Do you Hire for Attitude in Healthcare Leadership?

Hiring the right executive talent goes beyond assessing hard skills. Successful healthcare executives and leaders excel not only in their technical expertise but also in their ability to manage complex human interactions, demonstrate emotional intelligence, and exhibit a strong, positive attitude. Soft skills are at the core of high-performing leaders in healthcare.

The Importance of Soft Skills in Healthcare Leadership

    “You don’t hire for skills. You hire for attitude. Skills can be taught.” — Simon Sinek

In healthcare, where patient care, collaboration, and leadership requires more than just knowledge it is essential in hiring individuals who bring the right attitude, emotional resilience, and adaptability to your organisation. But how do healthcare organisations identify and attract candidates who possess these critical soft skills?

What Successful Healthcare Executives Are Really Made Of

Healthcare executives are continuously approached by multiple organisations due to their highly sought-after expertise. However, skills alone are not enough. The modern healthcare environment demands more.

In a field where decisions impact patient outcomes and staff well-being, qualities like executive presence, emotional control, and political savvy make the difference between a good leader and a great one.

7 Tips for Cultivating Soft Skills with Attitude in Healthcare Leadership

Healthcare executives who thrive in their roles often have a unique blend of soft skills. Here are seven tips for cultivating the right attitude for healthcare leadership:

1. Organize Your Workspace, Organize Your Mind
   A well-organised workspace reflects a well-organised mind. Keeping both your physical and mental spaces clear can improve your decision-making and efficiency as a healthcare leader.
2. Be Politically Astute
   Develop situational awareness by understanding the dynamics within healthcare organisations, from stakeholders to staff. Political savvy helps you navigate complex healthcare systems more effectively.
3. Have an Informed Opinion and Know When to Push Back
   Advocacy and decision-making are critical in healthcare leadership. Whether negotiating policies or patient care protocols, knowing when to stand firm and when to collaborate is essential.
4. Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate
   Healthcare executives need to master negotiation, whether dealing with vendors, insurance companies, or stakeholders. Effective negotiation secures the resources necessary to deliver quality care.
5. Understand Your Boundaries
   Knowing your professional and personal boundaries ensures long-term success and prevents burnout in a demanding field like healthcare leadership.
6. Determine Your Strategic Fit
   Are you a strategist, a player, or someone who values loyalty? Finding the right healthcare organisation that aligns with your leadership style is critical for your long-term success.
7. Can Do. Will Do. Fit In.
   These timeless attributes ensure success in leadership roles. The ability to take on challenges, adapt, and fit into the organisational culture is key to thriving as a healthcare executive.

The Value of Emotional Intelligence in Healthcare Leadership

While technical skills can be taught, emotional intelligence is a soft skill that requires constant development. Healthcare leaders with emotional intelligence can better understand and respond to both patient and staff needs, leading to improved satisfaction and outcomes.  Opportunities for advanced training and development  to lead change  such as completing a Master of Health Services Management degree can enhance health executive careers.

Crafting a Recruitment Strategy That Prioritises Soft Skills

For healthcare organisations, it’s essential to prioritise soft skills and attitude in recruitment strategies. Furthermore, using best talent acquisition software is a growing trend. Here’s how you can build a recruitment process that helps you identify candidates with the right mix of technical expertise and emotional intelligence:

• Highlight Your Healthcare Organisation’s Culture
  Top executives look for organisations that align with their values and leadership style. Emphasize your healthcare organization’s mission, culture, and values to attract leaders who fit.
• Create a Strong Candidate Pipeline
  Continuously engage with potential candidates to build a pipeline for future leadership roles. Regular engagement allows you to tap into top talent when leadership vacancies arise.
• Speed Up Decision-Making in Executive Recruitment
  Delays in hiring processes can cause top healthcare talent to look elsewhere. Streamline decision-making to secure the best candidates before they receive competing offers.

Attracting top healthcare executives who lead with soft skills in healthcare organisations bring the right attitude, emotional resilience and adaptability to their teams.  This requires that organisations develop good recruiting strategies.  Soft skills are harder than they look, but the right hiring strategy can make all the difference.

Visit UBIS Health Jobs platform:
If you’re looking to attract top healthcare executives with these attributes, visit www.ubis.com.au  today to post a job and connect with high-caliber talent.

 

healthcare leadership, soft skills in healthcare, hiring strategy for health executives and professions