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Article of the week: Improving leadership and management at work

Rehab Regs, June 29, 2007

Before you pursue that rehab director position or are asked to fill it by facility management, assess your professional skills and review your career goals to determine whether the job is right for you and what skills you need to succeed.

Leadership v. management skills

People may think that a great leader automatically makes a great manager, and vice versa. But the skills are actually different.

"A manager deals with the control side of a facility, like making sure the necessary staffing is in place," says Redge Campbell, MS, OTR/L, director of rehabilitation services at Harrison Hospital in Bremerton, WA. "Leadership is more ethereal-it's having a vision and inspiring the people you work with."

Do a quick self-assessment

According to rehab experts, here are some important traits possessed by effective leaders and managers. Remember, a leader doesn't necessarily have to formally supervise other staff members-a great leader can be a career-long clinician who serves as a role model for other staff therapists.

Good leaders are:

resourceful
decisive
self-aware
able to effectively confront problems with employees
compassionate
sensitive
straightforward
composed
able to balance their personal and professional lives
able to put other people at ease
Good managers are
able to weigh risks and make decisions
analytical thinkers
able to manage their time and prioritize tasks
delegaters
planners and schedulers
goal setters

able to give clear information and receive unbiased information in return
If you find it hard to determine your strengths, ask a supervisor, colleague, or mentor for feedback, or take a self-assessment test, says Ed , PT, ATC, MHS, director of adult rehabilitation for MultiCare Health System in Tacoma, WA.

"Figure out what strengths you possess, and then determine what your less-than-natural tendencies are," says . "Good managers and leaders know themselves really well."

How clinicians can grow

If you recognize many of your traits in one of the above lists, you can make choices now that will help you meet your career goals.

For therapists who want to remain clinicians, there are ways to enhance your current position. "You can be a leader on your own team, even if you're not the manager of the group," says

One way is to become board-certified as a specialist in your chosen therapy field, suggests . The American Physical Therapy Association has a process for obtaining board certification for specialists in seven areas, from orthopaedics to neurology. The American Occupational Therapy Association's Commission on Continuing Competence and Professional Development is currently developing criteria for both board and specialty certification.

"[Becoming board-certified] is a way to show additional expertise in an area," says . "It might not necessarily mean a pay increase, but it could bring in more patients and you might experience better patient outcomes."

Other options for die-hard clinicians is to work in an organization that has varying levels of therapist positions-for example, PT I and PT II, or a designation such as senior therapist.

"These job descriptions could include more tasks, like marketing and program development, and still not include any supervisory responsibilities," says .

On the management track

If you are interested in becoming a manager, consider seeking an advanced degree, like a master's degree in health administration or business administration. But in most cases, your clinical degree will be the most important stepping stone.

"I can't think of many managers who weren't clinicians first," says Campbell. "But the number one trait that separates therapists with managerial potential is their ability to see the big picture." For example, a therapist might look at a specific patient and assess his or her needs. A manager would look at that patient in relation to the needs of the entire patient population in the facility.

If you want to hone your managerial abilities, Campbell suggests approaching your supervisor about taking on additional responsibilities, such as leading the continuing education program, coordinating the student internship program, or serving on the quality improvement committee.

"Virtually every department is looking for therapists who can take on responsibilities beyond the clinical," says Campbell. "Ask about what the needs are in your facility beyond your role and make sure [they're] something you're interested in."

But be prepared for some changes in the way you evaluate your work, as well. "As a clinician, you get direct feedback from your patient on improvement, which can be a great reinforcer," says Campbell. "As a manager, that type of direct feedback is much more elusive, so it becomes important to gain your confidence in a more internal manner." One example is to see great patient outcomes achieved by clinicians under your supervision.

Also remember that when you shift from being a clinician to a manager, your relationships with staff will shift as well. "You may have clinician friends, but once you are their manager, that relationship changes," says Campbell. "Being able to anticipate and accept this reality is one of the critical keys to transitioning to a successful manager."

Blended roles

Because therapists are in high demand, some of you may find yourself serving as a clinician as well as a supervisor. "It's getting more and more common for therapists to wear both of these hats," says .

This blended role can be challenging because you may have to juggle patient treatments while also supervising a staff or facility program.

A mentor becomes important in this situation, as do managerial courses. "Therapists think nothing of taking oodles of clinical courses, but they also should be taking management courses that help them be better managers and leaders."