Knowledge of what has to be achieved allows leaders to assess their capability and progress towards the achievement of high level leaderships skills. Multi-dimensional feedback on the individual leader's performance is essential to a leader's development plan. The assessment should be conducted individually and with the assistance of the individual's supervisor, their peers and possibly their subordinates. To assist individual leaders to assess broad leadership competencies, a matrix of competencies for Queensland Health leaders is at Table 1 . Return to the top of the page Making the transition to leadership - styles Leadership is not an easy role to fulfil.
Successful leadership is as much about style as it is about skills, knowledge and aptitude.
Leadership style describes the behaviours leaders choose as the ones they use predominantly to achieve outcomes. Some leaders find that styles inherited from the organisation's culture, a mentor or a course of study in leadership do not suit their own preference, the people or the situations a unique role presents to them. Leaders also find that from time to time, their leadership style does not produce the expected outcome. This commonly results in leaders either questioning their own ability or criticising the ability of staff to respond to direction. Leadership responses can range from dysfunctionality, to denial, to coping.