Building Strategic Skills for Better Health

Abstract While academic programs prepare public health graduates for the technical challenges of practice, many professionals new to the field also need training in the cross-cutting strategic skills required for successful leadership and management of health agencies. Successful practitioners blend subject matter expertise with administrative and leadership acumen to ensure that improvements in public health reach the communities they serve. Building Strategic Skills for Better Health: A Primer for Public Health Professionals offers a dynamic guide for implementing and developing leadership, management, and advocacy skills to transform public health work across disease-focused services toward integrated population health initiatives. Authored by key leaders in public health, this professional primer defines the nine essential strategic skills for effective practice in public health specialties: Systems and Strategic Thinking; Change Management; Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Effective Communication; Resource Management; Data-Driven Decision-Making; Policy Engagement; Community Engagement; and Cross-Sectoral Partnerships. Building Strategic Skills for Better Health equips professionals at all levels with the workforce-readiness tools and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s public health agencies.