Assignment task:
Respond to at least two colleagues who chose different management trends. Explain whether you think this trend will continue and why. Then, add on to their post in one of the following ways:
Provide an additional benefit, challenge, or opportunity.
Elaborate on the social work implications. Need Assignment Help?
Provide respectful feedback on their plans for leveraging the trend as a future manager or leader.
Use the Learning Resources and research to support your posts. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.
1-allyson-
Analysis of a Current Management Trend - Redefining Managerial Scope and Capacity
One significant and emerging management trend is the restructuring of managerial responsibilities to combat burnout and improve effectiveness. Traditionally, managers have been expected to "do it all"-from conducting performance reviews and meeting administrative demands to supporting staff wellbeing and leading strategic projects. Over time, this all-in-one model has proven to be overwhelming and unrealistic. As Gherson and Gratton (2022) describe, organizations are beginning to break up these roles into more manageable and specialized responsibilities-such as separating "Leaders of People" from "Leaders of Work"-and supplementing with peer support, technology, and coaching.
Benefits, Challenges, and Opportunities
Benefits:
- Reduces burnout and overload, especially in emotionally demanding environments.
- Creates more space for leaders to grow in areas where they are naturally strong.
- Aligns responsibilities with purpose, not just tradition.
Challenges:
- Requires clear communication to avoid confusion about who is responsible for what.
- May require changes in organizational structure and mindset.
- Can create gaps if new roles are not supported with training or tools.
Opportunities:
- Encourages collaborative leadership, where different strengths are equally valued.
- Opens the door for new leaders who may not fit the traditional mold.
- Supports retention by making the role of manager more sustainable.
It is like expecting a single chef to run the entire restaurant-making orders, cooking every dish, greeting customers, managing the books, and washing the dishes. Eventually, something slips. But when the kitchen has clearly defined roles-head chef, sous chef, front-of-house staff-everyone can do their best work. The same applies to management. We need to stop assuming one person can or should do it all.
Implications for Social Workers in Management Positions
This trend is especially relevant to social workers, who often enter leadership because of their strength in empathy, advocacy, and people-centered decision-making-not necessarily because they enjoy handling performance reports or budgeting. Segmenting duties allow social work managers to focus on the human side of leadership, while partnering with others who manage business operations. It also reflects the profession's core values of collaboration, shared power, and ethical practice.
How I Would Leverage This Trend as a Future Leader
As a future leader, I would:
Promote realistic workloads and shared responsibilities that prevent burnout.
Use team feedback, digital tools, and supervision to build a stronger support network for leadership and staff.
Create space for different kinds of leaders to thrive, based on their strengths-not just their job title.
Speak up when the demands placed on a single person are unsustainable, and advocate for a better system.
Leadership should not be about who can carry the most weight-it should be about how we carry it together.
References:
Gherson, D., & Gratton, L. (2022). Managers cannot do it all. Harvard Business Review, 100(2), 96-105.
2-sydney-
Post an analysis of a current management trend. First, describe the trend and discuss the benefits as well as the challenges and opportunities it poses.
Post Covid the expectations and responsibilities of managers has been reshaped. One of the current managerial trends that has reshaped the role of management is digitization. Digitization is the process in which information or data is converted into digital form (Bondar et al, 2024). Digitization has influenced the way business is conducted within organizations from the integration of different technologies such artificial intelligence and digital analytics (Bondar et al, 2024). There are many benefits afforded by digitization. Through digitization, management strategic decision making and efficiency can be elevated (Bondar et al, 2024). Digitization allows for business to be competitive in involving markets. For example, mangers can monitor trends and better prepare as well as improve production. This is accomplished because mangers have access to data driven system (Bondar et al, 2024). Digitization allows for mangers to have access to data in real time, replaces traditional managerial practices that were once theoretically based and use analytics to improve decision making (Bondar et al, 2024). Challenges of digitization includes managers having to take on more responsibility such as training staff to increase their technical skills (Gherson & Gratton, 2022). Not only do managers have to ensure that their staff are aware of abreast of digital changes, but they must stay up to date as well. Digitization forces mangers to tap into areas and skills that they may not be comfortable with and creates instability in their job.
Then, explain the implications of the trend for social workers in management positions.
Digitization has implication for social workers in management positions as therapy, counseling has become more technology driven (NASW, 2021). Practitioners are now able to engage and services clients virtually. The NASW and the ASWB have recognized that future technologies are changing the social work profession in numerous ways (NASW, 2021). Those in management positions can utilize case management data bases, track interventions that may be implemented and monitor their success and trends. Efficiency data can be organized and compiled with case notes, client records which can reduce paperwork and increase data accuracy (Castillo de Mesa, 2021).
Finally, describe how you would leverage this trend as a future manager or leader.
I would leverage digitization in the future as a leader through utilizing it to stay abreast of policies and practice to ensure that I am knowledgeable and abreast of information to stay informed and lead those under my tutelage. Furthermore, digitization can assist social workers with identifying trends in clients, effects of policies and the most efficient practices to utilize with patients. Within the private practice setting, digitization would assist with colleting client's data and case notes for optimization of clients needed and the reduction of paperwork.
References:
Bondar, Artem & Tolchieva, Hanna & Bilyk, Maryna & Slavkova, Olena & Symonov, Viacheslav. (2024). THE ROLE OF DIGITIZATION IN MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING IN MODERN MANAGEMENT. Financial and credit activity problems of theory and practice. 2. 214-227. 10.55643/fcaptp.2.55.2024.4349.
Castillo de Mesa, Joaquin. (2021). Digital Social Work: Towards Digital Disruption in Social Work. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare. 48. 117-133. 10.15453/0191-5096.4558.
Gherson, D., & Gratton, L. (2022). Managers can't do it all. Harvard Business Review, 100(2), 96-105.
National Association of Social Workers. (2021). NASW Code of Ethics. NASW Press.