Anyone can be a leader in social work. This isn’t a role defined by job title – though it can involve giving direction, it’s also about offerering inspiration, encouraging teamwork and setting an example.
In two articles for The Social Work Community, social work leader and consultant Clair Graham explores what leadership means in the profession.
In the first, she examines the different styles of leadership – participative, transformational, delegative, authoritative, transactional and servant – and some of their pros and cons
A follow-up article looks at what it takes to be an effective leader in social work and how organisations can best support their leaders to get the best out of staff.
Reading these articles will support you to reflect on your leadership style and be willing and open to adapting it to different situations and individuals.
About The Social Work Community
The Social Work Community is a safe online space for social work students and qualified practitioners at all levels to share their experiences of the profession and find advice, support and connections.
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Try respecting the weekly contracted hours instead of continuously overburdening Social Workers with bureaucratic tasks
Respect is a good starting point. Gain the respect of your colleagues by being in the leadership position through merit and not just because your friends with someone higher up or because your better at backstabbing than others applying. Respect your colleagues, because the service does not move forward if staff are taking a step back.
As a locum worker is it disappointing to experienced a continued top down approach to practice and resource challenges. Practice guidance and themes continue to be explored, promoted and what I find most disappointing is, particular authorities who on paper excel in their internal promotion of a diverse workforce that is valued, safe spaces and feelings that one has a voice remains unfortunately so very superficial.
Senior management are not held to account sufficiently in knowing their workforce, the challenges and should be forced to revisit the factory floor; then and only then, may we end up with a competition senior management level.