The interpersonal skills of recent U.S. entrants to the field of healthcare management

Abstract

A national survey was conducted to determine the current state of senior executive perceptions of recent entrant managers within corporate headquarters, hospital systems, and freestanding hospitals. The survey was constructed based on leadership interpersonal competencies and competency-based career development programs. A total of 676 respondents returned a survey, representing 31% of the mailing sample.The goal of the research was to determine the perceptions that senior executives have about the interpersonal skills of recent entrants to the field of health care management and identify best practices for organizational training of such entrants. Findings reveal that senior executives view the recent entrant manager favorably regardless of age, gender, education, and non-clinical/clinical background. Senior executives also observed the need to require additional training of recent entrant managers in areas of management skills on understanding organizational politics, using a variety of techniques to influence others, handling difficult people or situations using diplomacy, confronting others about their mistakes, and exercising authority.