title: Leading article: how can I optimise my role as a leader within the surgical team?
abstract: Leadership is uncommonly taught formally at any level in surgical training, and is not often evaluated formally either within assessment programmes or during appraisal. Good leadership skills in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) include professionalism, technical competence, motivation, innovation, ability to communicate, resilience, and effective teaching. They also include the recognition of when and how to "follow" when appropriate. Such skills can be developed through experience, observation, and education using a framework that can include mentoring, coaching, and feedback. This review provides some guidance in how to improve leadership skills in OMFS, which we hope will to improve the quality of training and care of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Torbay Hospital, Torquay, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon, Maxillofacial Unit, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Acre St, Lindley, Huddersfield, HD3 3EA; Secondary Care Consultant, Leeds South and East Commissioning Group, Thorpe Park, 3200 Century Way, Leeds, LS15 8ZB.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Airbus A330 Senior Training Captain, London UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reynard
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK. Electronic address: Peter.brennan@porthosp.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Brennan
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D057909:Orthognathic Surgery
keywords: Health care provision; Human factors; Leadership; OMFS; Patient safety; Team working