Objective: To describe the style and effectiveness (adaptability) of the leadership of coordinators of an autonomous community according to the model of leadership on the ground, analysing its relationship with the work environment.
Design: Observational crossover study.
Setting: All the functioning teams in this community.
Participants: Medical and nursing coordinators.
Measurements and main results: Hersey and Blanchard's questionnaire on leadership on the ground was employed. This identifies 1) the predominant style (scoring for style 0-12). On the approach of the coordinator to personal relationships and/or task development, it identifies 4 points: direction, persuasion, participation, delegation. 2) Adaptability of the manager (ranging from +24 to -24), based on that the best choice between different options depends on the maturity of the group. To contrast work environment and leadership, a validated questionnaire, adapted to our milieu, was used. Overall reply rate (51 coordinators) was 89.4%. Analysis of styles was: persuasive 5.05 points (SD = 1.25), participatory 4.74 (SD 1.76), directive 1.2 (SD 1.11) and delegating 0.34 (SD 0.68). Adaptability scored 8.38 points (SD = 4.67), and was greater for the nursing coordinators (p < 0.002) without differences for type, place or teaching qualifications. The work environment, both overall and by dimensions, correlated with adaptability, although no relationship was found with leaders' styles.
Conclusions: Leadership adaptability was quite high and greater in nursing. The most prevalent styles were the persuasive and the participatory, more efficacious in teams of average maturity. Theoretical effectiveness was positively related to a better work environment.