**4. The leadership expectation in social work organization**

Generally, diverse and complex social work organizations require social workers that are both willing and able to practice dynamic and successful leadership in organizations. The social work practice as a people cantered profession or pursuit has a relatively modern origin which acknowledges that many organizations involve themselves in different and complex activities such as developmental work, humanitarian relief work; advocacy, legal, human rights, and health among others [13]. The process in social work leadership is analysed in the context of these formal and informal organizations which require social workers to use different leadership styles such as the authoritarian, democratic, laissez-faire and the charismatic leadership skills. In essence, what it means is that social work practitioners have to be willing to contribute to the effective leadership in various organizations using the required models or theories. Previous studies by Harworth et al. demonstrate that the implementation of social work leadership requests understandable and relevant as well as definition of models of practice [5]. So far, social workers have been employed in assorted organizations with varied organizational structures and objectives in which failure to exercise the acceptable theories and models result in the breakdown of the organization to dispense adequate social services. Haworth et al. [5] underscore that the significance of using effective leadership styles has been referenced by Torgersen well as a number of international organizations, scholars and reports repeating that case reviews which agree to the significance of effective leadership in organizations. Social work organizations' mandates have been to provide quality services for the people to restore or enhance their capacity for social functioning while creating societal conditions favourable to their goals using suitable leadership styles. The authoritarian leader for example will decide by him/her and the laissez-faire leader to

#### *Perspective Chapter: Fostering Effective Leadership in Social Work Organisations DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106281*

let the subordinates make decisions, hence take no leadership role other than assuming the position [3]. Khan [3] further proffers that the democratic leader assesses his/ her subordinates and then makes the decisions. Moyo et al. [13] provides that some of the organizations are developmental in nature whilst a good number focus on different areas of specialty such as health, humanitarian work, clinical social work, schools social workers. Given the diversity and complexity of the context in which leadership is used, a number of studies have proved that inadequate use of leadership models and theories in organizations is a nagging problem which requires careful interrogation from social work perspectives.
