Purpose: The overall purpose of the article was to study how doctors practise leadership in multidisciplinary teams. The article seeks to answer the question: Which approach do doctors use to lead multidisciplinary psychiatric teams?

Methodology: Six psychiatric teams were studied at a university hospital. Each team was followed for eighteen months. Data were collected during a period of four years (2008–2011). Data were collected through interviews with doctors (n = 19) and observations (n = 30) of doctors’ work in a multidisciplinary psychiatric team.

Findings: Doctors in a multidisciplinary team use either self-imposed or involuntary leadership. Oscillating between these two extremes is called reversible leadership.

Research limitations: The study was performed at a psychiatric ward during treatment conferences in a university hospital. This limitation means that there is cause for some caution in interpreting the results.

Practical implications: The results are useful for understanding leadership in multidisciplinary teams within the health and medical care system. The reversible leadership means that doctors can more easily oscillate from difficult situations and deal with internal tensions, facilitating leadership and management of the multidisciplinary team in the intended direction.

Originality / value: Doctors in multidisciplinary psychiatric teams use reversible leadership.