Purpose The purpose of this study is to discern the physicians' perception of leadership effectiveness in their clinical and non-clinical roles (leadership) by identifying their political skill levels. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 209 Canadian physicians was surveyed using the Political Skills Inventory (PSI) during the period 2012-2014. The PSI was chosen because it assesses leadership effectiveness on four dimensions: social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability and apparent authenticity. Findings Physicians in clinical roles' PSI scores were significantly lower in all four PSI dimensions when compared to all other physicians in non-clinical roles, with the principal difference being in their networking abilities. Practical implications More emphasis is needed on educating and training physicians, specifically in the areas of political skills, in current clinical roles if they are to assume leadership roles and be effective. Originality/value Although this study is located in Canada, the study design and associated findings may have implications to other areas and countries wanting to increase physician leadership effectiveness. Further, replication of this study in other settings may provide insight into the future design of physician leadership training curriculum.
Keywords: Clinical leadership; Management effectiveness; Networks; Physician leadership; Political skills.