In the increasingly complex healthcare settings, more people recognize the role of management in achieving organizational goals (Buckbinder and Shanks 25). Managers in healthcare organizations provide effective organizational leadership and help coordinate the actions of healthcare personnel to deliver high-quality care. Such leadership is based on the knowledge of the essential roles of healthcare managers, including informational, decisional, and interpersonal roles.
Informational roles of healthcare managers include the roles of a monitor, disseminator, and spokesperson. As a monitor, the healthcare manager is required to assess the performance of the organization in order to meet quality objectives. In addition, the healthcare manager has to perform the role of disseminator, providing informational support to the staff, and exchanging information with them. As a spokesperson, the healthcare manager acts as a representative of the staff and acts as a source of information for agencies, journalists, and other third-parties.
The decisional roles of healthcare managers include the roles of an entrepreneur, disturbance handler, and resource allocator. The manager is in a position to improve organizational processes by eliminating inefficiencies and introducing innovative practices. Healthcare management is tasked with mediating disputes and helping staff overcome unexpected obstacles. As a resource allocator, healthcare management has to prioritize resource allocation in both production and consumption. This fact requires careful consideration in order to allocate the right amount of resources to meet a particular level of demand.
Interpersonal roles include the roles of a negotiator, leader, liaison, and figurehead. As a negotiator, the healthcare manager has to participate in negotiations on various levels. As a leader, healthcare manager’s responsibilities are establishing direction, aligning people and motivating and inspiring them (Northouse 14). The leader is responsible for dedicating tasks and coordinating the work of different team members or departments to get the results required. As a liaison, healthcare manager is responsible for external communications on behalf of the organization. The role of a figurehead implies that healthcare manager should be a role model and represent the qualities they want to see in the staff.
Whether manager is able to perform the above-mentioned roles well may have a profound effect on organizational performance. In my last workplace, the company was struggling to operate smoothly during the merger process. As with any reorganization process, the failure was entirely the management’s fault, in particular, their inability to fulfill the role of a disseminator and leader. The acquisition process would have gone smoothly if management actively involved the staff in the change process. The fact that the required management roles were not fulfilled during the change initiative led to the uncertainty among staff. The lack of support from employees means that the change process is not happening in the most efficient way possible, and may be met with skepticism and resistance on the employees’ part (Bovey and Hede 372).
A leader can achieve transformative improvements within the organization if they are able to fulfill their roles. For instance, Steve Jobs was especially good at inspiring people and empowering them to collaborate and perform at their best. Jobs is regarded as a classic example of a transformative leader who managed to motivate people by communicating his vision. Job’s exceptional ability as a leader allowed Apple to achieve outstanding results.
Healthcare managers are responsible for establishing a uniform organizational culture and adjusting operations in order for them to be in line with the goals and mission of the organization.
Works Cited
Bovey, Wayne and Andy Hede. “Resistance to organizational change: the role of cognitive and affective processes”. Leadership & Organization Development Journal 22.8 (2001): 372-382. Web.
Buckbinder, Sharon and Nancy Shanks. Introduction to Health Care Management, Burlington, United States: Jones and Bartlett, 2012. Print.
Northouse, Peter. Leadership: Theory and Practice, London, United Kingdom: SAGE Publications, 2015. Print