A Note From Our Director
I hope you had a wonderful break.
This column focuses on Social Work Month and our upcoming Master Class given by Nancy Amidei, National Policy Advocate and SSW Alumna.
MARCH IS SOCIAL WORK MONTH
In this newsletter you will notice a number of activities celebrating the social work profession and its many contributions to our society. It is a perfect opportunity to express gratitude to social workers for the work they do, including fellow students. I have mentioned the importance of gratitude in a previous column, something stressed as well by Dean Lein and the Center for Positive Organizations. You can also appreciate yourself, and feel grateful for the many skills you have acquired. Sometimes we do not even realize what we know and can do. Google recently completed
Project Aristotle
- an in depth study of Google teams to try to understand what makes some teams successful and others not.
Their conclusion:
Project Aristotle is a reminder that when companies try to optimize everything, it's sometimes easy to forget that success is often built on experiences - like emotional interactions and complicated conversations and discussions of who we want to be and how our teammates make us feel - that can't really be optimized.
But they can be recognized, processed, and managed for effective teamwork. That sounds a lot like basic social work to me! Why not adopt a goal for yourself as a way of celebrating Social Work Month? Make an appreciative comment to a social worker at least once a week for March.
Have fun with it!
VISITING WITH NANCY AMIDEI: THE POLICY CYCLE AND ROLES
Nancy will be coming March 18th for her Master Class (see below for RSVP details). I know she hopes to have a lively discussion, so I thought I would "unpack" the policy paradigm a little to provide a more nuanced view of what policy practitioners do.
As you may recall, from the last newsletter, policy needs to be written, contain specific guidelines for action, and be approved by legitimate authority. That is the bare bones of the policy system.
Policy practice, however, goes through approximately 8 steps, phases, or rungs, with spaces between them. Policies proceed from the first to the last, and then back to the first to go around again. Not infrequently, policies get "stuck" on a step (e.g. it cannot get out of committee) or dropped between the rungs.
- Policy Problems: the "cloud" of issues available, which may or may not be attracting policy attention.
- Policy Agenda: the issues that are currently receiving policy attention.
- Policy Proposals: the analyses and remedies that are competing for a policy decision.
- Policy Decisions: the action of a legitimating body approving or rejecting a policy proposal or option.
- Policy/Program Planning: the fleshing out of operational details (e.g. Federal Regulations).
- Policy Implementation: actually enforcing the policy or running the program.
- Policy Evaluation: assessing the operation of the program in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, collective and social impact.
- Policy Refurbishment/Improvement: the use of the policy evaluation results for improvement and can be applied at any point in the policy process.
So, when you listen to Nancy, feel free to ask her about any of these rungs.
There are also Policy Roles that relate to the policy cycle.
Suffice it to say, the "policy manager" is one who keeps the policy moving into and out of each node, prevents policy stall/clog, and manages feed-forward and feed-backward operations.
So, when you listen to Nancy, feel free to ask her about any of these roles.
Director, Leadership in Community Benefit Organizations
Professor of Social Work
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Jump Start Your Career Exploration!
Janice Williams Miller is available for in
dividual and group consultation
around your nontraditional and macro career goals.
Follow this link to sign up for Office Hours.
Looking forward to supporting your Leadership and Career Journey!
**NEW OPPORTUNITY DUE MARCH 11**
The Future Project, Dream Director
A Dream Director is a transformational leader who is assigned to one high school-and committed to unleashing the passion and purpose, curiosity and imagination, courage and grit of everyone in it. They are entrepreneurs. They are coaches. They are imagineers. They are coalition-builders. They are organizers. They are educators. They are midwives of dreams-and warriors of possibility. They are creative rebels. Above all, they are leaders.
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You're Invited to Winter 2016
Master Class
Featuring Distinguished Alumna
National Political Advocate
A writer, teacher, and advocate, Ms. Amidei has been involved in social policy from both inside and outside government. She is a former Director of the Food Research and Action Center, she served in the Carter Administration as a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the federal Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (now DHHS), and in the early 70's she was on the Staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs.
Most recently, Amidei was on the faculty of the University of Washington School of Social Work, retiring in 2009. There she founded the Civic Engagement Project, which she is currently directing.
Student Exclusive Event: "For Social Workers Interested in Social Change, Rule #1 is: Think Big"
Friday, March 18, 2016 9:00-10:30 AM
Educational Conference Center; Breakfast will be served.
Public Keynote: "Reclaiming Democracy: Using Advocacy to Win Social Change"
Friday, March 18, 2016 2:00-3:30 PM
Educational Conference Center;
1.5 Macro CEUs
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Leadership Program Events
Seal the Deal: Tips for Successful Interviewing
Wednesday, March 9, 2016 12:00-1:30 PM,
SSW B684
This workshop will discuss different interviewing formats utilized by employers, how to prepare for job interviews and what type of questions to expect employers to ask candidates during the interview. Participants will get a chance to practice addressing questions.
Hosted by Career Services.
Special Interest Group Meeting
Tuesday, March 15, 12:00 - 1:30 PM, B780 SSWB
Organizations, institutions, and individuals are at their best when gratitude, mindfulness, positivity, and strengths are valued. A special interest group (SIG) is interested in meeting to explore ways to create a more positive, transformative, hopeful, and empowered environment for all SSW community members - students, faculty, and staff.
