Question:
Critically reflect on your current and/or future potential contribution to social work leadership in a specific area of practice whether this be research, policy development, macro level advocacy, community action, organisational and staff management, or direct client work in a specific area of service delivery. Your critical reflection should include a discussion of your interest and/or experience in this particular area of practice to date, current literature on leadership in this area, and integration of relevant leadership theory.
The Social work Leadership is considered as the new and most innovative approach in the field of social services. Various organizations nowadays are adapting the various leadership aspects to manage the social services in a well-defined manner. The Social work leadership is considered as the process in which the leaders involve the individuals, community, groups and the organizations, so that they can provide the social services in a very fine and appropriate manner. The social services can be categorized into the various manners like by providing the social justice, by catalyzing the social change, by identifying the social issues related to the particular aspect and many more. In discussing the social work, the criteria selected here is known as the “Organizational and Staff Management”. The topic selected here is best suited because the organization is the place where maximum opportunities are identified for the social services. The only requirement is the availability of suitable leaders and their appropriate skills. The essay mainly comprises of the topics like the justification of the topic, identification of the suitable leadership theories, critical analysis of the literature and the articulated & integrated development program along with the conclusion with some recommendations.
The topic selected for the discussion is named as the Organization and Management. The topic is relevant according to the current scenario because the organizations are considered as the best places to perform the social work leadership. The social works are becoming very prominent in the organizations, but it is not considered as an easy task to manage the social work and to maintain the coordination among the working aspects. For this, the social worker leadership and the skills related to the leadership will prove as more beneficial. In fact, there are various elements introduced in defining the suitable leadership. The major companies of Australia like the Telstra, National bank of Australia, The bank of Queensland also adapted various innovative aspects related to the social work. In fact, for the different social cause, the leaders are also being specified who can try to increase the profit percentage of the organization, satisfy the employees and also perform the social work for them (SSW UNC Edu., 2012). For enhancing the social work leadership, the seven elements can be taken into consideration which are named as the self-knowledge of the leader, critical and creative thinking of the leaders, effective communication, respect and Inclusion, moral courage, teamwork & collaboration, and the appropriate focus on the results or the outcome received (Fisher, 2009).
While pursuing the goals and specific aim of the leadership, it is not considered an easy task to clearly identify and manage the aspects related to the organization. To convince the employees for the social work and to make them satisfied can only be done, when the leaders who leads are appropriate in leadership and can able to balance between the social work and the employees’ demands. From my personal experience in reference to the organization social leadership aspects, I believe that the theories and styles are not as successful as the personal aspects works in contrast to the leadership. I also believe that leadership is an art not the science. I also find out that the leaders can only be successful when the suitable followers are there to follow them. As the social work, leadership is discussed with contrast to the Australian companies, so it becomes essential to identify the different ways of the social services in the organization. In some cases, it is also identified that various organizations pursue the unique leadership style pattern to perform the social work aspects in an organization. Some of the companies in Australia create the small groups with one leader to provide the social service aspects to the people, while some of them believe in creating the suitable departments which are mainly meant for providing the social services to the organization and management (Nupponen, 2005).
There are various leadership theories, which can be used in the general aspects to manage the organization and to maintain the flow of the process. In reference to the social work leadership, the various types of leadership styles take into consideration. The major types of leadership style are the authoritative, participative or delegative, Laissez Faire or Partly. These leadership styles are helpful in defining the coordination with the social work leadership. The authoritative type of leadership will be helpful in defining the suitable leaders in the organization. The leaders are the only authority who takes suitable decisions in the organization (Johnson, 2015). For the betterment of the employee and for the social assistance, the leaders take all the decisions on their personal level. No interference of the employees will be accepted. In the Laissez fair leadership style, the highly skilled and experienced candidates are required. The social work leadership can only be done on the basis of their experience. In participative leadership process, the leaders also involve the inputs of the various team members and the employees working in the organization. For an example, various organizations in Australia circulate the new idea and approaches among the employees, so that they can present their views on the particular approach. By the help of this, the employees can able to show their involvement as well. Other than this, the partly type of leadership style involves the employee and the administration of the organization on the lower level only. So, different types of styles are used at different levels and they have their own values and advantages which depends upon the situation where and when they get used. By considering all these leadership styles, it becomes easier to manage the major aspects related the social work leadership.
