Interpersonal and Communication Skills in Healthcare Leaders

Why is it important for health care leaders to have and exhibit good interpersonal or people and communication skills?

Interpersonal skills are crucial for every manager in their attempts to understand and communicate effectively with their teams. On a personal level, the skills enhance the capability of a manager to get along with everyone. The skills prove beneficial in recognition and maintaining empathy for situations colleagues may be experiencing on a professional level. Communication skills, on the other hand, dictate the capability of a manager to assume a set of instructions or an idea, and convey the same efficiently and effectively such that the information is comprehensible to the audience (Lin, Chen, Chao, & Chen, 2013). Both skills are crucial for the healthcare leaders in their structuring of the institution to thrive under the ever-changing environment. The leaders, implementing interpersonal and communication skills, may effectively guide all actions in the institution through the service quality, technological and human resource concerns and improvements. The skills facilitate versatile management of complex operational arenas for the leaders in their efforts to maintaining the consistency in service, and even critical in ensuring the institution is moving at the same pace with the approved medical advancements. The latter is achieved by individuals that have the capability of aiding their employees to understand and accepts any developments that improve the delivery of service.

Identify and discuss three interpersonal or people skills that you feel are required of health care leaders

Emotional intelligence, technological development, and relationship development are critical interpersonal skills that are relevant to leaders in the healthcare sector (Phillips, Leventhal, & Leventhal, 2012). Relationship development infers to the professional and personal connections of like-minded characters with amicable personalities. The correlations developed are sincere and mutually benefiting in realizing their objectives, both professionally and personally. For a healthcare leader, these skills constitute astute networking in formal and informal gatherings where they gain and nurture professional contacts. Emotional intelligence allows the leaders the capacity to make necessary initiatives that manage the concerns of the patients and employees. The skill is also critical in recognizing unspoken and spoken communication and translating physical cues. Emotional intelligence allows leaders to comprehend concerns with speed and accuracy. Addressing them instantly provides chances for the entire team to develop deep personal connections that meet their professional and cultural necessities to facilitate an efficient working environment. It is therefore instrumental for the leaders to demonstrate sensitivity towards the social and cultural background, and effectively implement the same as encouragement for the strengths of individuals within the healthcare team. Technological management is a skill that allows the leaders to recognize the necessity of future and current information technology advancements in improving administrative functions. Recognition of the advancements also requires the leaders to be proactive in the search for the same, to introduce them to the healthcare institution.

How can leaders improve their interpersonal skills?

Improving interpersonal skills requires leaders to control their emotions. Despite their feelings and experiences, the leaders need always to express themselves patiently, calmly and composed. It is also necessary to take a keen interest in colleagues. Given that the healthcare sector accumulates a lot of time from their employees, learning something about colleagues is crucial in navigating professional relationships and preferences. Assertiveness and empathy are crucial in expressing your preferences and acknowledging those of others (Erokzkan, 2013). The two aid the leaders in gaining an all-round perception of the institution, which proves vital in structuring the functions and operations of the institutions to respect and serve everyone. Active listening aids in initiating and maintaining respect and professional boundaries for all members of the team.

References

• Erokzkan, A. (2013). The Effect of Communication Skills and Interpersonal Problem Solving Skills on Social Self-Efficacy. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice , 13 (2), 739-745.
• Lin, E. C.-L., Chen, S.-L., Chao, S. Y., & Chen, Y. C. (2013). Using standardized patient with immediate feedback and group discussion to teach interpersonal and communication skills to advanced practice nursing students. Nurse education today , 33 (6), 677-683.
• Phillips, L. A., Leventhal, H., & Leventhal, E. A. (2012). Physicians’ communication of the common‐sense self‐regulation model results in greater reported adherence than physicians’ use of interpersonal skills. British journal of health psychology , 17 (2), 244-257.