Editor's Eye

Hello --

 

 

Until next time,

Linda Grobman, ACSW, LSW

Publisher/Editor

THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER®

 

 

 

• National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
• Healthy Aging Month
• National Recovery Month
• Newborn Screening Awareness Month
• Sexual Health Awareness Month

 

 

 

 

 

 

In general, we spend more time at work with our co-workers than we do with our own families or personal support networks during the week. So, if you don’t have strong, healthy relationships at your place of employment, work can be stressful and lead to a dissatisfying professional experience. You chose social work for a reason, and you should not only be satisfied with the impact you are having on the lives of your clients, but also have healthy day-to-day relationships with your co-workers to make your work worthwhile.

 

 

There are several characteristics that make up good, healthy relationships with anyone. We worked so hard in school learning how to develop good relationships with clients, but sometimes we forget how to manage healthy relationships with our professional colleagues. Just because we work toward the same professional mission or goal doesn’t mean we can assume we are all on the same page. We all have different personalities and work styles that need to be validated.

 

Developing strong work relationships takes time, commitment, and practice. The website MindTools.com has a great list of characteristics that define a good work relationship:

 

Trust. When you trust your colleagues, you form a bond that helps you work and communicate more effectively. You can build trust with your co-workers by following through with your promises and being consistent. Recognize that what you do in your job may have an effect on the work of others. Letting things slip through the cracks may have the unintended consequence of losing the trust of your team.

 

Respect. When you respect the people you work with, you value their input and ideas, and they value yours. Clearly defined expectations and boundaries help create a culture of respect and hold everyone accountable. Being proactive, practicing humility, and admitting when you have made an error will help build respectful relationships with your colleagues.

 

Mindfulness. A good clinician has the capacity to practice self-awareness, which is having a clear understanding of your personality, including strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, motivation, and emotions. Practicing mindfulness can allow you to understand your co-workers, how they perceive you, your attitude, and your responses to them in the moment. Take responsibility for your words and actions, so your own negative emotions don’t impact the people around you.

 

Open Communication. The more effectively you communicate with those around you, the richer your relationships will be. A culture of open, honest communication in which employees are encouraged to share their ideas and concerns gives employees the sense that they are valued.

 

If you work for an organization that embraces and fosters these characteristics in the work environment, you can expect long-term satisfaction.

 

 

Understanding different types of work relationships can help you determine the role your existing relationships play and which ones you might need to work on. Let’s define a few of the more important relationships you are likely to have.

 

Boss/Supervisor. In general, you will be reporting to someone at your organization. This person will manage your work and is ultimately responsible if you do well or poorly in your position. Bosses come in all supervisory styles: mentors, leaders, micromanagers, power-hungry, the “never around” boss. The key is to identify your supervisor’s leadership and communication style. Communicate in the way they want you to, demonstrate initiative, do great work, and you should be able to work effectively with your manager.

 

Colleague. These are usually external partners you will encounter to help solve a client issue, advocate for an issue, or maybe serve on an interdisciplinary team. You aren’t employed by the same organization, but you work together toward the same goal.

 

Team Member. There are fellow employees with whom you work on a regular basis to get your work and projects done. Good relationships with your team members are critical and will allow you to accomplish more.

 

Friend. This is someone you get along with, confide in, and enjoy in your work space. They fill a social need at your place of employment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Job Corner

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Find jobs for new grads and experienced social work practitioners at http://www.socialworkjobbank.com, THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s online job board and career center.

 

News & Resources

The Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work, CRISP, and Influencing State Policy recently announced the Voter Empowerment Campaign to encourage social workers and social work students to register people to vote in upcoming elections. See http://www.votingissocialwork.org for details.

 

NASW, the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, and Social Work Helper have also just announced the #SWRocktheVote campaign, taking place September 12-30. See http://www.socialworkblog.org/advocacy/2016/09/join-swrockthevote-campaign/ to find out how you can get involved in this voter registration campaign.

 

Use these resources to help register voters in your community and to make sure your own voter registration is up-to-date.

 

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The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has updated its Standards for Social Work Practice in Health Care Settings, giving social workers additional knowledge to help them provide effective care under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

“There have been significant changes in the nation’s health care landscape, so NASW pulled together social work experts to update our standards,” said Heidi McIntosh, MSW, deputy director of programs at NASW. “In today’s health care environment, social workers have found new roles and there is a great recognition of the value that social workers bring in ending health care inequities. These updated standards reflect that.”

 

The standards highlight the following areas:

The NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in Health Care Settings are available for download or purchase at the NASW Practice Standards Website (http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/index.asp).

 

 

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In Print

White Hat Communications, publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and the Social Work E-News, has published several books about social work. These books make great gifts (for graduation, holidays, or other occasions) for yourself, or for your friends, students, and colleagues in social work!

 

We also publish books on nonprofit management. Want to start your own agency? We have a book for that.

 

 

All of our books are available through our secure online store at:

 

Most are also available at Amazon.com.

 

You can also view and download our catalog in PDF format.

 

Reminders

 

VISIT OUR SITES

www.socialworker.com