Practice and research show the importance of the human dimension of health service management and related skills/competences. However, a review of curriculum content of postgraduate courses in Australia showed a lack of content in this area. It was in this context, an enquiry was undertaken to assess the perceptions of senior health service managers in Australia in this field. To provide a contrast with Australian perceptions, senior health service managers in Brazil were also asked for their understandings. Findings from this enquiry in the two countries show similar but some variance in nuance, possibly due to differences in culture and corporate environment. The result of the enquiry points to the importance given by these senior managers to skills/competences in this area, and perceptions of shortfalls, in contrast with the lack of importance given to postgraduate training in this field.