Answer

Leadership and Management Approaches

            The purpose of this paper is to examine the job description for a Medical Practice Manager (Remote) at Tembo Health, New York, NY (Indeed, 2020). The scope is to discuss required leadership or management characteristics and skills. Besides, it explores the characteristics that are associated with a leader and identifies the characteristics that one ought to know in order to be a successful leader. Leadership traits can play a fundamental role in an individual serving in a management position.

            Job opening at Tembo Health has certain keywords that that represents management characteristic or skill.  Required management characteristics or skills include the ability to manage day-to-day operations, coordination and execution of non-clinical aspects of care of patients. The day-to-day management operations include preauthorization, patient registration, claim follow-up, and claim submission (Indeed, 2020). According to Azad et al. (2017) a manager focuses on things, directs and coordinates, execute plans, uses authority, driving authority from the position held, acts decisively, and decides on how to use organizational resources in an effective manner. Other management skill includes implementation of billing and credentialing procedures. Owning onboarding and/or contracting processes for facilities and providers are all management roles (Indeed, 2020). A manager manages change, doing things correctly, and should determine long-term strategies and objectives (Indeed, 2020).

            Certain leadership skills and characteristics are required for a person who will hold the position Medical Practice Manager (Remote) at Tembo Health. Leaders are known to make and influence change (Azad et al., 2017). Required leadership skills in the role include refining of billing and credentialing procedures, developing tools for improving the work of all teams members, tracking of progress success, giving insights to the engineering team, instituting a plan of credentialing, striving to make things efficient, loving the challenge of figuring out something new, and communicating (Indeed, 2020). Leadership includes setting a vision or purpose of change and social influence. A leader should have an ability to influence others to reach or achieve commonly desired outcomes. Leaders help others to see what lies ahead, set the direction of focus, and inspire as well as encourage others to achieve certain results or goals (Liphadzi, Aigbavboa, & Twala, 2017).

            Leadership skills are generally defined as the ability to do the right thing and being visionary in nature (Azad et al., 2017). The characteristics that are found in a leader include ability to create a vision, establish a direction, clarify the big picture, and set strategies. A leader inspires change and movement. Other leadership characteristics include set strategies, aligning people, communicating goals, seeking commitment, building coalitions, motivating and inspiring others, empowering subordinates, and satisfying unmet needs (Liphadzi, Aigbavboa, & Twala, 2017). In addition, leadership include focusing on people, developing and maintain trust relationships, creating change, influencing others, deriving authority from personal relationships, delegation of responsibility, innovation and appropriate risk taking (Azad et al., 2017).

            To be an effective leader one ought to have certain desirable traits. Some of the traits include the ability to think strategically, communicate effectively, power of influence, motivate, inspire, and encourage others. A leader learns from others, open to new ideas, has integrity, and learns from others. Besides, other important traits include flexibility and adaptability (Azad et al., 2017).  According to Liphadzi et al. (2017) a leader is innovative, flexible, inspiring, independent, and courageous. A leader consults, is analytical and deliberate in approach, stabilizing, and authoritative. A leader has passion, a soul, and is creative by nature (Liphadzi et al., 2017). These leadership traits can help one on a managerial position to improve workforce performance, improve interpersonal communication, motivate employees, as well as to promote change and fluidity in within the organization (Liphadzi et al., 2017). Leading and managing forms essential abilities and skills for driving team success in an organization (Liphadzi et al., 2017). Liphadzi and colleagues (2017) conclude that managing and leading are inseparable and they are they but one and the same.

            There is significant relationship personal characteristics and effective leadership.  Personal characteristics such as sincerity, honesty, loyalty, understanding, truthfulness, trustworthiness, dependability and intelligence are necessary for one to engage others, develop and maintain trust-based relationships, think strategically, influence, and guide others towards to a given role (Azad et al., 2017).  Leadership involves taking responsibility for own decisions and actions; thus, ought to be responsible in nature. In addition, leadership favors a coherent and effective communicator. Besides, one who is passionate, visionary, flexible, creative, courageous, innovative, inspiring, experimental, imaginative, and can initiate change are likely to be good leaders if given a chance (Amanchukwu, Stanley, & Ololube, 2015).

            Individual perspective can influence their leadership style. A leadership style is an approach is used by a leader motive his/her followers. Leadership styles include autocratic, bureaucratic, charismatic, participative/democratic, Laissez-Faire, and transactional leadership styles. An individual who likes in having a complete power over staff is likely to adopt autocratic leadership style. An individual is strict in following of rules is a likely to adopt bureaucratic leadership style. A person with ability to excite, commitment, and inspire eagerness in others is likely to be a charismatic leader while one who likes to involve others in decision-making process is likely to use democratic leaderships.  A leader who gives absolute freedom to his/her employees can be comfortable described as using Laissez-Faire leadership style. Lastly, a transactional leader tends to award or punish staff for their actions (Amanchukwu, Stanley, & Ololube, 2015). In conclusion, leadership is an important component of management.