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Ray Jones, Leadership in Social Care, Zoe van Zwanenberg (ed.), London and Philadelphia, Jessica Kingsley, 2010, pp. 240, ISBN 978 1 84310 969 3 (pbk), £22.99, The British Journal of Social Work, Volume 40, Issue 6, September 2010, Pages 2014–2015, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcq092
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Extract
There is a richness of quality in this book, but like most books of individual contributions, it is not one to be read cover to cover. Instead, browse, think, reflect and home in on what grabs your interest. The individual papers are grouped within three sections on ‘Leadership of the profession’, ‘Leadership for collaborative advantage’ and ‘Leadership development’. I was particularly stimulated by the first section. Kate Skinner's shortish chapter on ‘Supervision, management and leadership: Think piece’ was especially successful in playing with concepts and ideas and along with van Zwanenberg's opening chapter had me metaphorically nodding and probably actually smiling.
Here were discussions about leadership that were not about command and control, albeit this is necessary in some crisis situations and at all times, people should be aware of acceptable parameters of action and of clear expectations. But what is also important, and often of greater importance, is colleagues, including in hierarchical terms subordinate colleagues, being motivated and empowered to act and to have the confidence and competence to do so.
