Step into Leadership

Self-leadership

As a manager you have a clear leadership role in relation to your organisation and, where appropriate, the community. Your leadership will have an impact on the vision and ethos of the organisation, on its managers and staff and on the quality of the experience of people who use the service.

Being aware of your own leadership style, strengths and areas for development is a good starting point in developing self-leadership.

Self-leadership involves:

• recognising your own leadership skills and abilities and taking responsibility for using and developing these
• an aim to continuously improve your own leadership capability, through critical reflection and feedback from a range of sources
• using research and evidence to assess, manage and evaluate the risks taken on behalf of the organisation to achieve better outcomes for individuals, families and the community
• being resilient and focusing on outcomes
• challenging discrimination and oppression.

Self-leadership Resources

• Using the Continuous Learning Framework’s personal capabilities This video gives a 3 minute overview of the personal capabilities explained in the Continuous Learning Framework and how they can help your continuous learning.
• An exploration of first line managers’ decision making An Iriss resource exploring how managers in child welfare and protection services make decisions
• Leading for the Future Leading for the Future is an innovative package of leadership and management development. It has been designed specifically for those in senior leadership positions in health (both clinical and non-clinical) and social care.
• Leading to Change Leading to Change offers a range of leadership development programmes, opportunities and support for health, social care and social work leaders to help you to make a difference.
• How good are your people skills? Quiz to establish people skills (based on emotional intelligence theories). Links in to other resources on Mindtools.com.
• Reflective practice - being a reflective practitioner
• Rock the boat without getting thrown off Engaging introduction to the concept of emotional intelligence and leadership capabilities.
• Resilience resources for social work and social care workers Social Work Scotland, Iriss and the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) have worked in partnership to draw together helpful resources for social service practitioners and their organisations to support them to think about and promote wellbeing and resilience.
• Exploring Courageous Leadership A paper summarising several events which asked people throughout Scotland to share their views on what it meant to be a 'courageous leader'.