This will help an organization to see what individuals will work well inside specific segments. When this happens, managers will be able to determine which individuals can most effectively assist the firm in achieving its longer term objectives. (Plachy, 1986, pp. 65 -- 90) Examining individual potential is when executives are not looking at past or current challenges associated with employee behavioral issues. Instead, they must be effectively communicating with the person to identify the root causes of the problem. This is because most individuals will feel that their ideas are not respected (which causes them to do less for the organization). To address these areas of concern, executives must ask themselves a number of questions to include:

How can you recognize employee efforts?

How can you help everyone to focus their efforts?

How can you assist the individual to make positive decisions?

How you can help the person to make more money or receive better forms of compensation? (Plachy, 1986, pp. 65 -- 90)

Once these areas have been addressed, is the point that managers will help to create positive changes in the mindset of the individual. The way that this is accomplished is to use these questions to identify and solve the problem. This is when there will be a transformation in the attitude of employees by focusing on those areas that are most important to them including offering praise for: their skills, influence, accomplishments and providing greater financial rewards. The combination of these factors will help manages to evaluate the best employees by: addressing their core issues and seeing how they react. (Plachy, 1986, pp. 65 -- 90)

Being a good listener / communicator

Being a good listener / communicator is when executives will focus on opening up channels of contact inside the organization. For most firms, this is challenging because of the hierarchy that exists. What is happening is mangers will only discuss issues about the operation among themselves. When it comes to employees, they are expected to follow the directives of supervisors. The reason why, is from a culture that has encouraged this kind of working environment. This is creating a situation where the different levels inside an organization are not communicating to each other. As time goes by, this is making the firm less flexible in adapting to changes in the marketplace. It is at this point that a firm could lose their competitive edge. (Plachy, 1986, pp. 91-103)

To avoid these kinds of situations all executives must be experts at listening and communicating. The best way that they can master these skills are to focus on two areas of communication to include: the content and feelings. The content is the words that are spoken or written to someone. Feelings are the emotions that are conveyed to a particular person. The combination of these elements will have the greatest impact on the individual. (Plachy, 1986, pp. 91-103)

To achieve these objectives the best leaders will remain calm and listen carefully to what the other person is saying. This is defusing any kind of tension by allowing the other party to express themselves in an open manner. At the same time, they must be able to agree with the person and communicate in a way that will help them to see other viewpoints. This means understanding various barriers that can prevent effective communication and working with the person to address them. When a leader is using this kind of approach, they can be able to have everyone feel as if their ideas are respected. This is the point that the state of mind of the individual will change. (Plachy, 1986, pp. 91-103)

The best way that leaders can be most effective is to focus on a number of areas to include: agree whenever you can, avoid contradicting, time what you say, rephrase what the other person said, talk about what you want and act promptly. The combination of these factors will prevent emotions for getting out of hand. This is when leaders will be effective at working with employees and improving the channels of communication. (Plachy, 1986, pp. 91-103)

How subordinates are evaluated

The way that subordinates are evaluated is challenging for most organizations because of the criticism about their work. In these kinds of situations, supervisors are encouraged to state the facts. The problem is that they use words that are considered to be cold and callous during the process. This makes the employee feel as if any kind criticisms are directed...

When this happens, employees will often have negative attitudes about: their work, managers and the organization. This will hurt productivity, with them doing just enough to meet the demands of supervisors. (Plachy, 1986, pp. 105-111)
To avoid these kinds of issues, all leaders will focus on evaluating employees using a process that will tell them the truth in a respectful way. This involves utilizing a predetermined rating system that will state the individual level of performance for the employee. In course of discussing the different areas of job performance, a strategy must be utilized that will provide positive feedback and state the areas of improvement. The language must use words that will improve positive feelings and eliminate any kind of negative associations. Moreover, all leaders will review what was discussed in previous evaluations and will establish expected standards of conduct. The combination of these factors will tell the employee what they are doing right, wrong, how it can be corrected and what is required from them. This is when the evaluation process will objectively follow a respectful and honest format. (Plachy, 1986, pp. 105-111)

How do these key points relate to social services and how can they be applied to social work?

The way that these points relate to social services is they are providing an effective foundation for working with clients, colleagues and supervisors. This helps to ensure that the social worker has access to wide variety of resources during the process of conducting their jobs. It also assists them in reaching out to individuals they are working with inside different programs. This allows them to become a positive force for change vs. another bureaucrat.

When these ideas are applied to the practice of social work, the combination of them will help civil servants in reaching out to various demographics of: clients and the public / private sector. This is because the job of a social worker is complicated, as they have to be an innovator that can access various solutions to address specific problems. The best way that they can achieve these objectives is to focus these resources. The key in being able to do this requires having effective relationships with various stakeholders. The different ideas that are presented in the book, will help the individual social worker to have skills they can utilize to achieve these goals. Over the course of time, this will lead to increased recognition for their efforts and promotions to higher positions of authority. This is when they can use these tools to set the tone for the organization in achieving its objectives.

How can these points be applied to you as an individual, as you develop and grow as a manager/supervisor?

The way that these points can be applied individually is to provide a basic foundation for dealing with everyone. One of the most common issues in society and the workplace is being able to get along with other people. When these ideas are used in correlation with another, they are assisting you in understanding the person you are working with. This is when you can be able to perform well with others and change the environment around you.

Over course of time, these attributes will inspire others to do more for you. This is the point that you will be placed in positions of greater responsibility with the expectation of using these skills at the highest levels. Once this takes place, is when you will be a true leader that can motivate their employees to go above and beyond what is asked. This will help any manager or supervisor to have better performance and results.

Conclusion

Clearly, the different points presented in the book When I Lead Why Don't They Follow are illustrating how today's leaders must embrace a number of principles. To include: highlighting the differences between management / leadership, examining the most successful methods of leading, establishing a common sense of purpose, looking at the requirements to be an effective decision maker, discussing the influences on leaders, evaluating potential, studying how to be a good listener / communicator and understanding the way subordinates are evaluated. If these different ideas are consistently used in conjunction with one another they will make an organization capable of adjusting to the various challenges they are facing. This is when they will be able to go beyond their objectives and improve the way they are…