Developing Human Service Leaders Author: Deborah Harley-McClaskey.
Review both case studies below and respond to the questions in essay format. You may reference course
material form the summer readings but be sure to site sources. Each case study is worth 50 points each. Your
responses must demonstrate your understanding of the readings and Zoom Meetings.
- Mike is a professionally trained and experience counselor, he has never confronted this situation before.
Solving other peoples’s problems comes easy. Solving a problem so close to home involves complications that
make Mike unsure of what to do. While attending a workshop on the alcoholic personality, Mike began to
understand some of the characteristics of an alcohol dependent employee. He then attributes some of these
characteristics to his boss, the Executive Director of the Organization. His Boss is in his mid to late forties,
hardworking, has increased absences from work, works in isolation, has deteriorating performances at times,
has erratic moods swings, is constantly irritable and in constant denial of anything being wrong. On numerous
occasions Mike ,in the early morning has smelt alcohol on the Executive Director’s breath. As the Director of
Counseling Mike wonders what should he do? He soon realized that his Executive Director fits the symptoms
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and realizes that confrontation would be futile. He also worries about his own position in the agency if he
divulges what he knows about the Executive Director. Mike does not know if he should educate his colleagues
about alcoholic employees to create a supportive network for his boss or speak to other colleagues at other
agencies about his boss and maybe they can help design an intervention for the Executive Director. He is
unsure of whether he was acting responsible or irresponsibly?
Was Mike acting ethically and responsible?
What would you do in the same situation?
Are other details needed about this case before you could give advice?
What about Mike going to his Boss to talk privately about his concerns? Should he call the ED’s wife?
In considering the problem of alcoholism should Mike consider job-related behavior and job performance or
can he consider behavior off the Job?
Should he report this to Human Resources and what best practices could be helpful in this situation?
- Congratulations, you have been selected to serve as the Executive Director of a Group Home for At Risk
Youth. The Group home has 12 consumers residing in a brownstone in Brooklyn with various mental health
and substance use concerns. Some of the youth have histories of sexual abuse, incarceration and have very
limited family involvement. On your first day you enter the facility and hear other workers saying; “Things really
need to change here”. “We haven’t seen any change in 5 years. Our consumers are suffering and not getting
the services that they deserve”.
As your day progresses you soon discover that the lack of strong leadership has resulted in uncoordinated
programs, loss of funding and a high staff turnover rate.
When you meet the supervisor in charge you realize that she is sporting green hair and multiple face tattoos.
She indicates that she has been at the facility for four years and that the consumers are out of control and that
she doesn’t deal with them because they’re disrespectful, aggressive and therefore she tells them to stay in
their rooms or to go stay with others who want them. You also are confronted with the maintenance supervisor
telling you that one of the consumers is staying at his house and that he would like a raise and extra funding to
provide clothing and food.
Just before calling a staff meeting you receive a visit from the police department informing you that one of your
residents has been found murdered and require’s identification and further information.
During your staff meeting two senior case managers openly indicate that they love their work with the
consumers and if it were not for the supervisor they would do a better job providing them with the required
services. One of the case managers (A) informs you that they have been at the agency for 5 years, that they
are Transgendered and wants to make sure that you can work with” his type of people”. The other case
manager (B) indicates that she has been at the organization for three years, has been passed over for raises
and promotion and that the organization is racist, has a hostile work environment.
At the end of the day you receive a visit from the Chairmen of the Board and she tells you that the Board is
nonfunctioning , has only three members and wants you to handle the organization as you see fit. As she is
leaving you receive notice that the Press would like to interview you about the missing and murdered
consumer.
What is the first thing you will address?
How will you deal with the police, press, staff and the Board of Directors?
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What specific changes will you implement? Prioritize them.
How will you use Human Resources to explore organizational policy and issues?
Is there a need to review the organizational mission and culture of the organization?
Will you use the strategic planning process to bring about change and how will you begin this process?
Sample Solution