Is leadership limited to managers, administrators, and other supervisory personnel? Although many people believe it is, the truth is that people can lead from different positions, including supporting roles. Let’s consider some ways to lead from a supporting role.
Take responsibility in your job
Some people go to work, do what is required, and go home. They don’t fully engage, and they never feel very connected with the job, coworkers, or anything else during their working hours. That’s not leadership. Leaders go the extra mile; this can be especially important in healthcare. They take ownership and invest themselves as partners. In care environments, being a full partner involves taking responsibility for identifying problems and areas of waste…and making necessary adjustments to realize established goals.
Learn as much as you can
Leaders are learners. They observe what’s going on around them so they can learn about what works and what doesn’t. They keep up on what’s going on elsewhere in the field so they can put innovations to work to improve the workplace. They also try to learn about leadership – because there’s always something to learn. It can be useful in a supporting role, but it can also come in handy for advancement: having the ability to change leadership styles based on situations is a helpful leadership skill to take into a healthcare administration position.
Be knowledgeable when you are asked for ideas
When an individual in a supporting healthcare role exhibits leadership qualities, others may begin to ask to tap into that leadership by asking for ideas. A budding leader who takes responsibility in the job and learns as much as possible will always be ready with ideas. This could cover a variety of topics, including issues related to the bottom line: private healthcare is more than a calling. It’s also a business that needs to accomplish financial goals and stay out of the red.
The willingness to continue How Can You Lead from a Supporting Healthcare Role?learning is important, and it helps leaders to be knowledgeable when they’re asked for ideas. Professionals never stop learning, and a voracious appetite for up-to-the-minute information and research about modern healthcare issues in technology, economics, finance, management, or legal and ethical issues will keep an administrator – or budding leader – relevant to the industry.
Bring your own ideas when you see things that can be improved
Healthcare is constantly evolving, and it’s important for budding leaders to be part of that evolution. For example, patients expect faster and more efficient access to health information via portals, hospital websites, text messages, health monitoring apps, home monitoring systems, telemedicine, and even social media. An employee with leadership skills who is tuned into the environment will be more attentive to opportunities for improvement; this can benefit the employee’s opportunities for advancement, but it can also benefit the organization and the patients it serves.
Are you a leader?
At 365 Healthcare Staffing Services, we specialize in the recruitment and placement of healthcare professionals in per diem, travel, and permanent assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. Are you a leader? If you are – or if you’re not sure yet – we’d love to work with you; call us at 310.436.3650 today!
