Running Head: LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

Leadership Competencies
Amanda Bryant
Siena Heights University

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

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Leadership Competencies

According to the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE, 2015) Assessment

Tool, great leaders are able to communicate and have excellent relationship management,
leadership skills, are professionals, are knowledgeable of the healthcare environment, and have
business skills and knowledge (p. 1). Common sense seems to dictate that these skills relate to
having a successful organization. Leaders often take for granted the ability to communicate
properly. Communication encourages the relationship building process. Communication and
relationship management, on the other hand, requires communication with in house and outward
customers. It is often said that applying ethical principles create an environment of trust. Along
with applying ethical principles leaders have to be knowledgeable of their environment. It is
insisted that having business skills permits principles to be applied. Communication and
relationship management, leadership, professionalism, knowledge of the healthcare environment,
and business skills and knowledge are all required for organizational excellence. These skills are
real and are arguably the most significant factors related to being a competent leader.
While considering communication and relationship management ACHE (2015) defines it
as the ability to communicate clearly and concisely with internal and external customers,
establish and maintain relationships, and facilitate constructive interactions with individuals and
groups (p. 1). Individuals who know how to communicate effectively get their point across to
others visibly. Being understood without individuals having to refer to someone else is a plus.
This in return, helps in the relationship building process. Communication is a socialization tactic.
In Ashforth, Lee, & Saks (1998) view, socialization tactics are not tied to any particular type of
organization. Theoretically, at least, they can be used in virtually any setting in which individual
careers are played out (p. 1). Many people believe that this relationship will be long term and

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

future interactions will be warranted. On the other hand, communicating ineffectively hinders
any organization from being successful. During communicable interactions, communicating with
others, as ACHE defines it, also involves being inspirational.
It is often believed that leadership is the ability to inspire individual and organizational
excellence, create a shared vision and successfully manage change to attain the organizations
strategic ends and successful performance (ACHE, 2015, p. 2). Yet, being able to help
employees visualize organizational goals is a skill worth partaking in. To inspire organizational
excellence, leaders will have to envisage the shared goal to all employees. This skill can be
difficult for leaders that are inexperienced. Great leaders, on the other hand, are able to visualize
future success of the organization, then pass it on to their employees. Developing this skill takes
dedication, perseverance, and determination while strategically implementing policies and
procedures detrimental to organizational success. On the other hand, developing change comes
with the ability to operate as a professional.
ACHE (2015) writes professionalism is the ability to align personal and organizational
conduct with ethical and professional standards that includes a responsibility to the patient and
community, a service orientation, and a commitment to lifelong learning and improvement (p.
2). It is often said that ethics play a major role in the healthcare field. Ethics set the standard for
professional behavior. The responsibility of leaders include patient and community satisfaction.
The standard way of thinking about patients has it that if they get what they need, everyone is
happy. Aligning personal conduct with organizational conduct creates a professional learning
environment. This goes along with wanting continuous improvement. When patients go to
leaders for advice, it is again their responsibility to enhance lifelong learning. On another note,
knowledge of the healthcare environment means having the understanding of the healthcare

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

system and the environment in which healthcare managers and providers function (ACHE
(2015 p. 1). This is the responsibility of leaders. Wessels (2014) writes, leadership and
responsibility go hand in hand in the workplace (p. 1). You would think that this goes along
with being a leader. However, this skill is developed over time. Having knowledge of the
healthcare environment includes being able to function properly as a leader. The standard way of
thinking about leadership and responsibility has it that both concepts have to be taken into
consideration, in order for it to be effective. This concept embraces having the ability to possess
knowledge and business skills as well.
According to ACHE (2015) having business skills and knowledge includes the ability to
apply business principles, including systems thinking, to the healthcare environment (p. 1).
Thinking of ways to apply business principles, encourages the healthcare environment to think in
terms of its overall goals. Without the application of business principles, theres a continuous
need for restructuring. The overall goal of an organization, is a leaders priority. Principles give
an organization something to go by.
Common sense seems to dictate that having a successful organization involves
communication and relationship management, leadership, professionalism, knowledge of the
healthcare environment, and business skills and knowledge. While each have their own
individual identity, at the same time it is believed they are interrelated. With this interrelation, an
organization can pursue their goals. As with any implementation of new skill sets, leaders will
have to implement these skills on a daily basis. If it is a leaders goal to be successful, these skills
will become second nature. These leadership skills applied properly canister a successful ending.

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References

American College Healthcare Executives Healthcare Executive Competencies Assessment Tool.

(2014). Retrieved from
http://www.ache.org/pdf/nonsecure/careers/competencies_booklet.pdf
Ashforth, B. E., Lee, R. T., & Saks, A. M. (1998). Socialization and newcomer adjustment: the
role of organizational context. Human Relations, 51 (7), 897+. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE
%7CA21001402&v=2.1&u=lom_sienahul&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=2e68dcd3b965d9
acb9228593e94f87b2
Wessels, W. J. (2014). Leader responsibility in the workplace: exploring the shepherd metaphor
in the book of Jeremiah. Koers, 79 (2). Retrieved from
http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/koers.v79i2.2121