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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Required Readings
Austin, M. J., Regan, K., Gothard, S., & Carnochan, S. (2013). Becoming a manager in nonprofit human
service organizations: Making the transition from specialist to generalist. Administration in Social Work, 37(4),
372-385.
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.