Abstract:

We will present a conceptual educational and training model to promote ethical strengths-based leadership development to advance global health equity. It is imperative that public health professionals, researchers, clinicians and policy makers embrace lead roles to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor concerning health issues, by promoting health equity and setting guidelines for global health initiatives.

In order to address the plight of health inequities, social injustice must be expanded to reach people on a larger scale which is more inclusive and less exclusive. We need ethical leaders that will actively promote the three principles of action:
1) enhance daily living conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age;
2) address inequitable distribution of power, money, and resources; and
3) accurately measure the issues, assess action plans, increase the knowledge base, create a workforce of persons trained in social determinants of health, and increase awareness about social determinants of health.

Moreover, one of the overarching goals for Health People 2020, a framework in the United States, is to “achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups”. This can be accomplished with ethical public health leaders at the helm. In the Institute of Medicine’s landmark report, The Future of Public Health one major issue promoted was “the need for leaders is too great to leave their emergence to chance”. Moreover, we contend that principles espoused in the book, Ethical Leadership: The Quest for Character, Civility and Community are essential to progressive innovative approaches and initiatives to build healthier communities. It is critical that leaders adopt leadership principles inclusive of:
(1) insight-the importance of self-awareness, personal biases, and having empathy for others circumstances;
(2) integrity-ethical governance and developing congruence between one’s own values and one’s actions;
(3) synergy-learning the ability to work cooperatively and effectively with others in ways that empower individuals to use their gifts and make contributions that can benefit all parties;
(4) sharing the “commitment to action”-developing the motivation to translate knowledge into action, foster buy-in and support, and to become actively involved in individual and collaborative efforts to foster personal and social change; and
(5) impact-promoting positive civic engagement and social responsibility through an ethic of service and a concern for justice.

It will require focused training in these domains for community leaders to advance health equity. Examples of model leadership development programs are within the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) in the United States. Educational training for effective and ethical leadership development among diverse individuals is a critical key to success in the quest for building healthier communities. In order to encourage community health and ethical responsibility for future health care providers, researchers, and public health professionals, priority regarding leadership training is critical.

Keywords:

Leadership Development Training, Advancing Global Health Equity.