Today’s healthcare executives and leaders must have management talent sophisticated enough to match the increased complexity of the healthcare environment. Executives are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes and effectiveness and to practice evidence-based management. At the same time, academic and professional programs are emphasizing the attainment of competencies related to workplace effectiveness. The shift to evidence-based management has led to numerous efforts to define the competencies most appropriate for healthcare. Today, executives in all healthcare settings must navigate a landscape influenced by complex social and political forces, including shrinking reimbursements, persistent shortages of health professionals, endless requirements to use performance and safety indicators, and prevailing calls for transparency. Further, managers and leaders are expected to do more with less.

In an environment of escalated public demand, it is only logical to question the competence of healthcare leaders and managers. The emphasis on measurable outcomes and competencies did not happen overnight. …