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Journal for Social Work Scholar-Practitioners

Abstract

Social workers are often overlooked for positions in organizational leadership. Although social workers dominate the workforce in many human services organizations, leadership positions are commonly held by those with general management or other degrees. The lack of educational preparation and formal training in leadership and a lack of leadership presence in the field have been deemed a social work leadership crisis. Yet, social workers possess unique skillsets that can translate well into strong organizational leadership—if properly cultivated, promoted, and pursued. With the resurgence of the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree, now is a prime opportunity for more social workers to pursue doctoral studies and advance their careers as leaders and executive-level administrators. DSW programs prepare social work scholar practitioners who are trained in leadership and administration to solve problems of practice and bridge research-practice gaps. DSW education offers a pathway to career growth and advanced practice for social workers who want to expand their knowledge and skills to assume the mantle of organizational leadership guiding the future of the profession. In this paper, the authors identify barriers to social work leadership, dispute misperceptions about social workers and leadership, argue the need for doctorally prepared social work leaders, and present a vision for scholar practitioners in social work leadership.

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