Supervision and Leadership
Supervision and Leadership
Supervision and Leadership
Motivating workers
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Alfred Kadushin, the foremost
authority in social work supervision,
defines supervision as:
the responsibility of sustaining worker morale;
helping the worker with job-related
discouragements and discontents;
giving workers a sense of:
– worth as professionals;
– belonging to the agency;
– security in their performance.
What has been your experience with a supervisor?
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What do supervisors do?
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Supervisors:
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Supervisors:
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Leadership and Power
What is leadership?
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Leadership
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Empowerment-oriented leaders
In empowerment-oriented practice, it is important that the
executive director establish a vision for the organization.
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Formal Leaders
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Informal Leaders
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What is power?
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Power:
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Five Kinds of Power:
Reward Power
Remunerative (money)
What is the response?
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Legitimate Power
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Earned Power
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Why do people want to become
supervisors?
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Prestige and Status
Increased Salaries
A Desire to Be a Change Agent
Increased Opportunity for Creativity
Increased Capacity to Give
A Desire to Control People
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What is a good leader?
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A good leader and supervisor:
Fosters trust;
Builds people rather than tears them down;
Is supportive;
Is consistent;
Is caring;
Uses time wisely;
Is persistent to their goals;
Is willing to compromise;
Allows as much freedom is possible;
Is creative. 23
What kind of supervisor will you be?
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Issues of Supervision in the
Nonprofit Human Service Agency
Acceptance of the use of authority can be
difficult. When you become a supervisor, you
step over a boundary. You are no longer a line
worker. You may not be loved because you will
have to tell people to do things they may not like
to do.
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Quality supervision requires:
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Worker Empowerment and Supervision
According to Shera and Page (1995) a critical aspect of empowerment-
oriented social service organization is that supervisors “promote positive
relationships and images through the development of positive language, help
staff focus on client strengths, and model appropriate behaviors and values to
staff” (p. 4). Peer consultation for staff members who need assistance with
workplace issues may also be an effective means to provide support and
consequently increase a sense of personal empowerment and autonomy
(Shera & Page, 1995).
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Mentoring
Another method used to provide peer support involves mentoring. Mentoring
has been found to be an effective method of orienting new employees to the
workplace and helping them to develop appropriate workplace skills (Dreher &
Ash, 1990; Hardina & Shaw, 2001).
Kaminski et al. (2000) studied the use of mentors to train workers to act as
workplace advocates and leaders. They found that the best mentors
repeatedly praised student performance, gave trainees new tasks that
involved greater levels of responsibility, and encouraged them to develop their
own goals and tactics for producing results.
An additional benefit of the mentoring process is that mentors can help
marginalized employees (for example, women and persons of color) navigate
difficulties in workplace culture that could limit their ability to secure promotions
or become administrators (Burke & McKeen, 1990; Ragins, Townsend, &
Mattis, 1998).
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