What Makes a Leader: Identifying the Strengths of Canadian Physical Therapists

PURPOSE: To identify the personal strengths of Canadian physical therapists who hold leadership positions and compare them with the strengths of Canadian physical therapists who do not occupy positions of leadership. METHODS: A quantitative, cross-sectional online survey was distributed to registered Canadian physical therapists. We used the Clifton StrengthsFinder to evaluate 34 characteristics and determine which characteristics described a participant's strengths. Population demographics and leadership strengths were described via frequency distributions and percentages; chi-square analyses and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare differences between groups. RESULTS: Of 173 physical therapists who completed the survey, 108 occupied a position of leadership, and 65 did not. Those in the leader group had significantly more experience and achieved a higher level of education. Leaders most frequently exhibited the strengths of learner, achiever, responsibility, input, and strategic, whereas non-leaders most frequently displayed strengths of learner, achiever, input, relator, and harmony. Leaders were significantly more likely than non-leaders to possess the achiever strength. Gender, level of education, and years of experience did not significantly influence which strengths were present in the leadership profile. CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial overlap between leaders and non-leaders in terms of leadership profiles. Future research should investigate whether leadership strengths vary depending on the leadership position occupied and whether leadership development initiatives promote leadership strengths.