AUTHOR=Bürkin Barbara Maria , Czabanowska Katarzyna , Babich Suzanne , Casamitjana Núria , Vicente-Crespo Marta , De Souza Luis Eugenio , Ehrenberg John P. , Hoffmann Axel , Kamath Rajesh , Matthiä Anja , Okumu Fredros , Rutebemberwa Elizeus , Waser Marco , Kuenzli Nino , Bohlius Julia TITLE=Competencies for Transformational Leadership in Public Health—An International Delphi Consensus Study JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health VOLUME=69 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2024.1606267 DOI=10.3389/ijph.2024.1606267 ISSN=1661-8564 ABSTRACT=

Objectives: This Delphi study intended to develop competencies for transformational leadership in public health, including behavioral descriptions (descriptors) tailored to individuals and their contexts.

Methods: The study involved five rounds, including online “e-Delphi” consultations and real-time online workshops with experts from diverse sectors. Relevant competencies were identified through a literature review, and experts rated, ranked, rephrased, and proposed descriptors. The study followed the Guidance on Conducting and REporting DElphi Studies (CREDES) and the COmpeteNcy FramEwoRk Development in Health Professions (CONFERD-HP) reporting guidelines.

Results: Our framework comprises ten competencies for transformational public health leadership (each with its descriptors) within four categories, and also describes a four-stage model for developing relevant competencies tailored to different contexts.

Conclusion: Educators responsible for curriculum design, particularly those aiming to align curricula with local goals, making leadership education context-specific and -sensitive, may benefit from the proposed framework. Additionally, it can help strengthen links between education and workforce sectors, address competency gaps, and potentially reduce the out-migration of graduates in the health professions.