Self Leadership in Social Work Practice: Healthcare Application

This report delves into the concept of self leadership within the context of social work practice, emphasizing the importance of leaders in healthcare settings. It begins by highlighting the significance of leadership in guiding organizations and achieving effective outcomes, particularly in the service sector, such as mental health services. The report explores various leadership theories, including the Great Man theory, Trait theory, Behavioral theory, Participative leadership, and Situational leadership, ultimately advocating for the situational leadership theory as the most appropriate for healthcare environments. The situational leadership theory, which emphasizes adapting leadership styles to different situations and follower development levels, is discussed in detail. The report then examines the application of these leadership practices, focusing on the Mental Health Australia organization, and describes how leaders can effectively implement situational leadership to improve service delivery and patient outcomes. The report concludes with a discussion of how the different leadership theories can be applied in a healthcare setting and the importance of leaders in achieving organizational objectives and goals.

Self leadership in Social Work
Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Understanding and application of leadership theories................................................................1
Application of such practices at health care association.............................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Leaders are essential part in every business concern which enable in providing
appropriate guide to each and evert individual. This is helpful for an association to grab and done
each and every operation in an appropriate manner. Thus, leaders are important for every
business segment so that better and effective outcome could be gain. In case of service sector
industry, especially in health and social care context leaders have to lead a team perfectly so that
every diligent will contribute most (Latham, 2014). This project is based on Mental health
Australia whom work with a major objective of making people aware about such stigma properly
so that chances of discrimination with such affected population get underlay. Thus each and
every leader at HSC have responsibility to deal with such context. This project is a reflection
about self leadership in social care terminology so that better and appropriate results derive and
such situation get overcome in an appropriate manner as well.
Understanding and application of leadership theories
There are various number of theories are identify which can apply by the leaders of
health and social care association. This enable them in making their services effective and
appropriate in nature so that better and appropriate services get deliver and recovery become
possible in frequent time manner (Manz, 2015). Every leader have a definite working style which
have to get linked with theories so that absolute outcome could be gain.
Several number of theories of leadership are determine as follow out of them appropriate
theory can apply be me in an association so that better working pattern can avail. Several
leadership styles which define by different number of authors are as follow:
Great man theory
Trait theory
Behavioural theory
Participative leadership
Situational leadership
Every leader have to apply one of hypothesis in their life so that they are going to
promote better and effective working. I have choose situational leadership theory is appropriate
one which facilitate in taking judgement on the basis of various situations which arise in HSC.
Sometime, such patient arrive at workplace whom are suffering from heavy cause and require
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more appropriate diagnose. On the basis of this thing more suitable decisions will be carried
down which facilitate an option to make others by them. Many times some cases require frequent
decision which only get done through situational leadership theory (Manz & et. al., 2015).
According to situational theory of leadership it stated that many times leaders change
themselves according to development and growth level of followers and scenarios which arise in
their life. Thus, such leaders choose appropriate path of working for their own which facilitate
them an option to evaluate progress more properly. This stated that neither style or pattern of
working is appropriate and hence a leader have to modify them according to required time
manner properly. This also enhance level of learning and directing to deal with various sort of
things in one life spam which support in making things correct.
Mental health Australia is an association where different types of patient arrives on
regular basis. I am working there as a leader whose major work is to maintain appropriate
environment and deal with every patient properly so that better delivery of offerings could take
place. This get done only through applicability of situational leadership where I have an option to
take decision on the basis of situation which arise at workplace. This theory is mainly based on
four pillars: Directing, Coaching, Supporting and Delegating on which whole working practices
get done in an appropriate and effective manner.
Firstly I have to direct the things properly by providing suitable indications. This enable
followers to do things properly and get a blueprint for such task which need to get execute in an
appropriate manner. On the basis of directing, coaching have to get provided. Coaching enable
every individual to get learn so many things and improve their skills as well. This is beneficial
for an individual in delivering quality based services through which patients health get recover
properly by enabling them to use proper diagnose for every person.
Support followers properly in every situation by analysing situation and get appropriate
idea to overcome from that. This is helpful in motivating an individual and create example of to
do the best in front of others. Thus, a leader should have to be dynamic in nature which support
in converging things properly according to time frame so that better and effective outcomes
could gain properly.
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(Sources: Situational Leadership Theory: Providing Leadership through Flexibility, 2016)
At the last stage, delegating the power in all followers by dividing each and every
individual properly. This facilitate them an option to do the things properly so that chances of
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Illustration 1: Situational Leadership Theory: Providing Leadership through Flexibility,
2016

