An organization that has strong leadership focused on improvement has the will to make changes, innovative ideas on which to base the design of an improved product or system, and the capability to execute the changes so that sustainable improvement results.

Will, ideas, and execution are the outcomes of a strong leadership process. What are the elements of that process?

Members of API, in cooperation with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) (www.IHI.org), are defining a leadership system by interviewing effective leaders and recalling the actions of effective leaders with whom we have worked. At present, the processes in the system have been classified into two categories: those relating to the leader’s personal preparation, for example, establishing operating values, and those relating to enhancing the leader’s impact on the organization, for example, developing future leaders.