Join this new special interest group at the U-M SSW! This SIG was formed in response to students, faculty, and staff voicing vibrant ideas for making the SSW a more strengths-based, resilient, compassionate, and connected space.
Lunch will be provided!
Job Market Lunch-and-Search: Drop-In Event
Wednesday, March 23, 12 - 2 PM, 3816
Wanting to do job market research but don't know where to start?
Join us for some lunch and an opportunity to sit with peers and do job market research. Drop-in for as long as you'd like!
This informal gathering will offer you a space to get together and look into jobs, areas, organizations, etc.
Jump start your job search - regardless of when you graduate!
Navigating Change in the Social Sector Workshop
Monday, March 28, 12 - 1 PM, 3816
As the nonprofit sector changes (social innovation, hybridization, strategic philanthropy, collective impact) we need certain skills to be prepared and successful in this changing environment. Come here from Professor Mat Despard about how social workers can think about these issues and how MSW students can start to think about opportunities and pathways to launch their career.
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Celebrate Social Work Management Week!
March 7-11 2016 
The purpose of Social Work Management Week
is to recognize the outstanding achievements of social work and human services managers and to promote the importance of professional development for our current and future leaders.
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Additional Upcoming Events
Positive Links Speaker Series Session: Lead Positive Change Without Authority
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
4:00-5:00 PM, Reception Immediately Following
Want to make a difference in your organization? In this session, Jerry Davis and Chris White (authors of Changing Your Company From the Inside Out) will provide a framework for advancing the initiatives that are important to you, your company, and the world.
Community Feedback on the School of Social Work's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
12:00 - 2:00 PM,
ECC (1840 SSWB)
The School of Social Work invites students, staff, and faculty to provide feedback on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan that is developed by the DE&I Committee.
Philanthropic Foundations and the Grand Bargain in Detroit: A Conversation with Mariam Noland, President, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Thursday, March 17, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Weill Hall, Betty Ford Classroom (1110)
Ms. Noland has been widely recognized as the 'hero of the Grand Bargain,' the landmark effort to save Detroit from bankruptcy. Ms. Noland was a central figure in organizing a collaborative of foundations to donate $816 million to bail out Detroit's pension system and protect the Detroit Art Institute's art from being sold, and will help oversee the Foundation for Detroit's Future, which was established to oversee Grand Bargain funds, for the next 20 years. Ms. Noland will engage in conversation with Megan Tompkins-Stange, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, about her experience as a foundation professional, her views about the role of philanthropy in providing for public needs, and how community foundations act as agents of change.
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How to Turn Your Current Job Into Your Dream Job
When you took your job, it was a good career move . . . but it wasn't exactly your dream job. Maybe you weren't ready yet for that position, or maybe you needed to take a job to hold you over until you were able to land the one you really want. But before you resume your search, ask yourself: Am I in a "fixer-upper" position? Your current job could become your dream job with a little bit of work.
A dream job is one that fulfills you and puts your strengths to good use. If you're in a field you enjoy but don't yet hold the job you want, here are seven things you can do to turn your current job into the one of your dreams:
- Be an idea person
- Do things outside of your normal scope
- Nurture relationships
- Be innovative in your position
- Make a 'Good List'
- Find your next peak
- Ask
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Social Workers: The Untapped Hub of Entrepreneurs
by Jack Welch
Trying to figure out how to translate skills on your resume? Read this article to see how Social Workers can be seen as pioneers and entrepreneurs in our work! 
Some entrepreneurial skills discussed include:
- Ability to Raise Money
- Branding/Marketing
- Self-Care and Resilience
- Building Cohesive Teams
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7 Phrases You Will Never Hear a Great Leader Say
When you're a leader, your words set the tone for those around you. Others are likely to take your ideas to heart. If you aspire to greatness in leadership, here are some phrases to strike from your vocabulary.
Great leaders know that how they communicate is almost as important as what they communicate. They're constantly aware that everything they say will be taken to heart by their team, and that they'll be measured against their own words.
That's why you'll never hear them say these common phrases:
- "Because I said so"
- "Who do you think you are?"
- "It's not my fault"
- "I don't need any help"
- "I don't care"
- "I'm too busy"
- "Failure is not an option"
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5 Reasons to Network With People Who AREN'T in Your Field
It might seem like staying in your comfort zone and only networking with people in your industry is the best use of your time, however, that's not always the case. In fact, it's important for your career to network with people who aren't in your field. According to a recent article, being an "open" networker, someone who makes an effort to challenge themselves to network with people from all industries, is the biggest predictor of career success.
- They can be good references
- They can become a customer/client/partner
- They might know someone
- ...Or YOU might know someone
- They can provide a new perspective
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Professional Memberships & Networks
Network for Social Work Management
Independent Sector
Young Leaders Society - United Way of Washtenaw
County
Young Nonprofit Professionals of Washtenaw County
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Network with University of Michigan Business Cards
Leave a lasting impression and contact information for that next great opportunity.
U-M students can order business cards at
$13 for 100 cards through the
School of Social Work Student Union
!
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Contact Us
| John Tropman, Director |
SSWB 3734 |
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(734) 763.6275 |
| Rachael Wiener |
SSWB 3751 |
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(734) 764.4903 |
| Janice Williams Miller |
SSWB 3751 |
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(734) 763.9211 |
If you would like to submit items for the Leadership in Community Benefit Organizations' Newsletter (events, op-eds, resources, etc.), please email Rachael.
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