One of the keys to a successful career in healthcare, regardless of what role you decide to enter after graduation, requires the ability to lead others effectively. Whether you're interested in a Medical Administrative Assistant program or phlebotomy technician training, you may be called upon to be a leader one day. There’s no better time to start sharpening your leadership skills than right now. Here are some effective ways to begin improving your abilities to lead.
Forget fear.
If your career aspiration is to work in healthcare management, Entrepreneur magazine explained that you shouldn't be afraid to try out new ideas.1 If you’re unsure if an idea will work, ask for feedback from your peers and managers. In the end you could become a more effective leader due to the chances you're willing to take.
Work on listening.
One of the most important aspects of being a good leader is being able to listen to staff when they have complaints, suggestions and any other kind of feedback – both positive and negative. According to LinkedIn, the foundation of a good working relationship lies in listening to employees about the challenges they're facing.2 Effective leaders are often known for keeping their doors – and ears – open to their colleagues. And when you do get feedback, hold your comments until they’re completely done. If you’re focused on interrupting to defend yourself, you might miss an important point.
Be open to ideas.
Inc magazine suggested that allowing yourself to be more receptive to new concepts and ideas might benefit your desire to become a better leader.3 Being in a managerial or leadership role, especially in nursing, means that you may have employees who aren't afraid to offer insights and suggestions to problem solving. This could lead to better creativity and innovation by inviting ideas from peers who think differently than you. The same goes for getting ideas from your classmates in school—be open to their comments because it might help you develop better pathways to leadership.
Improve your responses.
According to CEO magazine, making the effort to respond to everyone may be a smart way to begin improving your abilities to lead in healthcare.4 With most people telecommunicating in the modern era, conversations might get lost in translation. As a leader, you should be making an effort to improve your communication skills by responding in a timely manner to everyone that reaches out to you and being polite in your comments. In the healthcare environment, it's essential that signals don't get crossed or misconstrued as it might often involve care strategies for patients. Therefore it's important to try and conduct more face-to-face interactions among your peers.
Leadership might be a challenging role to reach for, but it can be achieved through the proper dedication and practice. When you participate in group work, volunteer to be the team leader and coordinate the planning efforts for the project. As often as possible, take any opportunity to hone your skills in communication, listening and creativity to bolster your chances at becoming an effective leader.
Learn more about online healthcare programs and healthcare degrees at Ultimate Medical Academy.
1http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230860#
3http://www.inc.com/peter-economy/become-a-better-leader-today.html
4http://www.ceo.com/leadership_and_management/11-easy-ways-to-become-a-better-leader/