Perspectives on Leadership

1

Final Project: Leadership Assessment

Leadership Assessment

Valerie Carrington

Walden University

SOCW 6070: Supervision, Leadership, and Administration in Social Work Organizations

Dr. White

May 3, 2021

I completed four different leadership style assessments for the completion of my final project. Self-assessment is an integral part of learning what leadership skills you possess to be an influential leader in any organizational setting. The four tools used for self-assessment were: Conceptualizing leadership questionnaire, Leadership trait questionnaire, Leadership styles questionnaire, and task and relationship questionnaire. I also assigned the leadership style question to my former friend and colleague for needed input in assessing the types of leadership skills they believe I possess (Northouse, 2021).

Include actual results or summaries of the results you collected using these tools

The first assessment questionnaire I completed was conceptualizing leadership. The purpose is to pinpoint how I see myself in a leadership role and discover the awareness of different facets of how I theorize and the skills I've learned during this class ( Northouse, 2012).

This questionnaire consists of 24 questions range from 1 to 5. 1 is strongly disagreed, five being strongly agreed. Scoring is defined and viewed by ( trait emphasis) items 1,7,13 and19 my score 14 (ability emphasis), items 2,8,14, and 20 my score 14 (skill emphasis) 3,9,15 and 21 my score 17 ( behavioral emphasis) 4,10,16,and 22 score 18 (relationship emphasis) 5,11,17, and 23 score 15 (process emphasis) 6,12,18,and 24 score 19. According to the score, the higher the score in each category is how I interpret leadership in each domain. Based on my score, I highly value the process of leadership, and the low-end ability and traits are not as important for being a leader.

The following assessment was leadership traits using a 14 point questionnaire from 1 to 5, one strongly disagrees, and five strongly agree. This questionnaire aims to understand how I see myself and how others see me—the question assess my strengths and weakness as a leader. Other showed agreement scores are articulating, perceptive, self-confidence, persistence, determined, trustworthy, dependable, friendly, outgoing, conscientious, diligent, sensitive, and empathic. However, I rated myself a three for articulate and conscientious, one for perceptive, and four for self-confident, self-assured, persistent after seeing how others interpret my leadership skill. I'm capable of leading others with confidence and assurance that my knowledge and abilities I've gained during this class have always been part of my character; they just need to be defined.

The following assessment was the task and relationship questionnaire. After completing the twenty-question assessment, which accesses tasks and relationships, the task score is collected by adding all the odd numbers. The connection is score is composed by adding all even numbers. According to Northouse (2021). the interpretation states, if the task score is higher than the relationship score, the person tends to pay more attention to goals and less on team-related matters. If the relationship score is higher than the task score, then team concerns are more important, and plans are secondary. I score forty-four on task and forty-two on relationship, which reports being moderately high for both situations (Northouse,2021).

The last assessment is determined by leadership style. The three styles are authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire using an 18 point questionnaire scale from 1 to 5, one strongly disagrees, and five strongly agree. Scoring is defined and viewed by items 1,4,7,10,13 and 16; my score was 16 (low ) for authoritarian style; on items 2,5,8,11,14, and17, my score was high for democratic final on items 3,6,9,12,15, and 18 my score was ( moderate) of laissez-faire style.

Identify personal leadership strengths as well as areas for improvement

I've established based on the result of the assessment method. I have a democratic leadership style. I place high values on leadership and believe that any leadership style can be learned given a nurturing environment. I feel that ability and traits are not as crucial for being a leader. Performance and the willingness to engage and guide team members offer a more cohesive and personal way of helping to improve workers' skills and talents. I would like to work on more direct communication skills and confidence skills when working with others. The assessment results showed I lack confidence in myself where others see my potential for greatness.

concepts covered in this course and relevant issues related to ethics, diversity, and power in the organizational setting

Conflict can also arise when an organization decides to protect a vulnerable client by adhering to its right to privacy (Kadushin, & Harkness, 2014). A social worker may be torn between reporting the client's information to the authorities when they are vulnerable to abuse or keeping the information confidential. The organization is acting according to the law as they are respecting the client's right to privacy. However, this may conflict with the social worker's ethics as they may want to protect the client. Social workers constantly encounter such issues that create conflict between ethical and legal issues. Ethical leadership is guiding/leading others based on morals and values towards protecting one's subordinates and everyone's dignity and rights. Ethics guides ethical leadership. Social work practice involves enhancing people's well-being and empowering oppressed and vulnerable people (Northouse, 2021). As such, social worker's role makes it crucial that they utilize ethical leadership to enhance the good of the power through the power they possess as leaders. 

In social practice, ethical leadership is demonstrated by doing the morally right actions while bringing social justice to show people's worth, whether the vulnerable or those working under them. It is delivered through using their power for the social good displaying integrity and competence. Ethical leaders demonstrate good morals and values in their practice and do not ignore any wrongdoings, even when it benefits their business. Integrity is at the core of their actions (Engelbrecht, Heine & Mahembe, 2017). Ethical leadership for social workers ensures they practice their values without compromise. In cases where there is conflict in ethics leading to moral dilemmas, they rank them in order of importance to ensure they make just decisions.

While ethical leadership presents many benefits, there are various challenges involved. These include ethical dilemmas and conflicts (Ostwal, 2017). Disputes can be from the self-doubt of one's evaluation process during an ethical dilemma or conflicts of interest. However, as a social work profession leader, one has to balance professional and personal ethics. This involves following the set codes of ethics for social work and utilizing the leadership position's power to influence and enhance ethical standards based on service, dignity, competence, and value for human relationships. Ethical leadership involves deal and morals; thus, and social work administrators should reflect ethical leadership. 

References

Engelbrecht, A. S., Heine, G., & Mahembe, B. (2017). Integrity, ethical leadership, trust, and work engagement. Leadership & Organization Development Journal.

Kadushin, A., & Harkness, D. (2014). Supervision in social work. Columbia University Press.

Northouse, P. G. (2021). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Sage.

Ostwal, P. (2017). Significant Challenges of Ethical Leadership. Asian Journal of Management, 8(2), 181-186.

Reference

Kadushin, A., & Harkness, D. (2014). Supervision in social work. Columbia University Press.

Northouse, P. G. (2021). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Sage.

Identify personal leadership strengths as well as areas for improvement

Include references to the leadership concepts covered in this course and relevant issues related to ethics, diversity, and power in the organizational setting