The orthopedics department at your hospital is thinking about merging with the sports
medicine department, which has in the past shared physicians, physician assistants, and
nursing and support staff, but they have always had their own departmental structures
and leadership. The merger is being considered because the staffs currently share exam
rooms, operating theatres, and many administrative and diagnostic equipment and
procedures. The hospital administration thinks the merger will help save administrative
costs without detriment to patient care. Staff members are nervous about this merger
and wonder if it will cause changes in shifts, long-standing surgical work groups, and
even loss of jobs. You are the leader of the sports medicine department. You have used
adaptive leadership in past challenges and are going to try it now. Apply the adaptive
leadership model to this situation and describe some of the major steps you will take to
deal with this potential merger.
Defend or refute: Although personal attributes are important, it is the leader’s skills that
are most important in addressing organizational problems.