Practical Traits Needed for Key Governance Players
Health services organization leaders and governing body members
Governing body leaders of effective health service organizations need certain attributes to
thrive in these confusing and turbulent times. The findings of Management Sciences for Health
are summarized here to facilitate local governing body and management discussion of what
actions are needed for more success in their pursuit of “Continuous Governance Improvement.”
Governing Body & Committee Chair Traits for Better Governance:
Knowledge Needed:
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How to champion needs of community and not just the organization
The organization’s strategic challenges and needs
When to take risks if they may be for the strategic good of the overall organization
What external economic and regulatory trends could surprise or weaken the organization
How to help all governing body members understand time commitments needed for excellent
governance
The history and heritage of the organization as a local community resource
The diversity of backgrounds and needs of all segments of our community
The importance of having everything we do be value-based and mission-driven
The value of governing body self-assessments to keep members effective
How to be a positive change agent with other governing body members
Others you might define?
Skills Needed:
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How to perform consensus decision making among diverse governing body and committee
members;
How to practice better strategic planning and budgeting
How to use scenario-building exercises
How to run meetings and small groups
How, when, and where to use written and verbal communication skills, but especially verbal skills
as a spokesperson for the organization with key stakeholder groups
How to set and celebrate accountabilities among committees
Diplomacy skills for working with all types of people and groups
How to draw out ideas and earn buy-in from all governing body members
Some specialty skills from public health, education, medicine, nursing, finance, legal, real estate
development or insurance
Others you might define?
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Attitudes Needed:
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Honesty and integrity
Openness for new ideas and approaches
Open to the role that traditional healing practices and spirituality can play in the healing process
of the whole person and to their families and the community
Willing to listen and to be approachable
A Can Do Attitude
Willingness to find, build and use energy and ideas from all players
Upbeat and enthusiastic
Trust carrier not stress carrier
CEO ally and mentor
Praise giver and success sharer
Continuous quality improvement—the key to add value to our patients
Others you might define?
Governing Body Member Traits for Better Governance:
Knowledge Needed:
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Knowing when to speak up and when to appreciate when silence is golden
Service on many other governing bodies for experience in governance
Understanding health sector trends, issues, challenges, and opportunities facing our local
organizations
Our current financial position, trended for last three years, and benchmarked against peer health
systems
Community demographics and needs, both in aggregate and for each segment of our market
How to build partnerships with other community groups to pool our resources and expertise for
the greatest good for the greatest number
General experiences in life and with the lives of our neighbors
Our missions and values as a respected local resource, and the plans and budgets needed to
achieve them
Basic financial planning and management, and health economics
How employees think we could be doing things better for the community we serve
An appreciation for the complexity of tasks we face
Medical and information technology trends and their consequences for our plans and
performance
Our competitive posture vis a vis technology and costs per unit of care
Our sources of funding
The difference between governance and management
The ins and outs of managed care and risk contracting
Social responsibility as the core value in a democracy
Community economic growth and development
Others you might define?
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Skills Needed:
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How to relate to and be supportive of people of all demographic backgrounds
Long-range strategic and financial planning
An ability to think outside the box
An ability to build consensus around our plans and tactics to get them implemented
Leading groups of diverse people toward shared goals, missions, and values
Analysis of our performance in terms of service quality and costs
How to read and understand basic financial reports that tell us about the financial health of the
organization
Listening abilities
Building and nurturing community relations in times of stress and change
How to separate the important from the trivial
Others you might define?
Attitudes Needed:
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Change is our constant companion
Passionate about accomplishing or mission and walking-the talk of our values
Entrepreneurial mindset to be decisive in all the right moments
Optimistic but realistic
Collaboration is essential for success
Openness and honest in all our dealings with physicians and management
Value continuing education to maximize our talents and contributions
Willing to be a positive and constructive “question raiser”
Servant leader for what is best for the people and communities we exist to serve
Focus on our targeted consumers—“The Patient/Beneficiary Comes First”
Others you might define?
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