Organizational Awareness

A Missing Generalist Social Work Competency

Bibliographic Data

ID10551791
AuthorsEd Silverman (Keuka College, corresponding author)
Year2014
Volume60
Issue1
Pages93-95
Publication date2014-11-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Work (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0037-8046 • E-ISSN: 1545-6846
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/sw/swu055
PMID25643581
OpenAlexW2083789502
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited4

I practice management and, on my better days, leadership. At least that is what I tell my higher education colleagues who question my clinical background. Ironically, I matriculated at a social work school precisely because they had a “clinical concentration.” But somewhere along the journey, organizations and their stewardship became more compelling. I have seen nurse professionals assume leadership roles once dominated by social work. A major social service agency where I once served as both a board member and staff executive is now without a single social worker at cabinet-level leadership. This commentary proposes the need to bridge the gap between the more seasoned macro social worker and the novice. To do so, I advocate for the development of a new generalist social work competency: organizational awareness. The premise is not to establish more social work managers or administrators—though that is a noble goal. The critical need is to develop a generalist macro-related knowledge base that will allow practitioners, especially those less experienced, to have more impact and influence within their organizations and agencies

Agency (philosophy · Political science · Premise · Public relations · Sociology · Stewardship (theology · Interprofessional Education and Collaboration · Psychology · Research in Social Sciences · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work

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