Healthcare organizations are often guilty of neglecting the development of their managerial workforce. While substantial efforts are dedicated to enhancing clinical capabilities, the same level of attention is not extended to managerial capability. This oversight raises a crucial question: Do Managers in healthcare get a short shrift?
Managers play a pivotal role in healthcare systems, yet their training and growth are often lagging behind. In this context, it is imperative for managers and healthcare organizations alike to recognize several key factors:
Diverse Skill Set: The competencies required as an individual contributor vastly differ from those demanded by managerial roles. Bridging this gap requires more than mere experiential learning on the job. It necessitates structured training, mentoring, coaching, and shadowing.
Earning Credibility: Even well-intentioned managers must go beyond self-perception and actively ‘demonstrate’ personal and professional character to earn credibility. This is necessary in order to enlist the support of subordinates who generally tend to be wary.
Relationship Building: Building relationships with key stakeholders is an essential trait for managers. Without strong connections, the team may lack the necessary resources to achieve results. Managing inter-dependencies is a pathway to success.
Leveraging Progress: Managers can motivate their teams by highlighting successful progress at work. Hence short-term goals are necessary, as they provide an opportunity to celebrate wins, recharge and forge ahead to achieve long-term objectives.
Actions Speak Louder: Communication is most effective when conveyed through deeds. Behaviours/actions that are inconsistent with verbal messages will undermine communication. Congruency between thought, speech and action is important.
The challenges that managers face are exacerbated by healthcare organizations which do not have systematic programs to build managerial capability. Contemporary university based academic courses only focus on entry-level competencies. It is high time that the healthcare sector takes proactive steps to address this gap through progressive initiatives, aimed at equipping managers with the desired knowledge and skills.