Leadership Training And Development In Healthcare

Topic 2: Leadership Training and Development in Healthcare Name Institution Topic 2: Leadership Training and Development in Healthcare Effective leadership in healthcare is imperative as it enhances the delivery of quality and patient-centered care. Leaders are responsible for facilitating change within organizations and the industry at large so as to improve the quality and delivery of care. As revealed by Frich, Brewster, Cherlin, and Bradley (2015), leadership is critical in enhancing the performance of a healthcare system. This is especially important given that the healthcare system is often changing, as revealed by (Rogers, 2012), and the changes require an adaptive response. As such, leadership training and development in healthcare has received considerable attention from scholars and researchers as well as practitioners so as to facilitate effective leadership. This paper examines some of the approaches that can be used in training and preparing leaders in the healthcare profession. In addition, the paper addresses the drivers and barriers in the implementation of these approaches while considering the drawbacks that arise from adopting the approaches. Leadership Preparation Approaches in Healthcare Leadership preparation is an essential key in effective leadership. Healthcare professionals cannot take up leadership roles and succeed unless they have been well equipped. As a result, a number of approaches have been integrated into leadership development programs in an attempt to close the gap in the preparation of healthcare leaders. One of the approaches that have gained support through research is the competency-based training (CBT) method. According to Hargett, et al. (2017), identifying the major leadership competencies in healthcare is essential in preparing healthcare professionals for leadership roles. Competency-based leadership training, thus, prepares leaders based on what is required for them to lead teams that work under a lot of pressure due to time constraints. As revealed by Hargett, et al. (2017), focusing on leadership competencies as an approach to leadership training and development is effective because the learning process is continuous and based on relevancy within a healthcare set-up. More importantly, CBT often focuses on the needs and as such, healthcare professionals are able to learn by concentrating on competencies that are most important within any given role. This saves healthcare professionals’ time in the sense that they only concentrate on value-adding training instead of a general leadership training program. The advantage of CBT programs is that they can be both school-based and institutional-based. Sonnino (2016) reveals that this training approach has been used in residency programs as well as in medical school. The adoption of a CBT program in medical schools is especially promising because leaders in healthcare will be prepared early in their career path, giving them time to learn and identify their strengths and weaknesses based on the identified leadership competencies. In addition, the CBT program also provides students in the healthcare field with a smooth transition into the real world because they already understand the leadership aspects and competencies that are crucial. Consequently, the identification and use of competencies in medical schools has also addressed the inadequacy of the schools' curriculum in preparing healthcare leaders. In addition to providing a smooth transition, CBT programs can also help eliminate the traditional practices in leader selection. According to Sonnino (2016), traditional practices, unlike the competency-based practices of selecting and training leaders, have been inadequate because they do not provide formal leadership development in terms of skills and competencies. Thus, a breed of new leaders that are able to adapt and respond to changes as they arise based on the required competencies is introduced into the healthcare industry. Moreover, competency-based curricula in schools can also be targeted to specific disciplines in healthcare (Turner, Chan, McKimm, Dickson, & Shaw, 2018). As such, leaders will be trained and prepared to address issues that arise in their specific specialties. Further, it will also ensure that supervisors and instructors, both at school and organizational level, are well-equipped to teach the concept of leadership in healthcare. Another approach that has received support in the training and development of healthcare leaders is the action learning approach. Action learning involves linking learning to action whereby individuals work together in addressing real-world issues while reflecting on their experiences (Walia and Marks-Maran, 2014). As such, individuals are able to apply their knowledge in real issues because practice and coaching are integrated to enhance collaborative leadership. Action learning is also very effective in facilitating succession and change management in healthcare organizations as revealed by Doyle (2014). This is especially important because the healthcare system is constantly changing and healthcare professionals and organizations have to change along. Basically, action learning is very instrumental in creating self-awareness and development among individuals participating in the action learning sets (Walia and Marks-Maran, 2014). It is not only applicable in an organizational setting but also in a school setting. When individuals work collaboratively they also become aware of the differences that exist between people. This is what is referred to as emotional intelligence, which is a key differentiating competency for healthcare professionals (Sonnino, 2016). It facilitates leaders’ adaptability to change in different situations. This is a key leadership aspect that enables the coordination of activities and resources while keeping conflicts at a minimum. Further, the self-awareness developed during action learning is very effective in facilitating assertiveness and confidence in an individual. These are some of the attributes that a leader should possess and clearly, action learning is essential in developing them. There is evidence that action learning is one of the best approaches in leadership training because other than developing leadership skills, it has been very effective in sustaining those skills (Walia and Marks-Maran, 2014). This could be attributed to the fact that action learning provides a continuous platform where leaders reflect and share experiences and are thus able to solve complex issues as they arise. Implementation Process The success of these approaches in generating the required effect depends on the implementation process. The implementation process is enhanced by the existing facilitators within the healthcare system. In a similar capacity, the implementation process is also hindered by certain barriers within the system. Facilitators One of the main facilitators in the implementation of the mentioned approaches is the commitment to leadership development. This commitment has been facilitated by the increasing need for leaders in healthcare who can drive change and improve the quality of care. Commitment, in this case, entails cooperation among all players. Doyle (2014) reveals that healthcare organizations that have successfully implemented the action learning approach have done so due to the organizational commitment from participants and senior management. Organizations and individuals are willing to commit their time and resources so as to learn and develop the necessary leadership skills. When all the players understand the importance of preparing healthcare professional for leadership, the implementation of such programs becomes successful because everyone plays their role. Similarly, commitment is essential in the implementation of competency-based training or curricula from ...