Leadership in Social Work

Research
SOWK 645!
November 3, 2011!

Salma Mohiuddin!
Tammy Mariak!
Jerilyn Dressler

Leadership
!
What is leadership? !

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What are your ideas regarding what leadership is? !

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Can you provide us with some words describing

leadership?

Leadership in SW
!
Is an ability to understand organizations as living

systems within an independent world and aid them

in connecting humanistic intentions with effects (The
Encyclopaedia of Social Work, 2007)!
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Is not accidental, but nurtured and leveraged for non-

personal gain.

Core attributes of SW Leadership

Vision!

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Influencing others to act!

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Teamwork/Collaboration!

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Problem-solving!

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Creating positive change!

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!

(Holosko, 2009)

How is SW Leadership distinct?

!
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Transactional Leader focused on the exchanges

between leaders and followers; link between the

effort and reward.!
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Transformational Leadership focused on promoting

change in individuals and social systems.

Transformational Leaders in SW
Build a sense of pride amongst individuals and

communities.!
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Build respect and trust.!
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Clearly communicate high expectations.!
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Encourage problem-solving.!
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Explicitly value each individual.

How is SW Leadership distinct?

Commitment to the SW ethics!

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Systems Perspective!

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Participatory Leadership style!

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Advocacy of altruism!

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Focus on the public image of the profession!

!
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(Rank & Hutchison, 2000)

Social Work Leaders

Key strategies to be effective as a leader in social work:!

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Taking what the system gives, grasping unexpected

opportunities, even when uncertain of the outcome.!

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Asking for more, settling for less.!

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Trying 5 things to get 1.!

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Networking with other groups who challenge the status

quo.

Evolution of Social Work

More diverse!

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Market-driven!

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Research oriented!

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More political!

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Renewed commitment to teaching leadership in social work

at all levels of education (Rank & Hutchison, 2000)

Group Discussion
You are a leader in an organization that is considering
shifting to a 24-hour service model. You belong to one of
four groups committed to different perspectives based on
current research articles. Using a synopsis of the research
articles provided by the presenters, take 10 minutes to
consider how the research would impact your decision to
change or not change to a 24-hour service model. Be
prepared to present back to the class regarding what your
group decided and why. After each of the groups have
presented their decisions and justifications, you will have
the opportunity to share if your perspective and/0r
decision has changed.

References
Bailey, D. & Uhly, K. (2008). Leadership. Encyclopedia of Social Work.

Washington DC: NASW Press.!

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Holosko, M. J. (2009). Social work leadership: Identifying core attributes.

Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 19, 448-459.!

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McDonald, C. & Chenoweth, L. (2009). Leadership: A crucial ingredient in

unstable times. Social Work and Society, 7(1), 102-112. !

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Rank, M. G. & Hutchison, W.S. (2000). An analysis of leadership within the

social work profession. Journal of Social Work Education, 36 (3), 487-502. !

!
Yoo, J. & Brooks, D. (2005). The role of organizational variables in predicting

service effectiveness: An analysis of a multilevel model. Research on Social

Work Practice, 15(4), 267-277.