Assistant Professor of Pediatrics University of Minnesota University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Background: Authentic leadership is associated with improved professional relationships, higher levels of trust, enhanced productivity, and less burn out. “NeoLEAD” is a curriculum developed for neonatal perinatal medicine (NPM) trainees to bridge gaps in leadership training. Local NPM fellowship programs may address this unmet need. Objective: Determine trainee authentic leadership self-efficacy across 2 years of a 3-year NPM trainee leadership curriculum. Design/Methods: A 3-year curriculum, “NeoLEAD,” was developed and embedded within the curriculum for NPM trainees at a single academic center, with data analysis completed after 2 years. Workshop participation was mandatory, survey completion was voluntary. Individual surveys assessed leadership self-efficacy (annual pre- and post-curriculum authentic leadership questionnaire (ALQ)) and satisfaction of each session. Validated ALQ includes 16 Likert-type questions (1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree; score range 16-80) among 4 sub-scales: self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing, and relational transparency. ALQ analysis included individual, sub-scale, and total scores with descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA repeated measures to evaluate differences between groups and over time (mean + SD; t0=baseline, t1=1-year completion, t2=2-year completion). Results: 12 participants representing all training years agreed (98%) that session objectives were met and will apply objectives during their NPM career (median session response rate 85%). Overall leadership self-efficacy increased with duration of curriculum (ALQ scores: t0 57.6 +/- 3.2, t1 59.9 +/- 3.6, t2 63.0 +/- 3.6, p=0.03, Figure 1A); sub-scale scores increased for self-awareness (p=0.09) and relational transparency (p=0.06) and remained stable for internalized moral perspective and balanced processing (Figures 1B-E). Baseline ALQ scores were lowest for “I do not allow group pressure to control me” and highest for “My actions reflect my core values” and “My morals guide what I do as a leader”.
Conclusion(s): NPM trainees had increased self-efficacy in authentic leadership following a well-regarded first 2 years of NeoLEAD curriculum. Future work includes qualitative analysis specifically examining curricular influence on trainee leadership development and expansion to other sites.
