Creative Classroom Activities to Cultivate Social Work Leaders Dr. Anthony C. Hill, MSW, Ed.D The Network for Social Work Management 25 th Annual Conference June 5, 2014 Boston, MA
Cultivating Social Work Leaders! Today s social work students are very familiar with technology and popular media for entertainment, information, and social connections.! This workshop will equip educators and supervisors to connect with students in a medium that will deepen students awareness and knowledge about the benefits of social work administration.
Introductions! Who Am I?! Background! Who s in the Room?
Overview for Today Participants will:! Utilize popular media in order to enhance student s knowledge about the benefits of social work leadership and administration! Access specific multimedia materials that highlights essential practice wisdom as social work leaders! Learn and share ideas and curriculum strategies to keep students engaged in exploring social work leadership
Focus is on Micro Work! There is a need to prepare the next generation of social work leaders.! Many social work students state that they want to be therapists, want to work with children, families or specific populations or areas of interest.! It is important to prepare students to think about being a social worker administrator, manager, and supervisor.
Focus on Micro Work! How do we do we inspire today s generation to explore the need for social work leadership?
Thanks so Much for Asking!!!! Develop and enhance skills in using popular media such as DVD s, music, poetry and YouTube as an educational tool! This can be helpful in enhancing student engagement, reinforcing curriculum content, and deepening student learning
What is Popular Media???! Information from the internet, mobile technology, social media, DVD s, television shows, newspapers, magazines, YouTube, TedTalks, music videos, poetry, etc.
Why Popular Media???! To discuss issues that one may experience with clients! Make a connection with students and enrich theories or curriculum content! Stimulate discussion, deepen knowledge, increase self-awareness, and critical thinking skills! Makes classroom and supervision sessions more lively and allows SW students to deepen their work with clients
Digital Natives? What does this mean?! Milliennials have taken the lead in seizing on the new platforms of the digital era the internet, mobile technology, social media to construct personalized networks of friends, colleagues and affinity groups.! The only generation for which these new technologies are not something they ve had to adapt to. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files /2014/03/2014-03-07_generations-report-version-for-web.pdf
Generational Overview! The Millennial Generation! Generation X! The Baby Boom Generation! The Silent Generation! The Greatest Generation http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files /2014/03/2014-03-07_generations-report-version-for-web.pdf
The Millennial Generation! Born: After 1980! Age of adults in 2014: 18 to 33* (no age end)! Share of adult population: 27%! Share non-hispanic white: 57%! Ind 50%; Dem 27%; Rep 17% Source: March 2013 Current Population Survey (IPUMS) and Pew Research surveys, January and February 2014
Generation X! Born:1965 to 1980! Age in 2014: 34 to 49! Share of adult population: 27%! Share non-hispanic white: 61%! Ind 39%; Dem 32%; Rep 21% Source: March 2013 Current Population Survey (IPUMS) and Pew Research surveys, January and February 2014
The Baby Boom Generation! The Baby Boom Generation! Born: 1946 to 1964! Age in 2014: 50 to 68! Share of adult population: 32%! Share non-hispanic white: 72%! Ind 37%; Dem 32%; Rep 25% Source: March 2013 Current Population Survey (IPUMS) and Pew Research surveys, January and February 2014
The Silent Generation! Born: 1928 to 1945! Age in 2014: 69 to 86! Share of adult population: 12%! Share non-hispanic white: 79%! Dem 34%; Ind 32%; Rep 29% Source: March 2013 Current Population Survey (IPUMS) and Pew Research surveys, January and February 2014
The Greatest Generation! Includes those born before 1928, is not included in the analysis due to the small sample size. Source: March 2013 Current Population Survey (IPUMS) and Pew Research surveys, January and February 2014
Milliennials! They are the most avid users. For example, 81% of Milliennials are on Facebook, where their generation s median friend count is 250, far higher than that of older age groups (these digital generation gaps have narrowed somewhat in recent years). http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files /2014/03/2014-03-07_generations-report-version-for-web.pdf
Why Did You Choose to Engage in Social Work?! Scene from Invictus about philosophy of leadership (2:59)! How do you inspire yourself and your team to do their best?"! We need inspiration. In order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations.
