Introduction
Modern health care is increasing, and effective leadership is crucial to success. The head of a health organization must lead all teams in their department, making important decisions about strategic planning and providing the best possible care for patients. The central aspect of good health leadership is the difference between management and leadership. Essential leadership skills may include communication, people development, empowerment, and innovation skills, reflecting a person’s professionalism. There are also additional skills and opportunities to detect cultural diversity in leadership, which can enable managers to create an inclusive environment in the team and enhance staff effectiveness.
Difference Between Leader and Manager
Leadership and management are often synonyms in the literature, but the two concepts have different goals. Management controls the conduct of daily activities and operations, the allocation of resources, and the competent performance of tasks (Figueroa et al., 2019). In this case, the manager is responsible for the competent coordination of specialists to achieve the necessary goals. For example, the manager oversees the patient intake plan to ensure the health facility remains operational.
In turn, leadership is manifested primarily in motivating and inspiring employees to work together toward the organization’s common goals. Among the tasks of the leaders is to create a movement direction for the whole team and create an environment in which everyone wants to grow professionally (Rotenstein et al., 2021). For example, leadership can manifest itself in team building around innovative ideas, such as introducing new equipment.
Four Basic Leadership Skills
A leader needs to have specific skills to ensure a smooth work process. The four core skills include staff development, communication, empowerment, and innovative skills (Healey, 2017). To begin with, it is worth considering the first human development skill, which involves the ability of a manager to recognize the merits and successes in staff development. Mentoring and providing opportunities for further growth are essential in this context (Healey, 2017). Investing in professional development is an essential step for managers, as it increases the interest of the workforce and improves the quality of care for patients.
The second skill is communication, which is essential for health leadership. This skill minimizes errors in operation and ensures accurate transmission of essential data for high-quality healthcare (Figueroa et al., 2019). In addition, friendly communication creates motivation for constant and effective teamwork. A third skill is empowering staff, which allows staff to make their own decisions.
In this way, health professionals feel empowered and need to treat patients and make decisions. This step further increases people’s satisfaction with their work and teaches professionals to respond quickly and effectively to emerging challenges(Healey, 2017). Empowerment expands the culture of accountability, allowing health workers to take their responsibilities more seriously.
Finally, innovative skills are one of the most important, as the medical industry constantly faces the benefits of technological progress. Leaders should encourage employees to adapt to and learn from new conditions. Thus, the manager’s main task is to create an enabling environment for learning new skills. These leadership roles are relevant to health. The effective treatment of patients improves their safety through increased coordination among health professionals (Figueroa et al., 2019). All skills, including innovation, communication, staff development, and empowerment, enable organizations to deliver quality patient services and stay abreast of the latest updates.
The Importance of Cultural Diversity
Cultural diversity is an important aspect that reflects the diversity of groups among patients and staff. Intrinsic diversity is essential to creating an inclusive environment within an organization. In turn, external diversity refers to the interaction of staff with the broader society, which allows the adaptation of health services to different needs (Rotenstein et al., 2021). To promote inner diversity, the leader must take the initiative to create a safe space for open discussion about people’s cultural differences (Rotenstein et al., 2021). For example, opportunities could be created for minorities to express their views to a broad audience. In the external environment, the manager can cooperate with public organizations to adapt health services to create conditions for cultural diversity.
A striking example is the formation of a group of LGBTQ+ workers in which they feel supported and comfortable. Externally, a leader can work with community organizations that assist immigrants and other minority groups. These steps should recognize that each person has their own needs and is unique.
Advanced Skills for Leader
In addition to the four core skills mentioned, it is also essential for a manager to have well-developed strategic thinking. This characterization allows the individual to visualize and analyze the organization’s future, considering future changes in legislation and technology(Healey, 2017). This skill helps leaders make informed decisions that promise long-term success. The second skill is the ability to communicate ethically. Such leaders should focus on improving patient welfare and be honest and open with patients (Healey, 2017). This step helps to increase trust between the doctor and the patient.
Conclusion
In conclusion, effective leadership in health requires core skills and complementary skills that go beyond traditional medical practices. In an ever-changing world, specialists must update their knowledge and acquire new skills to help them cope in any working environment. Promoting internal and external diversity and using leadership skills contribute to an inclusive environment in which each employee is satisfied with their work. With the development of the medical sphere, the list of skills will only expand, which will form a new environment in the health sector.
References
Figueroa, C. A., Harrison, R., Chauhan, A., & Meyer, L. (2019). Priorities and challenges for health leadership and workforce management globally: a rapid review. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1). Web.
Healey, B. J. (2017). Principles of healthcare leadership. Health Administration Press.
Rotenstein, L. S., Reede, J. Y., & Jena, A. B. (2021). Addressing workforce diversity — A quality-improvement framework. The New England Journal ofMedicine, 384(12), 1083–1086. Web.