getting appropriate outcomes could enhance. This is all about situational leadership where
decision are based on diverse scenarios.
I have to apply this situational leadership in my working to make things more effective
and absolute in manner. In every HSC, diverse situations arise which might affect working and
made a vast impact on management as well. Hence, suitable actions get determine by using
situational leadership theory where more and more number of people get high quality standard
services. For this context, leader have to provide proper training and coaching to my followers
and make them appropriate by setting their targets and goals. Support each and every individual
properly as well in any scenario to motivate them properly.
Application of such practices at health care association
Great man theory: This theory asserts that in general and great leaders in particular are
born and not made. Therefore in an organisation great man theory applies to identify great
leaders who have special characteristics. This theory is the belief that personal; qualities and
abilities that makes an individual a great person.
Trait theory: The trait theories provides valuable information about the leadership and to
be applied at all levels and in all types of organisation to perform a self-assessment and compare
traits with those who are successful in a specific career. In order to provide services the
organisation should need to define traits of leader more accurately and in understand manner so
that they provide services to their mental health patients.
Behavioural theory: This theory helps in understanding the determinants of the
behaviours and a failure to properly apply health behaviour theory to the development and
implementation of effective interventions. This theory not only helps to understand causes of
problems but also allow the mental health organisation to identify mechanism of change,
determine the reasons why the programs succeed or fiala and helps in developing better
prevention programs.
Participative leadership: The leaders of an organisation who transform thinking through
radical new ideas, contributed path breaking new knowledge or introduced game-changing
innovations .The impact of participatory leadership helps in bringing about change. The actions
that to be designed for the benefit of their patients need to be implemented and took participate
in completing the actions in order to achieve results in more effective and efficient manner.
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Situational leadership: This theory indicates that the leaders should take decisions as per
the situations arises and they have ability to handle and tackle the situation in effective manner.
CONCLUSION
As per the report it can be concluded that management of mental health Australia has various
roles and responsibilities in terms of providing services to their patients. The leaders should need
to concentrate on the complex situations arise and should need to implement actions and
measures in order to provide quality based services to their patients so as to maximise
satisfaction level. As per the needs and requirements the organisation should need to analyse the
situation and perform accordingly in order to get maximum possible outcomes. Thus, leaders are
important for every business segment so that better and effective outcome could be gain and
helps in attaining organisational objectives and goals.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Latham, J. R. (2014). Leadership for quality and innovation: Challenges, theories, and a
framework for future research. Quality Management Journal. 21 (1). 5.
Manz, C. C. (2015). Taking the self-leadership high road: Smooth surface or potholes ahead?.
The Academy of Management Perspectives. 29(1). 132-151.
Manz, C. C. & et. al. (2015). Serving one another: Are shared and self‐leadership the keys to
service sustainability?. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 36(4). 607-612.
Nahavandi, A. (2016). The Art and Science of Leadership -Global Edition. Pearson.
Odumeru, J. A., & Ogbonna, I. G. (2013). Transformational vs. transactional leadership theories:
Evidence in literature. International Review of Management and Business Research.
2(2). 355.
Tyssen, A. K., Wald, A., & Spieth, P. (2013). Leadership in temporary organizations: A review
of leadership theories and a research agenda. Project Management Journal. 44(6). 52-
67.
Online
Situational Leadership Theory: Providing Leadership through Flexibility. 2016. [Online].
Available through :<http://www.educational-business-articles.com/situational-
leadership-theory/>. [Accessed on 22nd November 2017].
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