Healthcare managers' roles, competencies, and outputs in organizational performance improvement.

Healthcare CEOs recognize that managers are under increasing pressure to work smarter and more efficiently with fewer available resources. Jobs in the healthcare industry are in a constant state of change, requiring a workforce that is not only prepared to adjust quickly to the changing environment but to simultaneously maintain or improve overall organizational performance. Traditionally, trainers were viewed as the people with the primary responsibility for improving organizational performance. Today some CEOs believe healthcare managers should own that responsibility, and other CEOs believe the responsibility should be shared among healthcare managers and trainers. This shift in how accountability is viewed poses at least two important questions. Are managers aware of the various roles they need to enact to achieve successful organizational performance improvement? Do managers possess the competencies associated with those roles? The seven most contemporary trainer roles, now referred to as workplace learning and performance roles, are examined in this article to help managers increase their knowledge of the roles, competencies, and outputs expected of them. Based on findings of a study conducted to examine CEO's perceptions of managers' roles in the performance improvement process, this article provides theoretical backgrounds, includes verbatim study comments, and offers practical recommendations or tips for managers.