Discuss about the Facilitative Leadership in Social Work Practice.
Introduction
Social work is crucial in community development in any country. However, social work requires strong and decisive leadership to manage the projects initiated to the community. Social work in community services requires a good and visionary leader for effective implementation of community services. The following are the role of a good leader;
Role of leader
Understand the economic and political trends of the environment and its impact on the management and strategy of any community, possess ability to formulate strategies, identifying key factors for the implementation of organizational changes, encouraging a culture of service, Knowledge quiz to know the impact of their leadership styles and identifying personal goals to improve the quality of their contribution to the community.
Manager: The leader as an executive, coordinates the group’s tasks, supervises the activities, plans, program guides, Sort, distributes, provides arbitrates resources, aid, counseling, supplements, censored, repressed, Help, cooperate, motivate regulates, represents, identifies, supports, has an individual responsibility, and maintains a propitiatory attitude(Bush and Bush, 2003).
Bureaucratic: maintaining an administrative and personnel structure of an organization. According a hierarchical scheme to perform some specialized tasks based on internal regulations, this type of leader is primarily concerned with the public administration.
Behavioral approach of an effective leader
Social leaders work is an important component of axiological and ethical guidance. Their daily activity makes sense because it refers to a noble cause, and this results from a very general view in the defense of fundamental principles and values ​​that guide and pervade not only individual stocks but also to the entire community. When this happens, the principles and values ​​become the fuel that guides the action, the result can be formidable. Something that is often forgotten, is that not everything is solved in a community from a system of incentives.
Key Principles informing social work leadership
Principles and values ​​become fuel for action when they are not present only as major guiding principles of the social mission of each entity or group but also in the exemplary nature of its actors and leaders. This points, first, to the question of personal example and the awareness of the values ​​that shape the mission; but on the other hand, it is also essential to share the same spirit, a way of doing things. Beyond personal and missionary moral commitment, there is also the possibility of developing organizational ethics collective effects processors.
But this also means that leadership impacts the everyday activities of the community. In the social sector there is a danger of believing that because the principles and purposes that guide action are fair or heroic social action also will be deployed. Social work should be guided by ethical principles but should also be well done and, above all, be useful to have an impact(Carey and Green, 2013). For this reason, in the role of social leadership must meet achieving both criteria: there must be social commitment but also talent and professionalism in how to perform the tasks and achieve the objectives.
It is likely that in any other sector and the social sector, this model of leadership based on serving people is so developed. The server leadership would play a new moral principle: the only authority that deserves our support is that which is freely and consciously recognized, and in direct response to the obvious and clear leader as a server size ratio(Ginsberg, 2001). I know that in the current context to say this seems like a bad joke, but it is only for those who consider that immovable context. We insist: this does not negate the importance of professionalism and competence in achieving objectives, strategy development, and continuous improvement of the impact of the action. But they perceived linked to the mission and at your service
But perhaps the most important is the realization that social leadership is not a starting point but the end result of a long journey that, at least in our context, goes through the stages of awareness, involvement and civic community engagement. The personal disposition to be in the world of critical and transforming way was certainly a constant in many of the community leaders involved in social work. The sense of purpose and urgency or refusal of passivity, for example, are elements that are part of their behavior. But we should remember that any social leader acts as a sniper or reaches the stage of commitment in isolation. There is always a social community legacy that moves to a new generation experienced dip in values, a reference figure, hand or push an educator, family associative, religious or cultural influence, etc.
Social leadership
Social leadership, then, is largely the result of civic capital of a country, ie, that energy that we exercise collective responsibility and we transmit and share to the extent that that the society accept, where appropriate(Ginsberg, 2001). We can therefore assume that a decline of civic capital of a country would also have effects on the emergence of new social leaders. If we invest in the future improvement of social leadership we will have to start by doing it by the base, ie globally contributing to strengthening the social sector. Social leadership does not work with star signings but working from the base.
