Critical Thinking Skills
What critical thinking skills are needed for the leader committed to social justice to effectively communicate at all levels of practice?
Critical thinking skills include learning the skills needed to be a leader which means thinking critically and taking action to accomplish the vision, having communication skills and interpersonal skills, having perseverance, and having self- awareness to effectively communicate at all levels of practice.
• In order to bring about change you must assume the roles, tasks, and responsibilities of leadership.
• Desirable changes are set in motion by individuals who assert themselves, articulate their beliefs, and step forward to take on the hard work of leading.
• Leadership is the ability to make things happen …show more content…
and inspire others to join in the effort.
• Leaders need to have effective communication skills to articulate the vision and explain it in words that others understand and the vision needs to be translated into action steps and programs that are feasible and realistic.
• A leader needs to be decisive and lead by example.
• Effective leaders must maintain open and honest communication with those they lead.
• Leaders anticipate possible conflicts; they are proactive in preventing or resolving them.
• Leaders must be skilled in the art of collaboration and building bridges and in compromise.
• Leaders must cope with ambiguity and uncertainty and have a high level of self-awareness. (Garthwait, 2014, p.214-215)
Which ethical competencies are most closely related to the characteristics of an effective leader committed to social justice? Ethical competencies most closely related to the characteristics of an effective leader committed to social justice include having cultural competence, having the knowledge and skills of an effective leader, and having professionalism in practice to name a few examples. Ethical competencies include those in our learning contract listed below.
• Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.
• Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
• Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.
• Engage diversity and difference in practice.
• Advance human rights and social and economic …show more content…
justice.
• Engage in research-informed practice and practice informed research.
• Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
• Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services.
• Respond to contexts that shape practice.
• Engage, Assess, Intervene, Evaluate. (Learning Contract, 2017) The ethical competencies and practice behaviors we are learning teach us how to be effective social workers and to learn the competencies and skills we need to be effective leaders in practice. In addition, the NASW Code of Ethics helps us to apply the standards in making ethical decisions in practice.
What vision of the world do you have, that if achieved by you and others during your professional careers, would allow you to consider yourself successful in your social work career? I would consider myself successful in my career by achieving justice for others and providing services that are effective and and make a difference for the clients that are helped. In addition, as a social worker we see the world through a different view and that is through the view of the clients we may serve and this helps us to see things differently such as problems with laws, issues with social and organizational policies that are flawed or ineffective, and problems that affect are clients negatively. My vision for the future would be that the people that have been helped, pay it forward by helping others and get involved themselves, to make a difference one person can set it in motion and this can be done by helping and leading others. Less suffering in the world can be done by changing things that hurt or harm people and social workers can make a difference by advocating for others and to me being successful means helping people one person at a time, one group at a time, or advocating and changing things that affect people such as social policies.
Do you envision yourself becoming a transformational leader? If so, how do you see yourself developing into that type of leader? What skills, knowledge, and abilities do you need to be a transformational leader? A transformational leader is “someone who understands and embodies the interpersonal and moral aspects of leadership. Through their passion and vision, and their deeply held beliefs and strong moral values, transformational leaders inspire others. They are able to get others to join with them because they are enthusiastic and energetic and their integrity leads others to trust them. Their genuine desire to see others succeed makes others more enthusiastic” (Garthwait, 2014, p.216). My inspiration for going into social work came from having compassion towards others and from my personal experiences of helping others most of my life. In addition, I want to make a difference in the world by helping people to empower themselves and helping people to see their true potential that they might not see. In that regard, I believe my passion for helping others drives me towards wanting to be successful, but it will take time to acquire the skills, knowledge, and abilities to be a transformational leader and that cannot happen until someone acquires the experience first. The skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to be a transformational leader include confidence in one’s own abilities, critical thinking skills, communication skills, decisive, interpersonal skills, leadership skills and knowledge, and taking on the tasks, roles, and responsibilities of a transformational leader.
Core leadership characteristics:
• Good judgment
• Communication skills
• Competence or knowledge
• Interpersonal skills
• Confidence (Hogg & Associates, 2015).
Transformational Leadership characteristics that impact organizational growth:
• Internal motivation and self-management.
• The ability to make difficult decisions.
• Check their ego.
• Willing to take the right risks.
• Organizational consciousness.
• Adaptability.
• Willing to listen and entertain new ideas.
• Inspiration.
• Proactive.
• Visionary.
IWU’s mission statement ‘Being a World Changer’ addresses leadership in many facets, highlighting the importance of character and scholarship aiding leadership.
What are your thoughts about being a world changer?
A world changer could be anyone, however, I believe that a social worker is a world changer because they help change people’s lives by serving people. One individual can change the world by caring, showing kindness, helping others, advocating for others, or even volunteering to name a few examples. One individual helping someone is changing the world one person at a time because they are making a difference for someone by showing care, concern, and compassion and empathy. The person who is helped can be changed and that makes a difference and often leads to paying it forward to others.
To me a world changer does not have to be someone famous or powerful, because some of the most influential people that can and do make a difference our regular people like us. For example, someone who feeds the hungry, someone who donates their time, and anyone who helps someone in small ways or large ways can be a world changer because they help to influence others by their actions! Of course, that might not always be true, however, from my own experiences doing good deeds does have a ripple effect and often leads to others getting involved or following
suit.
References
Hogg, B. & Associates (2015, Nov. 5). 10 Characteristics of Transformational Leaders. Retrieved from http://www.billhogg.ca/2015/11/10-characteristics-of-transformational-leaders/
Learning Contract (2017). Field Experience Learning Contract SWK 370 & 470.
