Recognizing that leadership is instrumental in achieving successful quality improvement (QI) initiatives, USAID’s Health Care Improvement Initiative attempted to clarify how leadership impacts QI program effectiveness. EnCompass conducted a study to identify the leadership traits and behaviors associated with effective and sustainable implementation of quality improvement in health care delivery in Honduras and Niger. The results found that a leader’s commitment, integrity, action/results orientation, collaboration, participatory orientation, relationship and influence skills, and learning orientation are important factors in effective leadership.

Photo c/o USAID via Creative Commons