For every available job listing, the company will have set requirements or characteristics the potential employee must possess. Some jobs require more skills, traits, and education than others, so it is essential to know what they are before applying for said job. For example, a housekeeping position may not require the applicant to have formal education or training that would be needed for a health care administrator or management position. To understand what type of requirements, skills, and characteristics that a health care manager or administrator must possess, one can turn to the internet or local newspaper for current job listings. The job search on google.com for “healthcare administration positions” filtered a listing from the University of Michigan for an Admin Manager Inter Healthcare. The University posted where one can apply for the job and provides their mission and value statements with the position description. So, what are the leadership and management characteristics required for the Admin Manager Inter Healthcare position?
The applicant must possess the following traits; leadership, well organized, great communicator, confident, trustworthy, inspiring, coach, disciplinarian, stewardship, responsible, and being able to collaborate with multiple departments ('Google', n.d.). Is there a difference in leadership and management skills? Yes, there is, and according to 'Harvard Business Review'(2019), 'management consists of controlling a group or a set of entities to accomplish a goal. Leadership refers to an individual’s ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward organizational success. Influence and inspiration separate leaders from managers, not power and control” (para. 7). Management is more of a duty and responsibility, while leadership is a set of personal traits and skills.
Just because an individual is given the title of manager does not mean that they can or will be a great leader. To be a great administration manager within an organization like The University of Michigan, one must be both to achieve great things. So, what characteristics must a leader have, and how do they support someone becoming an effective leader? One must be personally driven, motivated, self-aware, and have a strong work ethic to lead themselves, their people, and the organization to success. An individual would not be a leader if they were not personally driven, because that personal drive is what fuels them to consistently better themselves and put forth the energy to achieve their goals. The next prominent trait is motivation. Motivation (extrinsic or intrinsic) helps a leader stay focused on their set goals, whether the goal is personal or organizational. Self-awareness (internal and external) is another essential trait that someone in a leadership position must possess. How one sees themselves when it comes to their values, beliefs, passions, and feelings will help them when it comes to their communication skills. Being self-aware allows an individual to manage and identify their emotions and what influences them, and by doing this can improve their overall understanding of others. Lastly is someone's work ethic. What type of leader would one be if their work ethic was poor? Well, their followers (staff) will only be as active as their leader, so if the leader has a poor work ethic, then so will their employees. According to 'Cornerstone' (2019), 'a strong work ethic is an important part of being successful in your career. Work ethic is a set of values based on the ideals of discipline and hard work” (para. 1). It truly takes a combination of these traits for someone to be an effective leader in a management position and knowing that the relationship between individual characteristics and effective leadership will show in the status of the organization. It is essential to know that there are perspective influences that can also drive individuals to choose different leadership styles.
Everyone has their viewpoints, believes, and feelings about every subject matter known to man, and we start to build our perspectives at a very young age. As a leader, one needs to communicate their leadership methods and style to their employees, to ensure they know what is going on. Leaders must be aware that different viewpoints can bring some heated discussions and intense feelings to the meeting table, buy encouraging employees to think outside the box and come forward with their ideas will help the entire organization grow. Knowing and understanding one’s strengths, weaknesses, and the type of work environment that they want to create for their organization can pave the path for the type of leader one will be.
Reference
Cornerstone (2019). Retrieved from https://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/performance-tips-developing-strong-work-ethicGoogle (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=%E2%80%9Chealthcare+administrator+positions%E2%80%9D&oq=%E2%80%9Chealth+care+administrator+positions%E2%80%9D&aqs=Chrome..69i57j0l2.1400j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF8&ibp=htl;jobs&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiHp8zXZDmAhVnleAKHTUbBO0QiYsCKAF6BAgJEBA#fpstate=tldetail&htivrt=jobs&htidocid=tz4_6Mt9Iy_rfFvxAAAAAA%3D%3D
Harvard Business Review (2019). Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/08/tests-of-a-leadership-transiti