Leadership in the human services sector
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Nov 24, 2024
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Leadership in the human services sector
Leadership in the human services sector refers to people's abilities to guide, motivate, and
influence others in providing social services and support to vulnerable populations. It entails
supervising and organizing the actions of teams or organizations to serve the needs of people,
families, or communities in healthcare, social work, mental health, education, and other social
services. Effective leaders in the human services sector have a variety of talents and attributes,
including empathy, compassion, excellent communication, active listening, problem-solving, and
the capacity to adapt to complicated and diverse settings (Pidgeon, 2017). They aim to develop
deep relationships with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders while fostering a culture of
cooperation, creativity, and continual growth. Leadership is also about advocating for the rights
and well-being of people being served and addressing systemic challenges that affect vulnerable
communities. Leaders in this industry frequently encounter difficult situations that need them to
manage client needs, stakeholder expectations, and the limits of limited resources.
Leadership in the human services sector based on interviews, lectures, and readings.
Several essential insights regarding leadership in the human services sector have emerged
from my examination of interviews, seminars, and readings. Effective leadership in this arena
necessitates a distinct combination of managerial and empathetic abilities. As a leader, I must
build a collaborative and supportive workplace while prioritizing vulnerable populations' needs
and well-being. Active listening, clear communication, and the ability to inspire and motivate
teams are all necessary skills for me to have (Thompson & Miller, 2018). To succeed in the
human services industry, I must show a strong commitment to social justice and activism,
address systemic challenges, and promote fair access to services. I am aware that I will confront
significant issues in balancing stakeholder demands, limited resources, and the different needs of
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customers. Furthermore, I understand the need to develop meaningful relationships with clients,
coworkers, and community stakeholders to support positive results and positively influence
individuals and communities in need.
An effective leader in the Human Services
An excellent human services leader combines compassion, communication, and
organizational abilities. They show genuine concern for the well-being of the individuals they
serve by carefully listening to understand their specific requirements. Such leaders thrive in
problem-solving and decision-making, navigating complicated difficulties while putting
vulnerable populations first. Furthermore, strong leaders in this sector are social justice and
equity advocates that fight to address structural challenges that affect their clients (Mumford et
al., 2017). Alice Walker, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, inspires human services. She attended
Sarah Lawrence College to further her social work education and organize welfare rights
initiatives. She was equally a writer and published one of her best-known novels, The Color
Purple, famously adapted into a film by Steven Spielberg. I have read most of her writings in the
past, and I find her so inspiring.
NSA framework of leadership
Based on the NSA leadership framework, I feel there are numerous ways to become a
leader in my workplace, regardless of my level or position. First, I can focus on cultivating
relationships with coworkers and team members, demonstrating genuine concern for their well-
being and professional development. I can foster a healthy collaborative work atmosphere by
providing support and encouragement. Second, I can actively support and encourage the ideas
and actions of others, thereby establishing an inclusive and empowered atmosphere (Alamanda
et al., 2022). This will demonstrate my dedication to the organization's and its members'
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collective success. Finally, I can push for constructive workplace reforms and improvements.
Advocating for good change, whether resolving challenges, introducing innovations, or fostering
a more inclusive atmosphere, demonstrates leadership traits that benefit the entire team.
Differences between management and leadership
Management and leadership are generally related and have complementary functions but involve
different approaches, mindsets, and focus areas. My learnings about the two can therefore be
summarized as follows;
1.
Regarding focus and scope, management often entails the day-to-day operational
components of a work or project, such as planning, coordinating, and regulating
resources to achieve certain goals (Bush, 2020) efficiently. Conversely, leadership is
more about creating a vision, inspiring and motivating people, and guiding them toward
that vision.
2.
People vs. Tasks; Management controls tasks, processes, and resources to ensure that
things are completed systematically, whereas Leadership is concerned with people. It is
part of understanding and addressing individuals' needs and objectives, creating
relationships, and empowering team members to attain their full potential.
3.
Decision-Making; Managers must make decisions based on facts, data, and established
procedures. Leaders, on the other hand, may make judgments based on intuition, vision,
and ideals.
4.
Authority and Influence; In a hierarchical system, management is frequently associated
with formal authority and the power to control others. Leadership, on the other hand,
does not necessitate a formal title or position.
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5.
Time Orientation; Management is more concerned with short-term goals and
accomplishing immediate targets, whereas leadership is more strategic and long-term
(Bush, 2020). Leaders examine the organization's future direction and how to respond to
changes in the external environment.
6.
Change and Innovation; Leaders are frequently viewed as change agents, stimulating
innovation and adaptation to new situations. They elicit innovation and a desire to
question the status quo (Bush, 2020). While crucial for consistency and stability,
managers may be more concerned with preserving old systems and processes.
Leadership theories
I have worked with different leaders, but two of them stood out in their leadership style.
My former supervisor in my place of work and my current team leader in my work environment.
My supervisor employed the use of transformational leadership (Anderson, 2017). As a
transformational leader, he used to encourage and inspire us to be innovative and come up with
new ways to be able to grow and improve the path to the company's success. On the other hand,
my team leader uses a leadership style that is more related to the transactional leadership style.
He majorly focuses on supervision, organization, and performance (Khan, 2017). He often
motivates us and directs us on what we should be doing and how we should be doing it.
Working with both leaders has been fantastic. Working with my former supervisor, a
transformative leader, was both inspiring and empowering. He had a compelling vision that he
conveyed in a way that inspired the entire team. His excitement and passion were contagious,
encouraging everyone to attain their best potential and work together toward a common goal. He
developed a culture of growth and creativity throughout the organization, cultivating individual
talents and challenging the status quo, resulting in considerable positive changes and results
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(Anderson, 2017). Working with my current team leader has also been fantastic because we focus
on efficiency and outcomes as a transactional leader is formed. He frequently employs incentives
and recognition to push team members to achieve specified goals (Khan, 2017). Even though
transactional leaders are notorious for lacking long-term vision, my team leader has a long-term
vision and talks about individual growth with us, which is excellent leadership.
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References
Alamanda, S., Setiawan, M., & Irawanto, D. W. (2022). Leadership Styles on Employee
Performance With Work Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment As Intervening
Variables.
Jurnal Aplikasi Manajemen
,
20
(1), 34–42.
https://jurnaljam.ub.ac.id/index.php/jam/article/view/2682
Anderson, M. (2017). Transformational leadership in education: A review of existing literature.
International Social Science Review
,
93
(1), 1–13. https://www.jstor.org/stable/90012919
Bush, T. (2020). Theories of educational leadership and management.
Theories of Educational
Leadership and Management
, 1–208. https://www.torrossa.com/en/resources/an/5018841
Khan, N. (2017). Adaptive or transactional leadership in current higher education: A brief
comparison.
International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning
,
18
(3),
178–183. https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/irrodl/1900-v1-n1-
irrodl04997/1066128ar/abstract/
Mumford, M. D., Todd, E. M., Higgs, C., & McIntosh, T. (2017). Cognitive skills and leadership
performance: The nine critical skills.
The Leadership Quarterly
,
28
(1), 24–39.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1048984316301382
Pidgeon, K. (2017). The keys for success: Leadership core competencies.
Journal of Trauma
Nursing
,
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(6), 338–341.
https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/jtn/2017/00000024/00000006/art00004
Thompson, S. A., & Miller, K. L. (2018). Disruptive trends in higher education: Leadership skills
for successful leaders.
Journal of Professional Nursing
. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-
8
19049-005