Do Social Workers Lead Differently? Examining Associations with Leadership Style and Organizational Factors

Abstract

What training leaders need to successfully shepherd high quality human service delivery remains less understood. This study aims to evaluate associations between social work training, leadership style, and organizational factors. Participants included leaders (N=49) and employees (N=224) working in 10 behavioral health organizations who completed a survey. Hierarchical linear models were used to analyze multilevel associations. Analyses indicated that leaders with social work training were rated higher in transformational leadership and organizational factors (e.g., lesser stress) on average within both samples. Findings begin an empirical argument for the value of social work leaders for the success of human service organizations.

Impact of leadership development and facilitated peer coaching on women's individual, collective, and organizational behaviors in human services

“…Participants' reports of increased and improved interpersonal and emotional intelligence skills and behaviors that they believe led to improved understanding and coaching of others, collaboration and teamwork, and staff morale, relates directly to the critical need identified in the literature for creating more trusting, inclusive organizational environments (Feser et al, 2017). These behaviors align with authentic, servant, transformational, and inclusive leadership styles noted earlier, deemed so critical to managing and leading in today's diversifying workforce (Bragger et al, 2020;Brimhall, 2019;Choy-Brown et al, 2020;Debebe, 2017;Sugiyama et al, 2016). Our research reinforces the perception of women's proclivity for these styles, given that this allwomen sample emphasized this type of learning (Johansen & Zhu, 2016).…”

“…Regardless of the reasons, the inability of the human services sector to attend effectively to the leadership development needs and promotion of women (Araque & Weiss, 2019) limits its ability to capitalize on the talents women could bring to the leadership table. For instance, recent scholarship suggests women are more likely to embody styles related to authentic, servant, transformational, and inclusive leadership (Bragger, Alonso, D'Ambrosio, & Williams, 2020;Brimhall, 2019;Choy-Brown, Stanhope, Wackstein, & Cole, 2020;Debebe, 2017;Sugiyama, Cavanagh, van Esch, & Bilimoria, 2016)-widely viewed as effective approaches to increasing organizational effectiveness through inclusive hiring practices, empowerment of self and staff, and the creation of effective team functioning and positive organizational climates. Women also tend to prioritize diversity and inclusivity in their management practices more than their male counterparts (Johansen & Zhu, 2016).…”

Social workers’ formal and informal leadership in interprofessional primary care teams in Ontario, Canada

“…28 Results from this study underscore the need for a supportive and sustainable organizational culture that recognizes, nurtures, and rewards interprofessional leadership. Organizational culture is linked to job satisfaction, and successful recruitment and retention of human resources 40,41 which is of paramount importance during this crisis of worker shortage in primary care. 25,26 In our study, social workers holding formal leadership positions self-reported high confidence in their leadership skills.…”

Assessment of Veterans Affairs Case Management Leadership

“…VA case managers are required to manage and lead in a constantly evolving government organization but are not necessarily provided academic leadership training (Choy-Brown et al, 2020; Major, 2019). It remains unclear to what extent the role of VA registered nurse (RN) and social work (SW) case managers has been evaluated for leadership elements and the influence on implementation of congressionally mandated programs.…”