Leading Public Health: A Competency Framework

James Begun and Jan Malcolm combine the wisdom of an academic and a practitioner to provide a comprehensive, accessible guide to impactful public health leadership. It is timely because now more than ever the stakes and oppotunities are high. A must-read for any aspiring Public Health leader."

Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD
President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Leaders of population/public health programs and organizations face many complex challenges. The authors of this book introduce key strategies for meeting these challenges. Their approach is creative and foundational, addressing both the art and the science of leading in public health."

Stephen W. Wyatt, DMD, MPH
Professor and Dean, University of Kentucky College of Public Health President, Council on Education for Public Health

If we are to remove barriers to better health gain, not just health care, we need more of our public health leaders in the US and in the other 199 countries of the world to read this text. As the US struggles to balance its resource investments for health, we need leaders that understand and practice the insights captured in this valuable book. Knowledge, practices, power and smart strategy can be mined from the pages. You should begin that mining process now."

James A. Rice, PhD
Director, Global USAID Health Leadership Project for Leadership, Management and Governance

Leading Public Health is intended to equip current and aspiring public health leaders with the knowledge and competencies they need to mobilize people, organizations, and communities to successfully tackle tough public health challenges. Designed specifically for graduate students and practitioners of public health, the book highlights the aspects of leadership unique to this field. Building on several existing competency-based models, the book focuses on preparing public health professionals to invigorate bold(er) pursuit of population health, engage diverse others in public health initiatives, effectively wield power, prepare for surprise in public health work, and drive for execution and continuous improvement in public health programs and organizations. It is based on research from leadership theory and practice and combines the viewpoint of a prominent scholar with that of a seasoned practitioner.

Based on the premise that public health as a field is undervalued in health policy and practice, the book addresses the need for more informed and proactive public health leadership and describes the values, traits, and knowledge that undergird such leadership. At its heart are detailed examinations of 25 specific competencies required for effective public health leadership. Written in accessible and engaging language, the book includes 19 case studies and multiple examples from public health practice to demonstrate the successful application of leadership competencies. With an eye to the future, the book also includes content on emerging public health challenges, complexity science, innovation, resilience, quality improvement, and leading during unexpected events.

• Empowers public health students and practitioners with leadership knowledge and competencies
• Examines 25 specific competencies required for effective public health leadership
• Combines the expertise of an academic and a practicing health care leader
• Provides abundant case examples from public health practice
• Presents leadership development as a lifelong process

James W. Begun, PhD, is James A. Hamilton Professor of Healthcare Management in the Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota.

Jan K. Malcolm is Vice President, Public Affairs, for Allina Health, a network of 12 hospitals and more than 90 clinics in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Ms. Malcolm served as Commissioner of Health for the State of Minnesota from 1999-2003 under Governor Jesse Ventura.