title: Towards a model of surgeons' leadership in the operating room.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is widespread recognition that leadership skills are essential for effective performance in the workplace, but the evidence detailing effective leadership behaviours for surgeons during operations is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Boolean searches of four on-line databases and detailed hand search of relevant references were conducted. A four stage screening process was adopted stipulating that articles presented empirical data on surgeons' intraoperative leadership behaviours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ten relevant articles were identified and organised by method of investigation into (i) observation, (ii) questionnaire and (iii) interview studies. This review summarises the limited literature on surgeons' intraoperative leadership, and proposes a preliminary theoretically based structure for intraoperative leadership behaviours. This structure comprises seven categories with corresponding leadership components and covers two overarching themes related to task- and team-focus. Selected leadership theories which may be applicable to the operating room environment are also discussed. Further research is required to determine effective intraoperative leadership behaviours for safe surgical practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland AB24 3FX, UK. sarah.henrickson.parker@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henrickson Parker
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yule
authors.forename: Rhona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flin
authors.forename: Aileen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKinley
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration