Healthcare administrator leadership skills are important factors to demonstrate to future employers when looking for a position. In addition to the right education and experience to meet the qualifications and requirements of a position, these leadership skills will help a healthcare administrator be successful at work.
Leading by Example
By exemplifying the qualities and traits that can create a positive work environment and help an organization meet its goals, a healthcare administrator can encourage employees to follow suit. Such qualities as honesty, ethics, showing and giving respect, being confident, and having integrity while making fair decisions based on the good of the organization and the community are all qualities that will help lead a healthcare organization to excellence.
The focus in healthcare, whatever the organization or position, is on positive implementation of practices that lead to the best possible patient care and care delivery. When situations that require ethical choices, mutual respect, and confidence arise, employees are likely to follow the lead of an administrator when handling the issue.
Leading with Knowledge
Understanding of the healthcare system overall as well as the specific functions and operations of individual organizations is another leadership skill that healthcare administrators must have. With knowledge of everything from how to meet financial outcomes to managing conflict to designing the information systems to deliver outstanding care, healthcare administrators are able to make the decisions needed to reach organizational goals and inspire a team of employees. Additional information on specific knowledge needed for various healthcare administration positions can be found on the Health Care Administrators Association website.
Related Resource: How To Start a Career In Healthcare Administration
Leadership for Meeting Organizational Goals, Objectives, and Missions
Through leadership, healthcare administrators are able to create a shared vision and encourage performance in employees. Communication is one skill that is perhaps at the top of the list in this category of leadership skills, including everything from interpersonal communication skills to oral and written communication abilities.
Negotiation, facilitation, and delegation are also high priorities in this category of skill sets. These skills are of upmost importance when working directly with employees in particular because they offer the opportunity for healthcare administrators or managers to make necessary changes in policy or operations to best meet the organization's mission.
Leadership Styles
Having the ability to change leadership styles based on situations is also a helpful leadership skill to take into a healthcare administration position. Often, the top eight identified leadership styles charisma, innovation, command and control, pace setter, laissez-faire, servant, situational, and transformational. Situations and employee relationships might require a different approach in order to most successfully complete a task, make a decision, implement a change, or perform another aspect of management of staff and operations.
Additional information on the different styles of leadership can be found in the "8 Common Leadership Styles" article at the American Society of Association Executives website.
Healthcare administration is an in-demand field that gives professionals the opportunity to help others while having a personally satisfying career. When building a resume and a portfolio to begin looking for a position, the healthcare administrator leadership skills that will benefit an organization are some of the top examples to include.