Introduction
When one takes a new responsibility as a manager in any organization, he or she is usually optimistic of steering such an organization towards achievement of its objectives. However, these hopes might be unrealistic and unachievable because of several challenges that these new managers face within the organization. For instance, a new manager may notice some defective way in how things are run in an institution. From this standpoint, he or she may want to rectify the situation. Assuming that what seems correct in his or her eyes is correct with the other people; he or she may go ahead and respond appropriately by implementing certain changes. It is important to note at this point that, people are different and consequently, have different opinions regarding any given issue. Moreover, people are used to working under established protocols and any drastic change may not go well with people affected by the change (Clemmer 2009). Change is good; however, it should be gradual for people to adapt. Consultations are very important to ensure that other people’s opinions are considered in decision-making.
On the other side, new mangers have numerous opportunities to establish themselves and deliver results as they move up the corporate ladder. However, opportunities are like knives and it depends on where you hold them by; you handle them by the blade, they cut you; you handle them by the handle, they become a powerful and useful tool. This paper deals with challenges and opportunities faced by new mangers in social care services. It looks into a case whereby, Tracy, a former practice receptionist becomes a frontline practice manager in a local surgery department. She realizes that the protocols used in this department are time consuming and superannuated. Without consulting the junior workers or any other person, she goes ahead and makes some changes that she feels are necessary to streamline service delivery in that department. Regrettably, two months down the line she realizes that her implementations are not working. Opposition flows from every quarter of that department and no one seems to adopt the new changes made. Actually, people submit a humble request for her to restore things to the former status. What is the challenge here? Is there any opportunity in the same situation?
Challenge Faced
The outstanding challenge in Tracy’s case is transition from a receptionist practitioner to a frontline manager practitioner. This challenge spreads out through healthcare systems not in Tracy’s case alone. In principle, new managers assume office from other departments, which in most cases are lower positions. The new job comes with new responsibilities and duties (Reynolds, Henderson, Sedden, Charlesworth, & Bullman 2003). To understand, the challenge of transition better, let us look into the duties that a new manager is expected to carry out. As a manager, one is expected to work closely with other General practitioners. This involves attending several practice meetings to gain management skills to run the business side of practice efficiently and competently. Despite these meetings, the manager is expected to give practitioners enough time to focus on patient care. Another duty of this new manager is to run the whole staff within the practice domain ranging from secretaries through nurses to other clinicians among other staff members. Generally, this position cuts across all management frontiers.
In this context, the new manager may lack knowledge on issues pertaining to doctors and nurses’ practice. The challenge of transition encompasses lack of knowledge on pertinent issues concerning what someone is dealing with. Due to lack of knowledge on basic management skills, coupled with pressures to deliver results makes the transitions phase a challenge. This fact makes a new manager to make misinformed changes followed with immediate implementation of the same. These changes results to rejection from workers working under this manager (Schuler & Psy 2009). For instance, in Tracy’s case, she went ahead and started fixing what appeared to her as defective and outdated working procedures. This was a smart move and if things worked out for her favour, she could have streamlined the surgery department within months. However, her move faced immediate rejection from the very people who were supposed to be behind her in implementing the changes. This misinformed standpoint was a direct progeny of lack of management knowledge that was eminent in Tracy’s move was embodied on transition challenge. Why do people reject change that is supposed to be positive?
Well, Plamping (1998) posits employees perceive that by accepting changes, they are assuming a risk, since they are not aware as to whether the effected changes will bear any fruits. Managing to convince the administration as well as general staff that the changes will definitely be productive becomes insurmountable. The staff will only be ready to accept changes if they feel that what they have been practicing harbours some risk to them, or to the organization (Henderson & Atkinson 2003, p. 243). Accepting to adopt changes involves taking risks. For managers to effect changes within organizations without much resistance from the employees, they should apply management skills. Unfortunately, this factor is conspicuously missing among many managers like in the case of Tracy. Decision-making and implementation of new strategies involves creating a rapport between the involved parties. Administration as well as other employees may doubt one’s competence in managing the surgery institute and thus decline to accept the changes.
Human beings are social creatures and without dealing with them based on understanding and respect, there is a guarantee of failure of one’s plans coupled with rejection. Transiting from a junior staff to a level of manager thus requires one to have management skills on how to deal with people. Employees opt to remain attached to those managers that they have known for a long time (Aiken & Keller 2009). They tend to believe that dealing with people they know is safe than dealing with strangers. For new managers to overcome this, they have to express respect to past managers of the organization, as they try to come up with changes within the organization. Management skills encompass all these issues. Being a nurse or a doctor is not enough to manage staff and carry out other duties enthroned to you as a manager. This is because by asking the staff to do things different from what they are used to, they appear to have forsaken their previous mentors (Henderson & Atkinson 2003, PP. 243-247). For instance, Tracy did not consider how workers in that department worked and survived under the current working situation. Maybe workers were used to consultations before any decision-making. Faced with pressures of transition like delivering results, pose a great challenge to new managers. Transition, just like any other change requires time, patience and sagacity. If only new managers in health sector could realize this, they would not go through what Tracy went through.
Opportunities
Despite the many challenges that new frontline mangers in healthcare profession may face, there are opportunities that if utilized may propel an individual to great heights. Actually, every challenge is an opportunity in disguise. Every story has two sides and focusing on the side of opportunity may work out well for the benefit of new managers and the whole department at large. One of the greatest opportunities that new managers have is the opportunity of becoming great managers. This is a learning opportunity for new managers to learn and develop. Hill (2003) concurs that, management is difficult and even talented people have to work towards perfecting management skills through constant learning. For instance, Tracy would have seized the opportunity to learn management strategies to streamline this department. In principle, a receptionist practitioner would not have enough management skills to implement changes that quickly. She could have engaged workers to learn how previous managers ran the company and get their view on what changes they thought appropriate.
Generally, new managers face the opportunity to develop self-direction with a strong will of reinvention time from time (Buckingham & Coffman 1999). It does not matter if someone has innate factors that promote management because most of management skills are gained through learning. Management skills come from on-the-job experiences. This entails working, observing what other people are doing coupled with active mingling with people at all levels. Being a nurse or a doctor is not enough to manage workforce among other duties. Burke & Day (1986) notes that nub of growth is hard knocks and diversity. We cannot divorce management from healthcare systems because it forms the backbone of every institution. New managers should take the opportunity, learn management skills and become great managers. Management of healthcare systems calls for someone who can identify with the profession. This implies that we cannot take managers from financial sectors to manage health issues. The way out here is for healthcare professionals to seize management opportunities and become good managers.
Conclusion
New managers in healthcare systems face many challenges in the process of managing staff and other duties. One of the outstanding challenges is the overcoming transition phase. During this phase, managers are lacking elemental management skills, which may force someone to effect changes that he or she thinks are appropriate. This move may result to massive rejection from the very people one is supposed to be leading. For instance, the case of Tracy, rejection was fuelled by misconception that greater results could be achieved through drastic change. This is not true as Tracy came to realize, change is good and positive only when it is gradual. The way out of this stalemate is to learn how to cope with transition stage in any career.
There are opportunities that new managers face. They have the opportunity of learning and growing into great managers. This calls for patience and integration of management skills in healthcare profession. Managers in this profession could think of taking extra classes to perfect their skills. The good thing is that management offers someone with practical chance of applying what has been learnt in class. It is high time for new managers to seize the opportunity availed and address the challenges faced. This will streamline healthcare sector and result into improved service provision.
Reference
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