What makes an effective Quality Improvement Manager? A qualitative study in the New Zealand Health System

Purpose Quality improvement is an international priority, and health organisations invest heavily in this endeavour. Little, however, is known of the role and perspectives of Quality Improvement Managers who are responsible for quality improvement implementation. We explored the quality improvement managers’ accounts of what competencies and qualities they require to achieve day-to-day and long-term quality improvement objectives. Design Qualitative exploratory design using an interpretivist approach with semi-structured interviews analysed thematically. Setting and participants. Interviews were conducted with 56 quality improvement managers from 15 (out of 20) New Zealand District Health Boards. Participants were divided into two groups: traditional and clinical quality improvement managers. The former group consisted of those with formal quality improvement education—typically operations managers or process engineers. The latter group was represented by clinical staff—physicians and nurses—who received on-the-job training. Results Three themes were identified: quality improvement expertise, leadership competencies and interpersonal competencies. Effective quality improvement managers require quality improvement experience and expertise in healthcare environments. They require leadership competencies including sense-giving, taking a long-term view and systems thinking. They also require interpersonal competencies including approachability, trustworthiness and supportiveness. Traditional and clinical quality improvement managers attributed different value to these characteristics with traditional quality improvement managers emphasising leadership competencies and interpersonal skills more than clinical quality improvement managers. Conclusions We differentiate between traditional and clinical quality improvement managers, and suggest how both groups can be better prepared to be effective in their roles. Both groups require a comprehensive socialisation and training process designed to meet specific learning needs.

Using Social Psychology to Constructively Involve Colleagues in Internal Evaluation

Internal evaluators can lead positive, helpful, promotive interactions among colleagues to make evaluation more appropriate, understandable, and accessible. As the motivations and abilities of non-evaluator colleagues are highly varied, interpersonal skills help facilitate cooperation and promote evaluation. Social interdependence theory from social psychology can assist with understanding teamwork and developing interpersonal competence. While the literature links social interdependence theory with evaluation, there is limited understanding of its application in practice. In this article, we share our internal evaluation experiences in three Australian nonprofit organizations to elucidate how we harnessed social connections and interpersonal dynamics to achieve cooperative goals. The purpose of this article is to share our process for using theory and literature to assist with reflecting, planning, and acting, around the way we interact with colleagues. Evaluators may find this process useful when considering how to personalize professional development around interpersonal competencies for evaluation.

Possibilities for assessing authentic leadership competencies: testing existing instruments and proposing an extended one

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to test existing Authentic Leadership (AL) instruments simultaneously in the same environment, and based on these, to propose an extended instrument for the assessment of AL intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies. Design/methodology/approach Three existing instruments of AL – Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ) (Walumbwa et al., 2008), Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI) (Neider and Schriesheim, 2011) and the Three Pillar Model (TPM) (Beddoes-Jones and Swailes, 2015) – were tested, and an extended instrument was proposed based on the results. Two different samples were used – a homogeneous sample (N = 1021) from the military and a heterogeneous sample (N = 547) from retail, catering, public services and logistics industries. Construct validity for the instruments was assessed using a confirmatory factor analysis, and the internal consistency of the factors was analysed using Cronbach’s alpha. Findings From existing instruments, two out of three indicate issues with internal factor consistency and model fit. The internal consistency of factors and model fit of the extended instrument developed here is satisfactory and suitable for assessing authentic leadership competencies in a single organisation or industry. Originality/value This paper sees AL as the behaviour of leaders affected by leadership competencies. Three existing AL instruments were tested alongside a proposed extended instrument to assess AL intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies in the same context.

