The Effect of Self-Leadership on the Innovative Career Performance of Faculty Members at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences: The Mediating Role of Professional Development

Background
The universities of medical sciences and health services play a crucial role in providing various healthcare services, including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliation. Additionally, they are entrusted with the important tasks of education and research in medical sciences at a high level. On the other hand, medical universities face challenges such as technological advancements, evolving student demographics, and stakeholder demands for new educational materials and up-to-date health services. Additionally, the need to focus on the country's essential health needs, the promotion of the university's standing among universities of the third millennium, and the emergence of new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies have emphasized the importance of innovation in education and research at the university. Research and development departments in universities prioritize innovation to enhance education and optimize learning processes.

The contents suggested that faculty members' innovative performance is significant in medical sciences universities. Various factors, both at the individual and organizational levels, can impact job innovation. The present study aimed to explore the impact of self-leadership and professional development variables on innovative performance in a structural model, particularly among faculty members of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

Methods
The current study employed a quantitative approach with a practical purpose. The research was descriptive and correlational, utilizing structural equation modeling. We focused on the faculty members of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences during the academic year 2021-2022. According to the statistical resources, there were 793 faculty members at the university in the mentioned period. As per Morgan's table, the sample size consisted of 260 individuals. The research employed the stratified random sampling method. The proposed hypotheses for this research were as follows:

1) Self-leadership plays a role in the innovative career performance of the faculty members.

2) Self-leadership is important in the professional growth of the faculty members.

3) Professional growth contributes to the innovative career performance of faculty members.

4) Professional development mediates the association between self-leadership and innovative career success among the faculty members.

To collect the required data, we used the standard questionnaire of occupational innovation developed by Etlai and Akif (1982), the professional development questionnaire of faculty members developed by Davarpanah (2018), and the self-leadership questionnaire developed by Rahimi, et al. (2019).

To analyze the research data, the SPSS 23 software was first used to verify the normality of the studied variables. Since the skewness and kurtosis of all research components were in the range of (2 and -2), it was presumed that the distribution of the relevant variables was normal. In addition, the normality and linearity of the regression residuals, as well as the scatter diagram, which appear as part of the output findings, were utilized to check the normality, linearity, homogeneity of dispersion, outlier data, and the independence of the residuals. The histogram also revealed that the results were normally and appropriately distributed.

AMOS software Ver. 23 was utilized to calculate "structural equation modeling", employing a combination of route analysis, causal modeling using latent variables, and multiple regressions. SPSS Ver. 23 was used to prepare the data. AMOS was used for theoretical model formulation, diagnosis, estimation, testing, adjustment, and final validation.

Results

According to the correlation matrix table, there was a direct and significant relationship between professional development, self-leadership, and inventive performance. Self-leadership latent factor measuring scale factor loadings ranged from 0.56 to 0.83, while professional development factor loadings ranged from 0.64 to 0.92. The following indicators were utilized in this model to validate the results. Model indicators before the screening: GFI = 0.88, AGFI = 0.79, CFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.136, and Chi/df = 5.93. Thus, the measurement models fit well based on the results of confirmatory factor analysis and assessment indices. The Cronbach's alpha value was 0.82.

The self-leadership coefficient of influence on work innovation was 0.37. The t-statistic for this value was 5.57, which was significant at the level of >0.001, confirming the first assumption of the study. As a result of the structural equation modeling results, self-leadership impacted the innovative career performance of faculty members at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Self-leadership coefficient was 0.38, impacting the professional progress. The t-statistic for this value was 5.23, which was significant at the level of >0.001, confirming the second hypothesis of the study. According to the structural equation modeling results, self-leadership impacted the professional growth of faculty members. Professional development had a 0.31 impact factor on job innovation. The t-statistic for this value was 4.91, which was significant at the level of >0.001, confirming the third hypothesis of the study. According to the structural equation modeling results, professional development impacted the innovative career performance of faculty members.

The indirect effects and corresponding t values of self-leadership (behavior-oriented strategies, natural reward strategies, and constructive thinking strategies) on job innovation with professional development as a mediator were as follows: behavior-oriented strategies (0.79, 1.00), natural reward strategies (0.57, 8.30), and constructive thinking strategies (0.83, 10.56). Given that the indirect effects of these paths are significant at the <0.001 level, professional development's function as a mediator in the relationship between self-leadership and career innovation is confirmed. The results of structural equation modeling confirmed the mediating role of professional development in the relationship between self-leadership and career innovation among the faculty members at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

Conclusion

This study revealed that faculty members' self-leadership and professional development had a positive and statistically significant effect on their innovative career performance. The mediating function of professional development in the relationship between self-leadership and innovative career performance of faculty members was also confirmed. Innovation and promotion of community-oriented medical education substantially can impact the quality of medical services. The presence of creativity and innovation in every field of medical education among faculty members, as well as their innovative performance in implementing change, employing new knowledge, and enhancing processes, can provide a suitable foundation for enhancing the quality of medical education.

Self-directed individuals possess independence, autonomy, internal motivation, and high self-efficacy, all of which have a positive and direct effect on attaining high performance and innovative performance. Faculty members must demonstrate self-leadership due to the sensitivity and complexity of their work environment and the need for self-determination and self-management to effectively address issues and problems, achieve high performance, and demonstrate initiative. Since professional development is attained by developing educational, professional, leadership, and career innovation skills as well as communication skills, the effect of self-leadership on career innovation in physicians and university professors can be strengthened by professional growth and strengthening professional skills.