The Decathlon is a true test of athleticism. Similarly, being a senior hospital executive can feel like a competition where you test your prowess, agility, and endurance against a wide range of events on a daily basis. Some days it’s a sprint, other days it can feel like a marathon.
If there were a decathlon for healthcare, the events may be as follows:
- Patient-Centered Care
- People Management / Engagement
- Business Acumen
- Regulatory Knowledge
- Strategic Planning
- Healthcare Technology
- Community Relations
- Leadership and Vision
- Financial Management
- Crisis Management
Of course, people aren’t born decathletes or senior hospital executives. They must develop and hone their expertise over time. So, what might a training plan look like to become a senior hospital executive or better yet, stand atop the podium of the profession?
Early Career
At the beginning of a career, specialization is crucial to get yourself noticed and advance to the next level. It allows professionals to develop deep expertise in a particular area, making them invaluable to their teams and organizations.
Primary Event: Patient-Centered Care
At this stage, most hospital professionals focus on bedside care, which is how patients most closely perceive the over-arching concept of patient-centered care. This involves understanding and prioritizing patient needs, providing high-quality care, and ensuring patient satisfaction. For those early career, non-bedside roles, understanding how your role impacts patient care is equally important as the patient is “at the center” and the reason the organization exists.
Could You Be a Decathlete?
Individual contributors are like sprinters or high jumpers. They excel clinically or technically. But, for someone to see the potential in them as a decathlete they need to understand how to exceed expectations in their current role and display traits that indicate they are ready to move to a management role. Key traits include:
- Time Management
- Organization
- Communication
- Teamwork
Managers
Events: People Management / Engagement, Business Acumen and Regulatory Knowledge
As healthcare professionals move up the career ladder, new skills like people management, business acumen, financial management, and regulatory knowledge become more important.
- People Management / Engagement: This single event will make or break your career as a decathlete. Learn as much as possible about how to be a great manager; but more importantly, become a great leader so that people will be inspired to follow you.
- Business Acumen: Understanding how the hospital makes money and how their department contributes to the overall business of the hospital is crucial. Managers must be adept at budgeting, financial reporting, productivity management and making informed decisions that align with the organization’s financial goals.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Regulatory knowledge is critical for middle managers. This includes understanding healthcare laws, regulations, and compliance requirements to ensure the organization adheres to all legal standards.
Skills for Advancement
Managers need to understand what top performance looks like and the skills, experience, and traits they need to get to the next level. Key traits include:
- Leadership: Effectively leading and inspiring teams to achieve organizational goals. Rising as a leader vs. a manager is not the same. True leaders are like coaches who may not be world class themselves in any given event; however, they know how to get maximum performance from their athletes and surround them with other experts who will elevate them to be their best.
- Analytical Thinking: Using data and analysis to make informed decisions, improve departmental performance and anticipate future needs.
Directors
New Events: Strategic Planning, Healthcare Technology, and Community Relations
When leaders rise to this level, they face a whole new set of challenges. Often, their span of control extends beyond their own expertise. They need to figure out what they know, what they don’t know, and who they can count on.
Harnessing a Larger Team
Coupled with an understanding of what top performance looks like in this role, they must now harness a larger team to achieve and exceed their goals. This requires advanced leadership skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage complex operations.
Key Skills
Key skills at this level include:
- Strategic Planning: Developing long-term plans that align with the organization’s goals and objectives.
- Healthcare Technology: Leveraging technology to improve patient care and operational efficiency.
- Community Relations: Building and maintaining strong relationships with the community to ensure the organization’s success.
Skills for Advancement
Directors and above need to focus on the following traits to excel and advance:
- Visionary Leadership: Setting and communicating a clear vision for their team’s future.
- Strategic Thinking: Developing and implementing strategies that drive organizational growth and success.
- Relationship Building: Establishing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, including the community, partners, and regulatory bodies.
Executive Level
Mastering the Final Events: Leadership and Vision, Financial Management, and Crisis Management
At the executive level, leaders must master the final events of their career decathlon. They need to provide a clear vision for their organization, possess strong financial management skills, and effectively manage crises to ensure organizational success.
- Leadership and Vision: Executives must set a clear vision for the organization and lead the team towards achieving it. They must “walk the talk” and demonstrate accountability to build trust and credibility. This involves inspiring and motivating employees, fostering a positive organizational culture, and driving innovation.
- Financial Management: Effective financial management is about knowing your numbers inside and out. It is also understanding expected return from a given investment.
- Crisis Management: Handling emergencies and crises with poise and effectiveness is crucial. Executives must be prepared to navigate through challenging situations and make decisions that safeguard the organization and its stakeholders. As the last few years have illustrated, hospital executives will be faced with crisis they perhaps couldn’t have imagined; from global pandemics to cyberattacks.
Conclusion
Becoming a successful healthcare executive is akin to competing in a decathlon, where excelling in multiple disciplines is essential. From early career specialization to mastering strategic planning and crisis management at the executive level, healthcare professionals must continuously develop their skills to lead effectively. By embracing a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability, you can navigate the complexities of the healthcare industry, make a true difference for communities, and achieve your career aspirations.