Leadership Competences: The Case of Slovenian Healthcare

The authors of this paper compared ratings for leadership competences of managers in the healthcare sector and professional managers in Slovenia. Managers’ competence scores were analyzed for Slovenia and compared with some other EU countries. Comparisons of correlations yielded significant differences in leader/non-leader healthcare professionals in their relational competences. Cross-cultural comparisons also point to these differences in many countries included in the survey. Comparing these managers with the professional managers, one of the relational competences significantly distinguishes the two groups, namely the competence of taking initiative in establishing contacts with experts outside the organization. What is surprising from our analysis is the high number of competences that significantly differentiate leaders in healthcare from professional managers. Empirically based assessment provided a robust method for assessing and comparing leadership competences and point out significant results for leadership development.

• Helena Kovačič
• Andrej Rus

• Leadership
• competences
• healthcare.

[1] R. E. Boyatzis, The competent manager: a model for effective performance. London: Wiley, 1982.
[2] P. F. Drucker, Postcapitalist Society. New York: Herper Collins Publishers, 1993.
[3] R. C. Hodgson, D. J. Levinson, A. Zaleznik, The Executive Role Constellation. Boston: Harvard Business School, 1965.
[4] R. L. Katz, "Skills of an effective administrator", Harward Business Review, vol. 52, no. 5, pp. 90-102, 1974.
[5] J. Kotter, The Leadership Factor. The Free Press, 1988.
[6] H. Minztzberg, The nature of managerial work. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.
[7] H. Minzberg, "The Manager's Job: Folklore and Fact", Harvard Business Review, pp. 163-176, March-April 1990.
[8] E. Schein, "How "career anchors” hold executives to their career paths", Personnel, vol. 52, no. 3, pp. 11-24, 1975.
[9] J. K. Stoller, "Developing Physician-Leaders: Key Competencies and Available Programs", The Journal of Health Administration Education, pp. 307-328, Fall 2008.
[10] V. H. Vroom, A. G. Jago, "The role of the situation in leadership", American Psychologist, vol. 62, no. 1, pp. 17-24, 2007.
[11] R. Van der Velden, J. Allen, Skills for the 21st Century: Implications for Education. Maastricht, ROA, 2012.