Leadership Practice

Framework
Matthew Wengrowich SOWK 696

Transformational Leadership
Throughout my practicum, I have been challenged to develop courses that
will lead to transformative change among those who take them. In the process
I have found I also am transforming.
Transformational leaders motivate others to do more than they originally
intended and often even more than they thought possible. They set more
challenging expectations and typically achieve higher performances.
Transformational leaders tend to have more committed and satisfied
followers. Moreover, transformational leaders empower followers and pay
attention to their individual needs and personal development, helping
followers to develop their own leadership potential. (Bass & Riggio, 206,
loc. 190)

Vulnerability in Transformation
The following quote by Brown (2015) has helped me see that as I grow into my
values as a transformational leader, that failures are inevitable, but how I
collaborate and move forward will be defining who I am tomorrow. My ability
to lean into discomfort and vulnerability with others during collaboration will
develop value for my network and challenge me to transform.
The most transformative and resilient leaders that Ive worked with over the
course of my career have three things in common: First, they recognize the
central role that relationships and story play in culture and strategy, and
they stay curious about their own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
Second, they understand and stay curious about how emotions, thoughts,
and behaviors are connected in the people they lead, and how these
factors affect relationships and perception. And, third, they have the ability
and willingness to lean in to discomfort and vulnerability. (Brown, 2015, loc.
382)

Connecting with Others & Building

Social Capital
Margaret Heffernans video, where social capital was defined as the
reliance and interdependency that builds trust among employees.
Discussing how high-achieving teams are founded in social capital and
that leadership is an activity in which conditions are created which allows
everyone to do their best work together.
Using empathy as an essential component to social work leadership:

Bren Brown
on Empathy

Ongoing Development
Moving forward I want to focus on developing the five competencies for
transformational change highlighted in Rings (2015) PowerPoint from SOWK
669:
Envisioning a compelling future (vision)
Commit to the future (action)
Set high-performance goals (aspirations)
Enable inspired action through teams (collaboration)
Exude energy and inspiration (presence)

Books/Readings That Have Developed My

Leadership Values During Practicum

Social Justice & Leadership

The need for new leaders is urgent. We need people who can work
together to resolve such pressing issues as health, poverty, hunger, illiteracy,
justice, environment, democracy. We need leaders who know how to
nourish and rely on the innate creativity, freedom, generosity, and caring of
people. We need leaders who are life-affirming rather than life destroying.
(Wheatley, 2007, p. 292)
The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give
them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for
a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope
that all will be all right. Without hope, not only gays, but the blacks, the
seniors, the handicapped, the us'es, the us'es will give up And if you help
elect more gay people, that gives a green light to all who feel
disenfranchised, a green light to move forward. It means hope to a nation
that has given up, because if a gay person makes it, the doors are open to
everyone. (Milk, 1978)

References
Bass, B.M., & Riggio, R.E. (2006). Transformational Leadership (2nd Edition) [Kindle
Version]. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Brown, B. (2013). Bren Brown on Empathy. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw
Brown, B. (2015). Rising Strong [Kindle Version]. New York: Spiegel & Grau.
Heffernan, M. (2015). Why it's time to forget the pecking order at work. Retrieved
from
https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_why_it_s_time_to_forget_the_p
ecking_order_at_work#t-9384
Milk, H. (1978). The Hope Speech: Harvey Milk. Retrieved from
http://www.danaroc.com/guests_harveymilk_122208.html
Ring, . (2015). Transformational Leadership [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from
https://d2l.ucalgary.ca/d2l/le/content/102706/viewContent/1624668/View?ou=
102706
Wheatley, M.J. (2007). Finding our way: Leadership for an uncertain time [Kindle
Version]. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
***Please note that each image in the books slide directly links to their source if
clicked on.***