| Abstract [eng] |
Reaserch problem. The professionalization of social work as a phenomenon in Lithuania has existed for several decades and recently a lot of attention has been paid to various evaluations and research, creating a solid basis for strengthening and updating the profession. Social work professionals can reflect reflexively on their field of work, clients and the problems they face in their daily activities, so emotional competence becomes an important component in the face of professionalization. Not surprisingly, the relevance of the phenomenon of leadership in the field of this profession has raised many questions that have led researchers to delve into the potential of this ability and personal qualities in the development of social work. A leader without a title is a very resounding phrase that reflects the everyday life of a modern social work professional. The practical problem of research reveals that these two topics have not been juxtaposed in the field of social work and research, and that emotional competence and leadership are two very different but at the same time close qualities leading to the search for scientific interpretations and links to these competences. Research subject. Social worker's self-assessment of emotional competencies and opportunities for leadership development. Purpose of this research – to reveal the importance of a social worker's emotional competence in the context of leadership development. Research methods. A quantitative study was performed. The tool used was a PEClt emotional competence validated questionnaire and a individual leadership self-assessment tool. The statistical software package SPSS 21.0 for Windows and Excel was used for data analysis. The sample consisted of 301 social workers and specialists working in the field of social work. The research was conducted in accordance with ethical principles. Outcomes. It was found that the interpersonal emotional competence of social workers and specialists working in the field of social work was significantly higher than personal. The results of the PEClt quantitative study revealed that social workers and professionals working in the field of social work rated the recognition of other emotions and listening to the emotions of another person much better than recognizing and managing their emotions but rated their understanding and expression of emotions better than others. Social workers in managerial positions in the field of social work had associations with greater interpersonal emotional competence and a better understanding of their emotions. Assessing the overall emotional intelligence and its competencies, positive correlations with work experience and position in the organization were found, and age did not deviate significantly from the overall indicators. A lower level of emotional competence in the management of one’s emotions and the use of other emotions was found in all groups of professionals, which was directly related to the self-assessment of leadership traits in the selection of the least important qualities. The links between emotional intelligence competencies and leadership traits revealed significant positive relationships, where high total intelligence directly correlated with high self-esteem choices for personal qualities. Positive relationships were found with most qualities: duty, fairness, knowledge, personal development, responsibility, reliability, and wisdom. Conclusion. Emotional competence is directly linked to the professionalization of social work and the development of leadership traits that enable the development of emotional intelligence. |
