Diagnosing Identity Threat in Emergency Physician Servant Leaders

Emergency physicians lead in an extreme, dynamic work environment. In this context, leaders who are servant-orientated may experience leader identity threat where they are devalued, demeaned or disempowered as leaders who serve others. Participants reported leader identity threat, but only when they were burnt out and less busy at work. They described internal struggles, conflicts with others, and a challenging work culture. Through diagnosing this phenomenon within frontline healthcare professionals, this research highlights the risks that 'failing to lead and serve' poses to their leadership and wellbeing, and calls on healthcare organisations to develop and support their leaders.