As I partake in my journey into social work leadership, I thought that it would be good to start documenting some bites of tips and ideas from books I have read, which I have started using in the teams I am in.
Liz Wiseman's book "Multipliers" talks about how good leadership involves not being the centre of attention and being the one to get all the credit. A good leader does not make his charges dependent on him, but instead works towards growing their capabilities, and helping them leverage on their strengths. The book cites research that found that leaders who focus time on helping their team members grow their strengths and take the lead in important projects, are able to not only create a positive working environment, but also boost productivity and effectiveness of staff that benefits the organisation. I won't go into much detail about this (read the book if you are keen), but here are just some principles derived from the book that has started to guide me in practice (in my own words).
1. Don't be a superstar
This was also passed down from my predecessor. I used to operate from the mindset of having to be good at every aspect of work, so that I could show my staff how I wanted things to be done. I started to eat humble pie when I realised that the people I worked with had important strengths that they could bring to the team, and usually, they had strengths that were better than mine. Instead of being a superstar, how then, as a leader could we build superstars in our teams?
2. If they look good, everyone looks good.
It's a flawed mindset to be fearful that our staff might suddenly be better than us, and surpass our abilities. I think it is testament to good leadership if the person you develop, becomes even better than you. As leaders, we also have to be aware of when it is time to hand over the mantle of leadership when your staff are ready. It's good to have your teammates do well, because the whole team will reap the benefits. And in social services, it's our clients who will benefit the most.
3. Don't be an anal micromanager.
The thing that irritates people the most, is having their bosses literally breathing down their necks with regards to every aspect of what they are doing. Leadership is about being brave enough to hand over responsibility (reduces your own workload as well) and allowing freedom of expression through projects where staff would have a personal stake in. And if you are concerned that your staff might make mistakes, the next point is important.
4. Mistakes are ok, really!
Well, not all mistakes are ok. Leaders allow bandwidth for their team members to make mistakes, because only through mistakes, can we learn to get better. As leaders we assess the situation to do some damage control, but generate questions for our colleagues to be able to reflect on the choices they make at work. Of course in certain situations where your social workers are managing cases with risk, there is a need to ensure safety is managed for our clients' sake.
5. Everyone counts, but protect the integrity of the tribe.
This means that even the newest social worker can value add to the organisation, and the philosophy of leaving no man (or woman) behind is paramount. We encourage debate for important decisions and consider different voices. At the same time, we support the integrity of our team through strict hiring practices where we only let in individuals who are passionate about the work, and could complement the agency culture.
I shall end this post abruptly now.
Bye!
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