• Political competency means senior-level managers must understand and be able to work with the political processes of local, state, and even federal government. Effective application of this competency is key to meeting the health needs of the community. The position and technical knowledge held by senior managers enables them to influence the legislative and rule-making (regulatory) processes.
• Commercial competency and economic success require that organizations create economic exchanges that offer value to those involved. Managers must establish and maintain an environment that facilitates these economic exchanges. This necessitates a businesslike orientation for basic operation, but with a humanitarian and Samaritan overlay. Many not-for-profit and government organizations fall prey to an overemphasis on doing good and neglect the need to manage in a businesslike fashion. Introduction to Management and Leadership Concepts, Principles, and Practices
• Governance competence means working with the governing body1 to establish a vision, assemble resources, lead the organization, and ensure accountability to stakeholders. These efforts require that senior managers interact effectively with members of the governing body. The governing body determines the right thing (direction) for the organization; management determines the right way to achieve it. Many chief executive officers (CEOs) are voting members of their governing bodies, or, if not, they attend governing body meetings and sit on its committees. Regardless, they interact with governing body members in various settings and in a variety of ways.