Week 2: External Factors and Leadership

Human services organizations are not separate from their communities—they are “embedded” and are part of the larger social, political, and economic systems. Not only do external factors such as funding and politics influence organizational functioning including those serving in leadership roles, but the leaders themselves can influence change in these systems. Social work administrators must understand the impact of and interaction between the internal functioning of an organization and its external factors.

 

Learning Objectives

 

Students will:

 

· Apply leadership skills to supervisory role

 

· Evaluate challenges to supervisory role

 

· Evaluate personal strengths and interests relative to leadership and management roles

 

· Evaluate personal leadership and management skills and interests

 

Learning Resources

 

Required Readings

 

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications

 

Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications via the Copyright Clearance Center.

 

·

 

Chapter 1, “Introduction” (pp. 1–17)

 

Northouse, P. G. (2021). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Sage.

 

· Chapter 1, “Understanding Leadership” (pp. 1–24)

 

· Chapter 2, “Recognizing Your Traits” (pp. 26–54)

 

· Chapter 5, “Developing Leadership Skills” (pp. 127-158)

 

Lauffer, A. (2011). Understanding your social agency (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Sage.

 

· Chapter 3, “Role Playing and Group Membership” (pp. 70–98)

 

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing [Vital Source e-reader].

 

· “Social Work Supervision, Leadership, and Administration: The Phoenix House” (pp. 82–84)

 

Optional Resources

 

Walden University. (2014). Master of Social Work home page. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

 

Visit the Master of Social Work interactive home page to explore resources available to students in the program.

 

Assignment: Journal: Leadership and Management—A Personal Perspective

 

Last week, you began exploring the similarities and differences of leadership and management roles and the contributions these roles make to an organization’s functioning. Social workers need to be aware of these similarities and differences in order to determine which management or leadership skills are most appropriate in a given position or situation.

 

This week, you have focused on the influence of external factors on an organization’s functioning with a special focus on their impact on the leadership of social workers in supervisory roles.

 

As you have explored leadership and management roles, skills, and behaviors, you may have become aware of how these align, or do not align, with your personal skills, strengths, and interests. You may also have begun to consider how external factors might influence you if you were to assume a leadership or management role in social work.

 

For this Assignment, you assess your strengths and areas for growth in order to determine what aspects of leadership and management are a good “fit” with your personality, leadership style, and relevant skills. You also address how external factors might influence you as you serve in a leadership or management role.

 

Assignment (300-words): Complete the following with consideration for an American Male:

 

· Assess your strengths and areas for growth with regard to both the leadership and management roles based on what you understand about these roles so far. Be sure to address whether your skills and interests align better with the leadership or management role.

 

· Identify at least one area of growth in either of these roles you would like to further develop, and explain why.

 

· Identify two significant external factors that might influence your work if you served in a leadership or management role in social work. Explain why these external factors are significant and how they might affect your work as a leader or manager.

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