How Health Management Leaders Evaluate the Interpersonal Skills of U.S. Business and Health Management-Trained Professionals

Abstract

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 percent 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. The research in this study focuses on MBA versus MHA preparation and how senior executives view entry managers from each discipline.  While there is no statistically significant difference in how senior executives evaluate REMs with an MBA or MHA, there were interpersonal competencies that REMs from all educational backgrounds needed to develop.   Senior executives reported that the MBA graduates needed to enhance their ability to accept constructive criticism, take direction, control their emotions, read other’s emotions, enhance their ability to work with others, handle situations with diplomacy, and build rapport with the management team.  Senior executives reported that MHA graduates need to enhance their ability to exercise authority, confront others about mistakes, and improve their understanding of organizational politics. 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.