During this journey of personal settings, service-oriented some social activists commitment is enriched by taking responsibility and development of various capacities: building bridges and consensus, promoting initiatives, organizational ability, extending the circle of relationships and networking, strengthening the moral will, understanding the environment and strategic vision, forging shared values ​​and beliefs, etc. When we say that leadership is not a position but a process not only what we say in relation to the hierarchical management (often confuse leader and head) but also say in relation to the same construction of personal identity and the assumption of roles of leaders(Hirschmann, 2004). What we do ends up also influence what we are.
Challenges and problems in social leadership
Perhaps one of the problems we have today is not just the quality of leadership, but we think and promote leadership from very restricted profiles. Perhaps we would think and would promote leaderships very different if to features and itineraries of social leadership.
Logically to achieve the above, the reference is to effective leadership.
Concept of Good Leadership
There are many definitions and concepts related to leadership, focused by different authors, the purpose of the author is to give readers a concept as comprehensive as possible, which in turn allows your understanding and may assist in the subject.
Consider the following concept:
Leadership is the process that influences the members of a team, an organization, or other; to guarantee and / or transform the development of the activities undertaken in order to comply with the schedule in a community(Hafford-Letchfield et al., n.d.).
Approaches to leadership theories
In our case we will raise the central elements of the main approaches or theories, with the aim and aspiration, that the necessary elements on the different variants possess.
Focus as a function on the community
This study is not based on the determination of the traits or behavior or behavior of people in relation to leadership, but intrinsically related to the team or group. All team to develop the work that has been assigned, has certain requirements, one of which is a leader acting on behalf of the group which becomes increasingly necessary depending on the complexities of the group, both the I work to be done, such as relationships unfold. The leader is valued by the group for their capacity to solve the problems presented and for the fulfillment of its objectives.
Increasing leadership capacity in social work
In Social Work, after two centuries of progress and restructuring has established itself as a scientific discipline. It is integrated within the social sciences, which shares the object of study and scientific method. There is a close relationship that links social work, democratic citizenship and the concept of the welfare state. Thus, it is clear the primary objective of social work as a science; promoting democratic citizenship isolating the elements of social exclusion to contribute to the welfare of individuals and groups, enabling the effective exercise of their rights.
We cannot forget that our social reality is a result of a particular historical context, which we define, model and brand our watchword. In this sense, it is essential for social workers; know the illustrated roots that led to emergence of the values ​​on which human rights would support. In technologically advanced societies, social work must respond to the phenomenon of social exclusion, relational problems of new forms of social interaction, personal fulfillment, etc. The aim of Social Work with Groups must be the insertion of the individual in society. To do this, we must make a correct diagnosis and bear in mind the economic and social order from a technological and virtual context. In addition, everything is connected; the effects of decisions in a given space affect the whole with a speed hitherto unimaginable(Hothersall and Bolger, 2010). Faced with these prospects, Social Work with Groups, it opens as a specialty that can intervene at different levels to bring about change and improvement of people, groups, communities and organizations involved, promoting social inclusion, promoting the enhancing factors change social and mitigating the risks of social exclusion(Lohmann and Lohmann, 2002).
Leadership theories
It is based on developing leadership from personality, where the subject born leader is not agreed with, against this, one can say that the subject has to assume this role innate conditions. In this context, it is understood the social worker as a person who possesses qualities that range from intellectually, emotionally and physically(Smith, 2009).
Concerning this theories, the sub must meet certain requirements, which should inspire confidence, be smart, perceptive and decisive for better condition to successfully leadership.
In relation to the above, the personalist leadership, has the characteristics:Sense of responsibility, Concern for the realization of the work, Energy,Persistence,Ability to make risky decisions, Originality and Self-confidence.
