What does it take to be a brilliant social care leader?

​What does it take to be a brilliant social care leader?

While leadership roles in social care certainly present their challenges, no one has the power to positively impact social care services and those they care for more than social care leaders. The role is hugely varied- liaising with social workers and bidding for new placements one minute, dealing with staff issues the next, directly supporting a service user in crisis moments later. All the while having a smile on your face, being the guiding light of the service, and inspiring and motivating your team and service users to succeed. Done well, leadership roles present an incredible opportunity to make a huge difference to the lives of everyone in the service. Having matched countless social care services with leaders who have thrived within their roles and positively developed their organisations, Peters Dean Care know what it takes to be a fantastic leader. Find out about the top traits of great social care leaders below.

Communication

A recent Peters Dean Care poll showed that 49% of people felt communication was THE most important skill for a social care leader. And little wonder. Working effectively with people from so many different professions in such a diverse sector that attracts workers from a huge range of backgrounds takes great skill. A strong communicator is flexible and adaptable in their approach when dealing with different personalities and people with differing motivations and interests. Whether it’s communicating career pathways for their staff, care plans to other professionals, or new policies and processes within the service, the clarity and delivery of their message is paramount to ensuring everyone remains united to the common goal of improving the quality of lives of those within the service. A great social care leader knows when and how to communicate empathy, when to be assertive, how to get their ideas across, and how to use these skills to maximise relationships.

Compassion

A close second on the poll was compassion. Though important in any sector, compassion is arguably of far greater importance in services supporting the most vulnerable people in our society. A compassionate leader will listen, understand, empathise with, and support staff and service users to overcome issues and improve themselves. A good social care leader will role model respect and ensure this filters through the entire organisation. They will understand the emotional and psychological challenges of working and living within social care services, and be able to help those they work with to deal with these and to be the greatest version of themselves that they can be.

Ambition

Ambition is often the first attribute requested by Service Owners for their leaders. A motivated and forward-thinking leader can create exciting opportunities for the service, including owners, staff, and the service users it supports. Many owners would like to develop their business, taking the care model they believe in to support more and more service users. Owners can only do this with leaders who are willing to take on responsibility and throw themselves in to new situations and challenges. Being ambitious for their team members can help leaders to push their staff to excel, stimulating their learning and motivation to further their skills and responsibilities. This in turn directly improves the quality of care offered to service users. Furthermore, ambition for their service users can help them to have more aspirational aims, motivating them to overcome their challenges to live the best lives that they can.

Adaptability

Regulations and expectations from stake holders are regularly changing. Keeping up to date with these and adapting the services approach, policies and procedures is essential to successful leadership. Taking advantage of a desire to learn and maintain a strong awareness of social care news can help a leader to continue to drive service standards forward, creating new opportunities and ensuring the service remains compliant and successful.

Energy!

Last but not least is energy. While many organisations provide great support for their leaders to succeed, a healthy dose of energy to tackle the challenges of the role is a must for any great leader!

Are you looking for a new leadership role, or a leader for your care service?

With extensive experience of successfully filling countless Senior, Deputy, Management and Service Manager roles, Peters Dean Care are ideally suited to help you with your next leadership role or vacancy. We understand the complex nature of leadership roles, and take the time to get to know what your specific needs are. We also act with discretion and confidentiality where required, meaning you can trust that we will always have your best interests at heart.

Contact our team now to find out more information.