Document Type
Brief Report
Abstract
Introduction: Leadership development is increasingly recognized as an important strategy for supporting workforce engagement, professional growth, and succession planning in healthcare settings. To address leadership development needs within Food, Nutrition, and Patient Transportation (FNPT) departments, a structured leadership development program, LeadForward, was developed for emerging and midlevel leaders.
Project Description: LeadForward was implemented within the FNPT departments at a comprehensive cancer center. Ten participants completed the inaugural cohort. The curriculum was organized into 6 instructional modules designed to develop leadership competencies among emerging and midlevel leaders. Leadership outcomes were assessed using pre- and postprogram self-assessments across 14 leadership competency domains. Nine-month follow-up data were collected to evaluate participant career progression and professional outcomes. Participants demonstrated improvements in self-reported leadership competencies following program completion. At 1 year of follow-up, 30% of the participants had been promoted, 30% assumed expanded leadership responsibilities, and 80% remained employed within the organization. Lessons learned informed expansion of the program to the divisional level, including integration with the institutional Leadership Institute curriculum, updated instructional materials, and broader participant representation.
Conclusion: Initial program outcomes suggest that department-based leadership development is a feasible approach to strengthening leadership capacity and supporting professional growth among emerging and midlevel leaders. The LeadForward model offers a practical, scalable framework that may be adapted by other healthcare organizations seeking to strengthen leadership competencies, support succession planning, and foster positive workplace cultures.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Bryant LA, Marshall D, Williams L, Phillips MM. LeadForward: A Department-Based Leadership Development Program to Support Workforce Well-Being. Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement. 2026; 2(2).
Included in
Leadership Studies Commons, Medical Education Commons, Oncology Commons, Organization Development Commons, Quality Improvement Commons, Training and Development Commons
