Social Work-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 (4–5 paragraphs): Complete the following:

• 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.