The Importance of Developing Athletic Training Leadership Behaviors

Abstract

Context: Health care professionals such as athletic trainers (ATs) and athletic training educators should embrace contemporary leadership theories and practice leadership behaviors essential to professional responsibility. Objective: This commentary discusses leadership behavior trends and the need for leadership development in professional athletic training education curricula and continuing education. Background: Traditional leadership theories focused on trait-based and "Great Man" characteristics. These theories suggest that leaders arise only through inherent or inherited leader-like behaviors. In contrast, contemporary leadership theories suggest that leaders can be developed and better promote the collegial leader-follower exchange that is needed to motivate, encourage, and support followers as well as a profession. Synthesis: Contemporary leadership theories involve a leader-follower relationship that integrates a teamwork approach into the workplace setting. Athletic trainers practice leadership behaviors but are less likely to demonstrate leadership characteristics when not practicing in their AT roles. Existing evidence suggests that contemporary leadership development can be helpful in athletic training to identify and develop future leaders, to promote the profession, and to improve patient outcomes. Results: Transformational, team-centered leadership styles provide a growing opportunity for practicing ATs and athletic training students to expand into greater organizational leadership and decision-maker roles. Recommendation(s): Athletic trainer leadership knowledge, skills, and abilities development and professional responsibility should be emphasized more in professional athletic training educational programs and continuing education. Conclusion(s): Leadership behaviors that are effectively integrated into athletic training educational programs early and often may promote the profession by concurrently improving clinical and professional practice behaviors. Athletic trainers should practice leadership behaviors with greater frequency in differing societal constructs, communities, and complex health care systems.