There are various literatures articles and journals which are defined for the social work leadership. One of the journals is explaining about the Telstra. According to this journal, Telstra is considered as the renowned Telecommunication Company. The company provides the social assistance and services to the employees in the organization itself. To maintain the social services in the organization, the company adopts a unique method of the leadership. Through this method, the company designs a particular department with the specific leaders and with the appropriate specialization. The company mainly looks after the health and safety perspectives of the employees. For this as a leader, I would like to explain all the policies related to the Health and Safety to the employees of the organization (Telstra Corporation Limited, 2012). By letting the employees know about their rights regarding their health and safety, I can able to complete my current responsibility. Some of the health and safety aspects defined by Telstra are the prevention of the workplace injury, appropriate insurance service to the employees, providing the suitable health & safety environment, and management of the work related injuries. By managing these current aspects as a leader, I can able to provide the health assistance to the employees and the employees will also get satisfied with the service allotted to them. In fact, with the formation of the suitable department for the social services, the employees can exchange their views as per the requirement with the help of which employees get motivated and secure. For the future perspectives, I can contribute to the organization by making different plans related to the health and safety. Though the health and safety aspects are helpful in improving the social aspects and related to the organization, but the negative aspect according to the social service leadership is that it will affect the financial system as well as the economic aspects of the organization (Employee Assistance Program, 2012).
Similarly, one of the literatures related to the social work leadership is helpful in critically focusing towards the major aspects related to the role of leadership in the management. According to the article, the leadership is considered as the most important aspect to influence the social work. By the help of this, the economic and the political aspects of the organization may also get improved simultaneously. Generally, the social work is considered as the catalyst to improve the society and to provide the social assistance to the lower class of the society. But, with the introduction of the social work leadership concept, the organization and management are also gaining some profit from it. All these aspects are clearly defined in the literature provided (Peterson, 2009). The social work leadership not only provide the assistance in the health and the medical facilities, but it may also help in providing the social assistance to the employees by arranging the medical camp in the organization, by providing the financial assistance to the weaker section of employee or lower wage earners, by providing the educational assistance to the kids of the employees working in the organization and many other aspects defined in reference to the Social work leadership. So, it directly states that the suitable leadership in the organization and management matters a lot. But, simultaneously the negative aspects which are reflected from the literature is that to provide the appropriate leadership aspects, the leaders have to groom up with the appropriate leadership skills and the process (Rank & Hutchison, 2000). These literatures will be helpful in defining the leadership process appropriately and in the right way.
By observing the different ideas and the approaches related to the social work leadership, it is quite clear that this process will be helpful in defining the negative as well as the positive aspects for the development of the leadership. There are various articulated and integrated ideas defined for the growth and development of the leadership in the organization. According to the National Association of Social Workers in Australia, it is clearly defined that the organizations are adapting the social work leadership as an essential ingredient of their organization (Haynes, 2014). They believe personally that the social worker leadership will be helpful in improving the social aspects like the health, education and the CSR related to the employees. Other than this, the Australian Association of Social Worker also helps in providing the evidences for the various organizations, who took help from them to improve the leadership skills in the organization. The social workers from the AASW provide the training and the mentoring sessions to the employees who are working in the organization. After providing the training, the trainers also consider that the employees who are willing to do the social work and possess some leadership skills are selected for the Social work leadership perspective and continue their work for the social cause in the organization (Wright & Waller, 2010). I also believe that for improving the future perspectives of the organization in contrast to the social work, the current aspects should be improved in the suitable manner. Other than the health programs and process, there are various health policies which are also defined on the larger level, which are not only securing the current aspects of the employees and their families, but by the help of these, the future perspectives of the social service may also improve simultaneously (Whitefish & Graham, 2015). To improve and enhance the social service leadership in the organization, some integrated ideas are the introduction of the child care program in the organization, seminars for the females, growth and development, financial and economic assistance to the employees of the organization.
Conclusion and Recommendation:
In the past days, the social work leadership is not considered as important as the other leadership aspects are considered. The social work is only helpful in providing the financial assistance to the employees of the organization. But, with the introduction of the social work leadership, the most appropriate and supportive solutions are introduced which are helpful in innovating the new phase of the leadership in the Australian organizations. This work is considered as the most outstanding work and also helps in improving the current as well as the future perspectives of the organization. The chances of improvement may also increase simultaneously. But, as the combination of social work and leadership is quite different, so some of the recommendations are provided to improve the aspects related to the social work leadership in the organization. The joint contribution of the organization, social work leaders and the employees related to the organization matters a lot. Without having the mutual coordination and the suitable process followed by the organization, the growth aspects cannot be fulfilled. The further progress can be done in social service by adapting new policies and enhancing the leadership skills.
Employee Assistance Program, 2012. The way we work – Telstra Business Principles:
Fisher, E. A., 2009. Motivation and Leadership in Social Work Management: A Review of Theories and Related Studies. A Review of Theories and Related, 25 September, 33(4), pp. 347-367.
Haynes, K. S., 2014. Social Workers as Leaders. Social Workers as Leaders,
Johnson, R., 2015. 5 Different Types of Leadership Styles. 5 Different Types of Leadership Styles,
Nupponen, H., 2005. Leadership and management in child care services: Contextual factors and their impact on practice,
Peterson, C., 2009. Leadership in the Social Work Profession and Organizations:
Rank, M. & Hutchison, W., 2000. An analysis of leadership with the social work profession.
SSW UNC Edu., 2012. Social work leadership,
Telstra Corporation Limited, 2012. Relevant Business Principle.
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