Leadership and Chairing Styles in Cancer Multidisciplinary Teams: Balancing Collaboration and Efficiency.

Abstract

Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and their meetings are central to cancer care and other chronic conditions: promoting treatment standardization, reducing geographical variability, and improving patient outcomes. However, increasing complexity, workload pressures, and resource constraints require effective leadership and chairing. Leadership sets strategic goals, shapes team culture, and drives long-term improvement, while chairing ensures operational efficiency through structured and efficient discussions. These complementary roles demand adaptive styles to balance inclusivity and efficiency within and beyond meetings. Transformational and facilitative leadership inspire innovation and collaboration, while directive approaches help maintain focus in high-pressure contexts. Human factors, including cognitive fatigue and authority gradients, influence MDT dynamics, highlighting the need for workflow optimization, shared responsibilities, and fatigue management. Equally important is empowering followers through training in communication and collaborative skills, which further mitigates power imbalances. By aligning chairing and leadership styles with meeting demands and integrating supportive technologies, MDTs can sustain their pivotal role in patient-centred care and achieve both strategic and operational success in cancer treatment planning.