Week 11: Professional Development for Future Leaders and Supervisors

Week 11: Professional Development for Future Leaders and Supervisors. As you further develop your career in clinical social work, you may not be aware of all the types of leadership roles and opportunities available in human services organizations. Executive leadership positions are not the only leadership positions available. For example, you may fulfill a supervisory role as a social work supervisor and or as a clinical program director. As you conclude this course, you analyze how your career goals relate to leadership and management and reflect on your experience in the course.

Students will:

• Analyze personal goals relative to leadership and management
• Analyze benefits and challenges of a social work administrator’s role(s)
• Analyze changes in personal definition of leadership and management

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Required Media

TedTalks (Producer). (n.d.). Seth Godin: The tribes we lead [Video file]. Retrieved February 20, 2014, from http://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead.html

Optional Resources

Walden University. (2014). Master of Social Work home page. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Visit the Master of Social Work interactive home page to explore resources available to students in the program.

Discussion 1: Future Career Goals

What are your short- and long-term professional goals? Do they include moving into a leadership and management position? Transitioning from clinical to administrative roles is not uncommon in social work practice. It is useful, however, to think about relevant skills, knowledge, and professional experiences that will prepare you for the transition. In addition, you should consider the personal benefits and challenges of assuming a leadership role.

Week 11: Professional Development for Future Leaders and Supervisors

By Day 3

Post your thoughts about your future career goals, your interest in moving into leadership or management positions, and the benefits and challenges of a social work administrator’s role.

Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

Week 11: Professional Development for Future Leaders and Supervisors

By Day 5

Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts.

Respond to at least two colleagues by commenting on at least one idea he or she has shared and by suggesting and/or providing a resource that might be of assistance.

Return to this Discussion to read the responses to your initial post. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Submission and Grading Information

Week 11: Professional Development for Future Leaders and Supervisors

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 11 Discussion 1 Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 11 Discussion 1

Discussion 2: Perspectives on Leadership

What is a leader? This may seem like a simple question, but an individual’s response to the question may depend on the individual and his or her situation. Leadership contains elements of personality, personal characteristics, skills, and knowledge. Leadership can be demonstrated within human services organizations as well as in the organizations’ interactions with stakeholders in the community.

As you consider all you have explored about leadership in this course, what new perspectives have you gained regarding this topic? Consider how you might apply your discoveries to your career planning and development.

Week 11: Professional Development for Future Leaders and Supervisors

By Day 4

Post an analysis of how your personal definition of leadership has changed or expanded since you began this course. Explain at least one significant idea or experience from this course that may be of value in preparing you for a future supervisory or administrative role.

Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

Week 11: Professional Development for Future Leaders and Supervisors

By Day 6

Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts.

Respond by Day 6 to at least two colleagues with a thoughtful question or suggestion that builds on your colleagues’ post.

Return to this Discussion to read the responses to your initial post. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 11 Discussion 2 Rubric

Post by Day 4 and Respond by Day 6

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 11 Discussion 2

Week in Review

In this final week you analyzed your personal goals relative to leadership and management and the benefits and challenges of a social work administrator’s role. You also analyzed the changes in personal definitions of leadership and management.

Congratulations! After you have finished all of the assignments for this week, you have completed the course. Please submit your Course Evaluation by Day 7.