The workforce is changing and with it all traditional management, so today we are exploring the difference between leadership and management.

Great Leaders Inspire

So what does it take to be a great leader? Lead how you would like to be led. It all begins with a vision: the ability to imagine a better future that’s possible, but not yet here. A great leader must be able to communicate a vision in a way that others may understand and see too, that it is possible.

By doing so, your team will be inspired to take on that vision as their own. By trusting in your team and in your ability to lead, you can then step back and allow your team to take charge. This may seem bold, but rest assured, if you can channel the team members’ needs and unique personalities, and inspire the best from everyone, they will succeed.

They may not have all the steps figured out nor possess all the skills, but by keeping them aligned and focused, and trusting others to lead in areas where they are better prepared or knowledgeable, your team will take it to the next level and help achieve your vision.

How do you keep a team aligned? By understanding that communication skills are absolutely essential to great leadership. However, a great communicator does not equal a great leader. The evidence of a truly great leader is actually found elsewhere— in the energy and commitment of the team and the results it is able to produce in the world. These results are impossible to achieve without great communication of the vision and objectives. You must effectively place the most focus on the big picture and communicate that focus to all involved in making it happen.

Becoming a great leader in practice changes you as a person, but it’s a change that can help change the healthcare industry for the better.