Healthcare Management - How to be a Leader in Healthcare

Quality healthcare management is critical to the ongoing strength of the healthcare industry.

In order to continue to provide effective health services and outstanding patient care, healthcare managers must also be good leaders.

Healthcare Management - What is Leadership?

There is a distinct difference between a leader and a manager. A manager gets things done. A leader inspires you to get things done.

Think about authority figures you’ve had in the past. Very quickly, you’ll be able to roughly divide them into managers and leaders. The health industry is outstanding in its production of good leaders. A combination of stress, immense expertise requirements and significant levels of responsibility tends to produce some very well-rounded leaders.

A good leader achieves a few things to a higher degree than a good manager. Among other things, a good leader:

• Motivates employees.

• Guides employees.

• Builds morale.

• Has a clear vision.

These are the workplace skills that you need to cultivate in order to become a good leader and an effective manager. If you want to develop yourself and end up with a healthcare management job, it’s important to actively focus on improving your leadership skills.

Healthcare Management - Traits Required

Most healthcare management jobs require a number of personality traits in order to be performed successfully. Foremost among these are:

• Self-confidence

• Good problem-solving skills

• Ability

• Honesty

• Integrity

• Assertiveness

No single trait can identify a leader. Usually, the best leaders will possess a number of these traits and use them in combination to achieve business goals.

Personal traits alone are not enough for leaders to accomplish their objectives. Particularly in the healthcare industry, managers and leaders must strive to develop professional skills and relationships with key parties in order to achieve their goals.

Good Healthcare Management - 5 Practices

There are five key practices that allow leaders to go the extra mile in their organisations. These five practices are often displayed by outstanding healthcare managers and are worth keeping in mind as you develop your career.

1. Model the Way. When the going gets tough, leaders step out to the front of the pack. A good leader will always get their hands dirty. A boss tells people what to do. A leader shows them that it can be done.

2. Inspire a Shared Vision. Great leaders dictate the culture of their subordinates and those around them. Having a vision is a key aspect of being a good leader. Whether that vision involves strategic goals of the business, personal KPIs, or the development of employees, it helps if it is clearly understood by the leader. Furthermore, it must be communicated to all team members.

3. Challenge the Process. The healthcare industry is quite notorious for outdated processes. Good leaders critically analyse the way things are done. They don’t accept “that’s just how we’ve always done it”. If you want to pursue a career as a healthcare manager, find some outdated processes and suggest simple improvements.

4. Enable Others to Act. Ever really wanted to do a job but could never get the tools to do it? Good leaders make sure that their employees can always get things done. They equip their team with the tools and methods to solve any problem.

5. Encourage the Heart. Sharing glory and recognition for achievement is one of the key factors in improving team productivity. Great leaders allow their followers to receive thanks and admiration for their hard work and also avoid involving them in disappointments or setbacks.

Among these five practices, “model the way” is by far the most important. Great leaders lead. They’re out in front, showing their followers how it’s done.

Leadership is a skill. It must be developed and carefully cultivated. Some people are naturally better at certain aspects of leadership. However, anyone can learn and practice the skills required to be a great leader.

If you think you have what it takes to be a leader and want to pursue a career in healthcare management, check out our Diploma of Practice Management. It will equip you with a great foundation to develop the leadership skills you’ll need throughout your career as a Practice Manager or Health Administration Manager. Find out more. Call 1300 616 197 today.

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