Managerial Competencies Among Healthcare Leaders – An Exploratory Study in Selected Healthcare Organizations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55707/jhs.v12i2.181Keywords:
management, leadership, governance, competences, skillsAbstract
This study examined how senior healthcare managers assess the importance of managerial competences, their own skills, and the alignment between the two. We also explored the influence of prior training and the willingness to pursue further development. Six key competency areas were identified — communication, staff leadership, planning, financial management, problem-solving, and organisational management — and a questionnaire tailored to the Slovenian context was developed. The study included 134 respondents from 15 healthcare institutions, yielding a response rate of 31.46%. The average ratings of competency importance ranged from 4.6 to 4.7 on a five-point scale, indicating a high perceived value, while self-assessments of competences were lower, ranging from 3.5 to 3.9. The highest alignment was observed in staff leadership, and the greatest discrepancy in financial management. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the perceived importance and self-assessment (p <0.001), as well as between the respondents with and without prior training experience. The findings indicate a high level of awareness of the importance of managerial competences and highlight the need for targeted training programmes.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Saša Terseglav, Boštjan Kušar, Brigita Skela Savič
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