Clinical versus administrative backgrounds for mental health administrators

Abstract

This paper contributes to the debate over the relative benefits of clinical or administrative training for mental health executives. The pro-clinical view maintains that clinicians are sensitive to others' needs as well as to their own and that this sensitivity enhances their leadership capabilities. The pro-administrative view argues that the greatest need for mental health executives is to learn new administrative and business skills. It is concluded that both clinical and administrative skills are valuable and that research is needed to clarify the meaning and measurement of clinical and administrative skills.