Behavioral Theory
This theory is based on the behavior that the leader has to assume in leadership, where it is when the subject becomes leader is not born as a leader. There are three styles of leadership, these are characterized by behavior to assume the role of leader:
Autocratic Leader: Here the leader is imposed and makes others abide orders, having to fulfill what the leader commands, generating tension, frustration and aggression, although the task is fulfilled but without satisfaction for others to realize them.Democratic Leader: In this style of leadership, the leader is collective, all locked with a goal in common, however the leadership role remains, unlike the Autocratic, not imposed by others, taking an attitude of friendship, builds confidence, relates cordially and there is mutual respect, regarding the task to be accomplished, the quality of work is better and there is more group interaction(Winkler, 2010).
Situational Theory
In this theory, we can highlight leadership depending on the situation that the leader faced look. This theory is based on a balance between the two before seen theories, the leader manifests itself in relation to personality and behavior that acquires facing a situation which the leader works with his team, where the leader guide others to a suitable alternative, in order to accomplish the task.
Social Work with Groups
Its way in contemporary societies as a method of social intervention because, through the interaction of its members are provided with identity and consciousness. Our identity is configured through the relationship with others, through interactions, are social animals. The individual does not take decisions itself but through the influence of society. For example, the phenomenon of social exclusion can not be interpreted individually but must analyze the structural dimensions that influence social progressive disengagement of individuals. Despite the individualistic nature of the market and the neoliberal postulates, it is necessary to isolate the individual from guilt and insert in social contexts based on the relational nature of human beings, where come alive social ties as necessary for the biological evolution of species.
Social Work with Groups, through group dynamics promotes improvement, restoration and enhancement of social skills inferring both an individual and social adjustment to its participants. Therefore, it is essential to isolate all kinds of reductionism, both biological and genetic and cultural and ideological type. The human being is not determined but conditioned and has a great power, human perfectibility, the capacity to promote their own change and improve throughout your life, constituting an identity defined, unique and unrepeatable.
Improving ones leadership
A Social worker as a leader should improve their skills in the following ways.First, you should take into account own empathy toward others, your thoughts and your ability to understand, can be much more useful than just valuing other people outside you or your material contribution to the project ideas(Breshears and Volker, 2013).
If you are the leader in charge of social work, you have the authority to make decisions, but also the responsibility for its consequences. Both must agree to assume effective leadership, or your social work project will be doomed to failure.
While you want to believe in your team will be dedicated and cooperate with each other for their own work ethic, or your managers take the baton for daily compliance and you should only lead in the general level, the fact is that it does not work that way. You have to firmly tell your subordinates what is expected of them and make sure they comply.
A social worker should promote group discussion, to enhance their leadership skills. A social worker should learn to be proactive and should not wait for problems or opportunities to arise. They should try to anticipate risks to resolve any minor inconvenience before it grows.
References
Breshears, E. and Volker, R. (2013). Facilitative leadership in social work practice. New York, NY: Springer Pub.
Bush, T. and Bush, T. (2003). Theories of educational leadership and management. London: Sage Publications.
Carey, M. and Green, L. (2013). Practical social work ethics. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate.
Ginsberg, L. (2001). Social work evaluation. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Hafford-Letchfield, T. (2008). Leadership and management in social care. London, UK: Sage Publications.
Hafford-Letchfield, T., Lambley, S., Spolander, G. and Cocker, C. (n.d.). Inclusive leadership in social work and social care.
Hirschmann, K. (2004). Leadership. Chicago: Raintree.
Hothersall, S. and Bolger, J. (2010). Social Policy for Social Work, Social Care and the Caring Professions. Farnham: Ashgate.
Kadushin, A. and Harkness, D. (2002). Supervision in social work. New York: Columbia University Press.
Lohmann, R. and Lohmann, N. (2002). Social administration. New York: Columbia University Press.
Pierson, J. and Thomas, M. (2010). Dictionary of social work. Maidenhead: Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education.
Smith, R. (2009). Doing social work research. Maidenhead, England: McGraw-Hill/Open University Press.
Winkler, I. (2010). Contemporary leadership theories. Heidelberg: Physica-Verlag.
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