The healthcare segment is among the most complex areas of leadership. The leader here is required to strike a delicate equilibrium between humanity and business. Decisions at this level, thus have to focus on profitability as well as the general well-being of the human race. It is necessary for leaders in this sector to possess transformative capacities so as to cope with the dynamism of the sector. Managing leadership change is also a challenge in this industry as it demands the utmost concentration and exposure to all its attributes so as to learn and develop leadership capacities that are requisite for the sector. Changing leadership requires that the replacement sought is bale to match the existing challenges of the position as well as bring in a new approach to traditional challenges. Memorial Health Center’s new leader will face adequate challenges from their first day on the job. Thus, it is critically important that the selected person is well able to cope and come on top of all these challenges. To attain this on emus possessed excellent leadership qualities and capabilities.
1. Describe the capabilities that a new leader should possess to lead this organization? Prioritize each capability for leading by the level of importance and explain why.
Ability to motivate and inspire is among the core qualities of a leader. This capacity is necessary for the Memorial Health Center given the current poaching and loss of staff challenge faced by the facility. The new leader must have within him the ability to get the employees focused towards the long term and short term goals of the organization. Further, they must be able to make the employees fell as part of the team and see the value for their input. When workers feel as an important element of an organization, they can achieve better rates of production as well as gain satisfaction from their job. Motivation and inspiration can also be in terms of monetary or fringe benefits to the workers. The leader ought to be able to identify and implement the most suitable employee reward and benefits system. The method should yield the expected result of employee commitment as well as provide a means for job satisfaction for all Memorial Health Center’s workers.
Vision is an important feature in a leader placed in a complex sector such as the Memorial Health Center presidency position. The selected leader ought to be a visionary who sets goals and focuses resources on the attainment of the goals. Visionary leaders approach their position with a futuristic mindset that aims to secure the current and future well-being of their organization. This leadership quality will aid the head in the formulation of both long term and short term organizational goals and objectives. After the development of the goals, it is incumbent upon the leader to find resources and allocate the resources with respect to the importance of the formulated goals and their importance to the organization. A visionary leader also plans change and has high adaptability rates. Planning for change and flexibility to ensure that the facility is always a step ahead of the competition and can flexibly fit into any unforeseen shifts that might occur in the healthcare market.
Customer focus is the driving force in healthcare. The new leader must understand that Memorial Health Center is a business that is in competition with other healthcare providers. From this view, the manager can develop consumer-centric approaches that aim at ensuring consumer satisfaction. A consumer-driven organization focuses on the input on their consumers while also incorporating other services that might not necessarily be exclusive to the healthcare industry but are deemed important by the user. A consumer focused organization plans for change and includes the most consumer friendly approaches to their services with an aim of creating repeat customer from one time customers.
2, Discuss whether the new leader should have more technical (business/healthcare) competencies than leadership skills. Provide evidence to support your response.
The new leader ought to have more leadership capabilities. The ability to lead does not equal technical knowledge in the industry. One of the fundamental necessities of a leader is the capacity to influence others to work towards predetermined goals. Given the challenges that Memorial faces, it is important that they choose a leader that will be able to inspire the workers and as well formulate approaches towards handling the tough competition the facility faces. Leadership capabilities will enable the leader formulate and execute restoration plans for the failing plant as opposed to technical know-how. Healthcare is a field that demands the utmost skill and technical knowledge for those in the operational level. The leader thus can concentrate on policy formulation and supervision while delegating the technically demanding duties to other well-versed officers within the organization.
Leadership capacities will enable the president focus on the macro problem while engaging other levels of managing to come up with micro solutions that will be integrated to form the solution for the identified macro problems. Bringing in a leader will also provide a platform for emotional intelligence. This ability will enable the administrator to create solutions that are suitable for both the customers and their employees on a functional and emotional level. What the Memorial needs is a leader who is courageous and can influence people. From these abilities, the organization can approach change and uncertainty with agility. Evidently, the problem at Memorial is more about leadership than of technical awareness. The facility has managed to remain a leader in the sector for many tears due to their consistency in leadership
3. Some committee members point out the uniqueness of Memorial and have stated that finding a leader to transform the organization is critical. Others suggest that requiring a leader to have been successful at another institution is not a guarantee of success at the Memorial, so it is not a primary concern of the committee. What would be some of the governance principles influencing these deliberations and decisions? Discuss some of the issues that can eventually impact the selection of a leader. Support your responses.
Organizational performance is among the governance principles that guide deliberations for selection of a new leader. Committee members are accountable for the well-being and positive performance of the organization. As such, the ability of a leader to impact performance positively is a factor that the committee must look at when selecting their new president. The roles and responsibilities of the presidency position are other factors that must guide deliberations on candidate choice. These factors ensure the selected person must possess the qualification and knowledge to perform at the level of selection. The committee looks at the experience and performance track record that candidates present to determine the probability of success in the theorization and select the candidate with the highest changes in transformative leadership. Integrity and accountability allow a leader to be in a position for them to carry out their duties with high standards as well as by the set guidelines. Integrity is essential in the healthcare industry so as to safeguard the health and welfare of their patients. The committee thus focuses on a person who has a proven track record of integrity and accountability for all their responsibilities. Purpose and strategy define the vision and set of measures employed to attain the set goal. This principle will guide the committee in selecting a president that has a clear plan for the organization and who has the most suitable solution set to the problems and challenges that the facility faces.
Factors such as experience will eventually influence the selection of a leader. Experience defines the exposure a person has had in a similar position or in other areas that might make them fit to occupy the current position. The committee will look at one’s track record in previous posts to identify the competent candidate for the job. Meritocracy provides for selection of candidates exclusively based on their qualifications. This approach will see the committee select the candidate most qualified in the areas of the committee’s selection. This field may be an academic qualification, experience or track record. Monetary or salary requirements are also likely to be an influencing factor. The committee approaches the selection stage with set salary for the position; it has to select a candidate that is prepared and able to produce at optimal levels with the given salary and benefits. Candidates are disqualifiable from the position for their salary demands.
4. Besides the capabilities described in question 1, discuss any other leadership criteria the committee should consider selecting the best fit for leading this organization.
Flexibility. The leader should be one that is able to accommodate and adapt to different preferences of the workers and clients. This quality will enable the selected person steer the organization to fit the current market demands while also keeping the capacity to adapt to future changes in the market.
Personality. The attitude and the general behavior of a person may also be a factor that will determine the selection. The committee will naturally go for a person that is easy to get along with and hospitable to fellow employees. The personality of an individual directly impacts the relationship they have with other as well as the perception others hold of the person. The committee selects the person they deem will out rightly portray a positive image of the facility.
Another element that might be considered is the beliefs and values of the candidate. It is important that the selected candidate shares beliefs and values with the people and place of operation. This consideration will ensure that there is a marginal conflict in their execution of duties and the methods proposed or adopted by the leader.
5. Describe your understanding of a transformational and innovative leader to the search firm.
A transformational leader is one with the capacity and proven track record of turning around organizations. Their influence is felt in the performance as well as in the employee satisfaction. Such a leader holds the ability to change the direction of the team performance and human resource at the minimal most cost for the healthcare facility. An innovative leader can formulate new and fresh solution to existing and future challenges to the organizations. Innovations mean that the leader can work the resources at their disposal and attain maximum benefits for the organization. This leader can synthesize different forms of leadership and apply the most suitable to the situation at hand.
References
Porter-O'Grady, T., & Malloch, K. (2015). Quantum leadership : building better partnerships for sustainable health. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