What inspires you? We need inspiration. In order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations. I AM LIGHT by India Arie (3:52)
Discussion with SW Students! What are your perceptions of an administrator /Boss?! What are the differences in a direct practice practitioner and an administrator?! How do you make the transition from front line staff to being an administrator?! What skills do you need to be a successful administrator/manager?! What are the characteristics or attributes of a bad or ineffective boss?
What skills do you need to be a successful leader?! Advocating for Yourself! Managing your Own Change! Use of Power and Authority! Self-Awareness! Empathy! Social Skills
Advocating for Yourself! Being able to toot your own horn communicate your readiness and skill set for successfully handling the administrative role! Get prepared attend seminars and professional development workshops! Dress for Success, professional attire
Managing your own Change! When you cross the line to administration, your peer relationships will change People will say, you are different.! You also cannot give the appearance of favoritism! Why do you think it is difficult to move up the ladder in one s own agency or department?
Power and Authority A large part of the job of social work administration involves the use of authority in bureaucratic organizations. Control access to resources that their clients need Managers control access to resources that their staff members need to get the job done effectively
Use of Power and Authority Group Activity with Students What are their views of Power and Authority? Have them reflect on the quote: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. How can power and authority be used positively? Do social workers have power? Provide examples?
20-60-20 Theory of Leadership Group Activity! See hand-out
Social Work Management Roles! Communicator: written and verbal! Networking:! Innovator! Organizer! Resource Administrator
Social Work Management Roles! Evaluator! Policy Practitioner! Advocator! Supervisor how to motivate and cultivate good workers to retain them! Facilitator! Team Builder-Leader
Vote With Your Feet Activity! I have a hard time telling people what to do! It is hard for me to say no and set limits! I am reluctant to give negative feedback! I hate to delegate work! I don t like dealing with paperwork! I have difficulty being assertive
Accountability v. Compassion Group Activity! One of the most difficult things for many people is to have compassion for others and simultaneously hold them accountable for their destructive behavior, either toward themselves or towards others. Compassion can appear to be letting someone off the hook, whereas holding someone accountable can seem harsh, mean, or blaming the victim. Discuss the implications of this dilemma in working with clients and as an agency supervisor or manager.
Power and Authority Group Activity There is a saying that says: Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. What do you associate with the words power and authority? What is your perception of yourself as an authority figure? How do familial, cultural and gender variables contribute to the development of this perception? How does your attitude affect your behavior with supervisors, supervisees, colleagues, and clients?
Incorporating Popular Media, Music, and Poetry in Supervision! Several clips that you can utilize as a tool to further engage with current students about the importance of social work leadership.! We will not have time to access all of the clips but they are available to utilize as you see fit in your work as an instructor or supervisor.
The Newsroom: America the Greatest Country in the World (2:33)! The Newsroom (HBO): What Makes America Great?
Our Deepest Fear! See hand-out
To Promote Change Leaders Must: Management of Human Service Programs Chap. 11! Work to overcome complacency leader needs to motivate others to want change; establish urgency, create disequilibrium and not maintain status quo! Key leaders need to endorse change effort publicly! Be Vision Focused There is power in being vision focused direct, align, and inspire actions! Work to create buy-in benefits of change will outweigh the costs Lewis, J., Packard, T., & Lewis, M., 5th Edition (2012). Management of human service programs, 5th ed., Belmont, CA: Brooks-Cole.
To Promote Change Leaders Must: Management of Human Service Programs Chap. 11! Leaders must behave consistently with their words, intentions, and values.! Must eliminate obstacles that block the new vision; agency structure and rewards structure must align with the new change! Create quick successes just like in behavior modification to combat complacency or discouragement Lewis, J., Packard, T., & Lewis, M., 5th Edition (2012). Management of human service programs, 5th ed., Belmont, CA: Brooks-Cole.
To Promote Change Leaders Must: Management of Human Service Programs Chap. 11! Not declare victory too soon large scale change takes time to implement must overcome tradition and counter thinking of: We have never done it this way before!! Ensure that change effort is connected to improved agency performance Lewis, J., Packard, T., & Lewis, M., 5th Edition (2012). Management of human service programs, 5th ed., Belmont, CA: Brooks-Cole.
Thank You!!! Dr. Anthony C. Hill Springfield College School of Social Work ahill@springfieldcollege.edu