A STUDY OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE COMPETENCIES POSSESSED BY THE YOUTH

Emotional Intelligence Competencies amongst undergraduate university youth at a Higher Education Institution is one of the areas less ventured upon. Gardner (1983; 1991) reported that business-related graduate programmes focused primarily on indicators of individual competence such as logical and linguistic intelligence, with less attention being given to spatial, interpersonal and naturalist forms of intelligence. Later research reported increased calls from industry to make curricula more relevant to `today's global workplace' through improved instruction in communication, leadership, as well as intrapersonal and interpersonal skills (Cherniss 1999; Doria, Rozanski and Cohen, 2003; Jaeger 2003; Myers and Tucker 2005). Lately, Daniel Goleman's research on emotional intelligence as a predictor of work performance has emerged (Goleman 1998, 2000; Weisinger, 1998) and continues to be highly influential. The traditional approach by educationists, however, has been to focus on logical and linguistic intelligence. This view have been challenged by many studies recently where researchers are beginning to argue that interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) may be more important for success. Educational institutions have traditionally focussed primarily on logical and linguistic intelligence, with less attention given to other types of intelligence. Yet many researchers are beginning to argue that intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies, or emotional intelligence, may be more important for success in life than logical or linguistic intelligence (Tucker, Sojka, Barone & McCarthy, 2000). Though the concept of emotional intelligence was first introduced in organizations, its relevance made the concept an inevitable concept of consideration in the educational sector too. Developing emotional intelligence skills amongst youth is very important because it can positively affect academic achievement not only during the session they are taught, but in subsequent years as well (Elias, Brune, Butler, Blum & Schumler, 1997). According to Caruso, Mayer and Salovey (2002), emotional intelligence skills and knowledge can be developed and learned and it matters most in times of change. Emotional intelligence is an ability to recognize one„s own feeling and those of others, for motivating self as well as one„s relationship with others. Studies (e.g. Ediger, 1997; Parker, Summerfeldt, Hogan & Majeski 2004)) have shown that the acquisition of emotional intelligence skills can significantly contribute to positive thinking in students and increase their ability to concentrate for a long time. The present research was thereby undertaken with the main aim of investigating the emotional intelligence competencies by the youth. Descriptive research design was taken up with questionnaire as a tool for the present

Role of Interpersonal Competencies in Academic Performance

This study aimed at examining the relationship between the role of interpersonal competencies and students’ academic performance in the education sector of Pakistan. Students of Public sector universities operating in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan were considered the population for the research. A stratified random sampling method was adopted for the selection of the sample. A survey method based on a questionnaire was applied for the collection of data. Before the conduction of the field survey, the validity of questionnaires was confirmed through a pilot study followed by an expertise review. A total of 328 questionnaires were administered and responses were received from 261 with duly filled questionnaires. The collected data was analyzed through SPSS and LISREL software. Analysis included Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Regression Analysis. CFA model fitness was evaluated based on seven fit indices and the model was significant and well fitted. Regression analysis was undertaken to examine the association amongst dependent variables and independent variables. Regression analysis values depict a positive significant association among communication skills and students’ academic performance also show positive significant association among group/teamwork skills and students’ academic performance. Students’ findings were found consistent with previous studies conducted by (Latif 2006; Nasser, 2014; Nurmi, 2012; Korthagen, et al., 2014). The study recommended that at university level foundation course regarding the development of communication skills may be introduced to enhance the communication skills among students. It is also recommended that students may be engaged in interactive sessions for the development of their group/teamwork skills. The study further suggests that interactive seminars/workshops shall be arranged for students to exercise the importance of interpersonal competencies.

Development of a Models of Interpersonal Competencies as a Complex System

Competencies represent a dynamic combination of cognitive and metacognitive skills, knowledge and understanding, interpersonal and practical skills, and ethical values. Since there are many entities, as well as many activities between entities, according to system theory, the whole system belongs to complex systems. The paper develops a conceptual and computational model of interpersonal competences for the process of optimization and methodology design, using simulation modeling. The developed model enables: faster data collection, more accurate results, avoiding human error in data entry and processing, survey time can be measured and more easily restricted, NMAR (Not Missing at Random) data is avoided and socially desirable responses are more easily avoided.

The role of the Project Management discipline in project training when teaching bachelors-metallurgists within the CDIO ideology

Engineering education plays a key role in the modern economy, the development trends of which make it possible to develop requirements for the education of future metallurgical engineers and imply a reorientation to project-based training. The project approach in the training of engineers is the basis for educational programs implemented according to the CDIO (Conceive - Design - Implement - Operate) ideology. The key result of the training is the design and implementation competence of future metallurgical engineers, which is formed through design activities aimed at developing the ability to Concieve, Design, implementation, including the management (Implement) and application (Operate) of projects of various levels of complexity. At the same time, the stage of conception includes the initiation and planning of the project, and the stage of application - the completion and distribution of it. The cognitive component of design and implementation competence can be provided by the introduction of the Project Management discipline into the curriculum of bachelors. This paper analyzes the role of this discipline in the development of design and implementation competence in the education of bachelors in the Metallurgy field within the CDIO ideology with an innovative approach to its design. It is shown that the inclusion of the Project Management discipline in the curriculum of the bachelor’s degree in the Metallurgy field and its implementation in the design technology contribute to the development of design and implementation competence of bachelors according to the principles of the CDIO ideology. The implementation of the discipline in project technology meets the requirements of standards 8 (active learning), 7 (integrated learning), 5 (project learning) and allows to develop design and implementation, as well as disciplinary and interpersonal competencies. The results of the work have demonstrated the effectiveness of the project-based teaching technology, in which each participant in the educational process receives benefits that increase his competitiveness.