Social Work Leadership and Management / SpringerBriefs in Social Work (PDF)

This book describes the transformation of leadership and management in the context of selected newer leadership approaches in social work and human service organisations. It is an essential primer that focuses on the extent to which the approaches presented help managers in social enterprises deal with current challenges in depth and to develop suitable answers to questions such as: What is leadership? How does this differ from management? What leadership qualifications do executives currently need for long-term and future-oriented management?

Leadership and management in social work and human service organisations are constantly confronted with various challenges: employees want to be supported individually; managers must be able to act in an entrepreneurial manner; the organizational culture should be developed from a holistic point of view. Self-management in self-organised work contexts is increasingly the focus. In addition, organisations and the employees working in these institutions must struggle with constant changes in the environment under volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) conditions.

Based on an overview of classic and newer leadership approaches, this book introduces readers to selected concepts and theories relevant to the social economy, which various current textbooks in general business administration and specifically in social work management do not provide in a concise way. After introducing an innovative translational leadership framework, the book places leadership and management theories and approaches at the centre of the discussion that help to reflect on the application and adaptation of leadership styles in social work practice. Additionally, the book discusses changes taking place in the social and economic environment as well as in attitudes of agile leaders, in the practice of adaptive and digital leadership.

Social Work Leadership and Management: Current Approaches and Concepts for Social and Human Service Organisations is specifically geared to the needs of social work educators, students, researchers and practitioners in academic and agency (social and human service sectors) settings who can acquire knowledge and skills to support the viability and positive functioning of social work organisations, and to engage with other individuals, groups, and organisations.