Dierendonck, D. 2011. Servant Leadership: A Review and Synthesis. Journal of Management 37 (4): 1228–1261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wikström, E., and L. Dellve. 2009. Contemporary Leadership in Healthcare Organizations: Fragmented or Concurrent Leadership and Desired Support. Journal of Health Organization and Management 23: 411–428. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777260910979308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamsson, A., L. Dellve, and A. Karltun. 2015. Visual Management in Hospitals During Organizational Developments – Benefits and Contributions for Working Conditions and Efficacy. 9th NOVO Symposium, November 12–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winkel, J., K. Edwards, B.D. Birgisdóttir, and S. Gunnarsdóttir. 2015. Facilitating and Inhibiting Factors in Change Processes Based on the Lean Tool “Value Stream Mapping”: An Exploratory Case Study at Hospital Wards. International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics 3 (3/4): 291–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woolcock, M. 1998. Social Capital and Economic Development: Toward a Theoretical Synthesis and Policy Framework. Theory and Society 27 (2): 151–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Gunnarsdóttir, S., Edwards, K., Dellve, L. (2018). Improving Health Care Organizations Through Servant Leadership. In: van Dierendonck, D., Patterson, K. (eds) Practicing Servant Leadership. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75644-8_14

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics