Power, influence and use of authority in Practice education - PowerPoint Presentation

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Power, influence and use of authority in Practice education - PPT Presentation

Lesley Parish amp Jenny Dale Objectives Define power influence and authority Critically analyse power dynamics in social work practice in the context of moral philosophy and ethics Explore theories related to power use in practice ID: 589061

social power authority influence power social influence authority work practice agent workers dynamics target change 2008 person standards 2012

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Slide1

Power, influence and use of authority in Practice education

Lesley Parish & Jenny Dale Slide2

Objectives

Define power, influence and authority

Critically analyse power dynamics in social work practice in the context of moral philosophy and ethics

Explore theories related to power use in practiceSlide3

The standards

Where does power and authority feature in relation to standards?Slide4

Standards of Proficiency

2.6 be able to exercise authority as a social worker within the appropriate legal and ethical

frameworks

2.9 recognise the power dynamics in relationships with service users and carers and be able to manage those dynamics appropriatelySlide5

Professional Capabilities Framework

Diversity - Social workers appreciate that, as a consequence of difference, a person's life experience may include oppression, marginalisation and alienation as well as privilege, power and acclaim, and are able to challenge appropriately.

Recognise and manage the impact on people of the power invested in your role

Intervention and skills

- They understand and take account of differentials in power, and are able to use authority appropriately.Slide6

BASW Code of Ethics

Have a role to support, protect and empower people, as well as having statutory duties and other obligations that may be coercive and restrict people’s freedoms

Ethical

problems often arise because social workers, for example:

Work

with conflicting interests and competing rights Slide7

Social workers need to acknowledge the impact of their own informal and coercive power and that of the organisations involved.

Using authority in accordance with human rights principlesSocial workers should use the authority of their role in a responsible, accountable and respectful manner. They should exercise authority appropriately to safeguard people with whom they work and to ensure people have as much control over their lives as is consistent with the rights of others. Slide8

Practice Educator Professional Standards for social work

order to promote anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practices, practice educators and supervisors will:

identify and question their own values and prejudices, the use of authority and power in the assessment relationship, and

recognise

and act upon the implications for their assessment practice Slide9

Group discussion

What are your perceptions of power?

What has contributed to your perception of power?

How do you feel about being in a position of authority in relation to students?Slide10

What do the 3 words mean?

Power

Authority

InfluenceSlide11

Power

ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.

great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force.

the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy: power over men's minds.

Dictionary.comSlide12

Authority

the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine

a power or right delegated or given

a person or body of persons in whom authority is vested, as a governmental agency

Usually,

authorities

. persons having the legal power to make and enforce the law; government

an accepted source of information, advice, etc.

an expert on a subjectSlide13

Influence

Verbal form:

to exercise influence on; affect; sway:

to move or impel (a person) to some actionSlide14

Influence

No verbal form of the word power“Consequently, other words, such as ‘influence’, must be used to express power-in-use”

“If X wants to achieve Z and believes that Y can help to realise this Z, then X must apply some stimuli to sway Y to undertake the required action. These stimuli – which range from personal attraction to physical force – are commonly called ‘power’”

Bar-On, A (2002: 998)Slide15

French and Raven 1958

Social influence – a change in the belief, attitude, or behaviours of a person which results from the action of another personSocial power – the potential for such influence – the ability of the “influencing agent” to bring about such a change using available resources

Identified 5 bases of power initially then added a sixthSlide16

The bases of power

Coercive power

Reward power

Legitimate power

Expert power

Referent power

Information powerSlide17

Small groupwork

How effective do you think these power bases are and in what circumstances?Slide18

Power/interaction model of interpersonal influence

Socially independent change – “target” continues the changed behaviour without identifying the “influencing agent” as the agent of change. Socially dependent change with surveillance necessary by the “influencing agent”. None of the target’s privately held beliefs, attitudes or values have changed – only secured public compliance

Socially dependent change with surveillance unnecessary

Raven (2008)Slide19

Further differentiation

The selection of power strategies will depend on how an agent views a target and even more on how an agent believes a target views him/her

The agent will select bases of power based on their perception of what would work best with a specific targetSlide20

Other personality characteristics might also affect the choice of a power strategy, including an agent’s having high or low self esteem. One reason for this might be that successful influence from informational power tends to be attributed to the target, while successful influence from coercive power tends to be attributed to the influencing agent.Slide21

Attitude towards target – a strong negative feeling may lead to a choice of harsh basis of power (e.g. coercive) even when that power strategy might not be the most effective.

Conversely where there is a strong positive feeling a harsh basis of power may not be used even if it is the most appropriate.Slide22

Informational influence or persuasion would ordinarily be highly desirable but may require more time and effort than is available.

Coercion may result in more rapid compliance but carries the cost of surveillance and potential hostilitySlide23

So what are your experiences with students? How have they presented in terms of power? Powerful or powerless? How have power dynamics impacted on your placement experiences? Slide24

Target may have various motives to either accept or reject influence from the agent, some of which may involve personal factors such as a need for independence, for power and for self esteem

Also may have positive or negative personal feelings towards the influencing agentSlide25

Smith (2008) identifies 6 service user strategies to influence power dynamics

Compliance

Non –co-operation

Resistance (renegotiate or modify relationships with professionals)

Challenge (rejection of perceived authority)

Collaboration (active engagement & participation)

Control (over the way needs are defined)Slide26

“People do not fit easily into ‘powerful’ or ‘powerless groupings, sometimes having membership of both at the same time….The very same experience can be empowering for some and disempowering for others.”

Fook (2012: 55)Slide27

Consider the case scenario and discuss the power dynamics. How could this situation be managed effectively?Slide28

3 groups

Each group note ideas on how power can be managed effectively throughout student placements. The paper moves round so the next group can consider and add ideas, until their paper ends up where it startedSlide29

Individual activity

Develop your own action plan of how you will use what you have learnt today in future practice with social work students

Slide30
Slide31

References

Bar-On, A (2002) Restoring power to social work practice

British Journal of social work

32, 997-1014

Beckett, C (2006)

Essential theory for social work practice

London: Sage

British Association of Social Workers (2012)

The Code of Ethics for Social Workers.