Garthwait, C. L. (2014). The Social Work Practicum: A Guide and Workbook for Students (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Aloma Chase
Critical thinking skills include learning the skills needed to be a leader which means thinking critically and taking action to accomplish the vision, having communication skills and interpersonal skills, having perseverance, and having self- awareness to effectively communicate at all levels of practice.
• In order to bring about change you must assume the roles, tasks, and responsibilities of leadership.
• Desirable changes are set in motion by individuals who assert themselves, articulate their beliefs, and step forward to take on the hard work of leading.
• Leadership is the ability to make things happen …show more content…
and inspire others to join in the effort.
• Leaders need to have effective communication skills to articulate the vision and explain it in words that others understand and the vision needs to be translated into action steps and programs that are feasible and realistic.
• A leader needs to be decisive and lead by example.
• Effective leaders must maintain open and honest communication with those they lead.
• Leaders anticipate possible conflicts; they are proactive in preventing or resolving them.
• Leaders must be skilled in the art of collaboration and building bridges and in compromise.
• Leaders must cope with ambiguity and uncertainty and have a high level of self-awareness. (Garthwait, 2014, p.214-215)
Which ethical competencies are most closely related to the characteristics of an effective leader committed to social justice? Ethical competencies most closely related to the characteristics of an effective leader committed to social justice include having cultural competence, having the knowledge and skills of an effective leader, and having professionalism in practice to name a few examples. Ethical competencies include those in our learning contract listed below.
• Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.
• Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
• Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.
• Engage diversity and difference in practice.
• Advance human rights and social and economic …show more content…
justice.
• Engage in research-informed practice and practice informed research.
• Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
• Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services.
• Respond to contexts that shape practice.
• Engage, Assess, Intervene, Evaluate. (Learning Contract, 2017) The ethical competencies and practice behaviors we are learning teach us how to be effective social workers and to learn the competencies and skills we need to be effective leaders in practice. In addition, the NASW Code of Ethics helps us to apply the standards in making ethical decisions in practice.
What vision of the world do you have, that if achieved by you and others during your professional careers, would allow you to consider yourself successful in your social work career? I would consider myself successful in my career by achieving justice for others and providing services that are effective and and make a difference for the clients that are helped. In addition, as a social worker we see the world through a different view and that is through the view of the clients we may serve and this helps us to see things differently such as problems with laws, issues with social and organizational policies that are flawed or ineffective, and problems that affect are clients negatively. My vision for the future would be that the people that have been helped, pay it forward by helping others and get involved themselves, to make a difference one person can set it in motion and this can be done by helping and leading others. Less suffering in the world can be done by changing things that hurt or harm people and social workers can make a difference by advocating for others and to me being successful means helping people one person at a time, one group at a time, or advocating and changing things that affect people such as social policies.
Do you envision yourself becoming a transformational leader? If so, how do you see yourself developing into that type of leader? What skills, knowledge, and abilities do you need to be a transformational leader? A transformational leader is “someone who understands and embodies the interpersonal and moral aspects of leadership. Through their passion and vision, and their deeply held beliefs and strong moral values, transformational leaders inspire others. They are able to get others to join with them because they are enthusiastic and energetic and their integrity leads others to trust them. Their genuine desire to see others succeed makes others more enthusiastic” (Garthwait, 2014, p.216). My inspiration for going into social work came from having compassion towards others and from my personal experiences of helping others most of my life. In addition, I want to make a difference in the world by helping people to empower themselves and helping people to see their true potential that they might not see. In that regard, I believe my passion for helping others drives me towards wanting to be successful, but it will take time to acquire the skills, knowledge, and abilities to be a transformational leader and that cannot happen until someone acquires the experience first. The skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to be a transformational leader include confidence in one’s own abilities, critical thinking skills, communication skills, decisive, interpersonal skills, leadership skills and knowledge, and taking on the tasks, roles, and responsibilities of a transformational leader.
Core leadership characteristics:
• Good judgment
• Communication skills
• Competence or knowledge
• Interpersonal skills
• Confidence (Hogg & Associates, 2015).
Transformational Leadership characteristics that impact organizational growth:
• Internal motivation and self-management.
• The ability to make difficult decisions.
• Check their ego.
• Willing to take the right risks.
• Organizational consciousness.
• Adaptability.
• Willing to listen and entertain new ideas.
• Inspiration.
• Proactive.
• Visionary.
IWU’s mission statement ‘Being a World Changer’ addresses leadership in many facets, highlighting the importance of character and scholarship aiding leadership.
What are your thoughts about being a world changer?
A world changer could be anyone, however, I believe that a social worker is a world changer because they help change people’s lives by serving people. One individual can change the world by caring, showing kindness, helping others, advocating for others, or even volunteering to name a few examples. One individual helping someone is changing the world one person at a time because they are making a difference for someone by showing care, concern, and compassion and empathy. The person who is helped can be changed and that makes a difference and often leads to paying it forward to others.
To me a world changer does not have to be someone famous or powerful, because some of the most influential people that can and do make a difference our regular people like us. For example, someone who feeds the hungry, someone who donates their time, and anyone who helps someone in small ways or large ways can be a world changer because they help to influence others by their actions! Of course, that might not always be true, however, from my own experiences doing good deeds does have a ripple effect and often leads to others getting involved or following
suit.
References
Hogg, B. & Associates (2015, Nov. 5). 10 Characteristics of Transformational Leaders. Retrieved from http://www.billhogg.ca/2015/11/10-characteristics-of-transformational-leaders/
Learning Contract (2017). Field Experience Learning Contract SWK 370 & 470.
Garthwait, C. L. (2014). The Social Work Practicum: A Guide and Workbook for Students (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Aloma Chase