The Relationship Between Leadership Styles Based on the DISC Model and Conflict Management: A Cross Sectional in Hospital Setting.

BACKGROUND: Leadership styles and conflict management strategies are key factors in improving organizational performance and enhancing the quality of healthcare services. Given the complexity of hospital systems, understanding the interaction between leadership styles and conflict management is of particular importance for hospital managers. This study aimed to examine the relationship between leadership styles based on the DISC model and conflict management strategies among senior, middle, and operational managers in hospitals. METHODS: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 among a sample of 248 senior, middle, and operational hospital managers in western Iran. Data were collected using the standardized DISC personality assessment and the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI). Data analysis was performed using independent t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression in SPSS version 26 with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The highest mean scores for conflict management strategies were observed in the areas of accommodation (18.69) and avoidance (17.95). Among leadership styles, conscientious (15.27) and steadiness (14.84) were the most prevalent. Significant differences were found between management levels in conflict management strategies; senior managers showed a greater tendency toward collaboration, while middle managers more frequently adopted avoidance. Correlation analysis revealed that the dominant style was positively associated with collaboration, and the conscientious style was positively associated with avoidance. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that leadership styles based on the DISC model are significantly associated with conflict management strategies. Developing targeted training programs to strengthen collaboration and compromise strategies, along with integrating the DISC model into leadership development initiatives, may improve performance and enhance the quality of hospital services.