This paper examines the internal dynamics of healthcare professional workgroups and highlights leadership behaviors that maximize the benefits of professional diversity to enhance the quality of care. A review of recent literature on leadership, diversity in healthcare teams, and performance outcomes—particularly regarding quality of care—provides valuable insights. Findings suggest that sub-group categorization is a key process that shapes diversity in these teams. However, when leaders cultivate a shared perception of inclusiveness, they can mitigate the prominence of these sub-groups, fostering a psychologically safe environment and promoting workgroup inclusion. This approach enables team members to contribute more effectively and ultimately improve the quality of care. By identifying critical diversity-related processes within healthcare teams and examining the role of inclusive leadership, this paper provides a new framework for future research on leadership and quality of care. The proposed model provides a strategic foundation for leaders to harness professional diversity within healthcare teams to enhance patient care.
