Case Example Social work was a second career for Ben. During When he interviewed for the job with the agency's the years that he had worked as a middle personnel director, Ben became a little more hope- school language arts teacher, he had also been a ful. The director seemed impressed with his years volunteer guardian ad litem. This experience con- of volunteer experience as a guardian ad litem, and vinced him that he really was more suited to social even indicated that his classroom teaching experi- work than classroom teaching. It also convinced ence might be useful for meeting the educational him that the public child welfare system was seri- supervision expectations of a supervisor's job. When, ously flawed. When he enrolled at the local school two weeks later, he was called back and offered the of social work, he chose a concentration in macro-level job, he did not hesitate. He took it. He would be start- practice, believing that he had the best chance of ing on Monday with an immediate $5.000 annual making needed changes in the system if he went salary increase. He eagerly filled out the form to have into management. his new calling cards made with the title of "Case When Ben received his degree, the job market Supervisor" listed after his name. was tight. The only available job in the city where his The weekend before he officially became a partner was employed that did not require prior supervisor was a happy one for Ben. First, he called social work practice experience was as a child wel- his mother to tell her the news. She was very pleased. fare caseworker in the local county welfare office. She had never wanted him to quit his teaching job He had student loans to repay and a car payment. and never understood why he took a job for less so he had no choice-he took the job, but told his money in social work. But now she appeared to be partner and all of his friends that he would "grab" the convinced that the move might have been a good first job with more management responsibilities and one, since he seemed to have the potential for more higher pay that came up. upward mobility in social work than he had in public For four years, no supervisory or other man- school education. She remarked that she only wished agement job became available. Meanwhile, Ben his brother was as ambitious as Ben. became a very good child protection caseworker. Ben had never moved into his supervisor's office. and actually learned to like his job and found it He had spent as little time there as possible since professionally gratifying. He received excellent staff it contained many of her personal belongings and performance evaluations. Then his supervisor went he did not want to appear too impressed with his on medical leave while she recovered from surgery temporary title. But now he began to think about and received chemotherapy. Ben was made acting that private office with a window, large desk, drapes, supervisor. He was told to make as few changes and the latest technology. He couldn't wait to claim and make as few decisions as possible, since his it as his own and to personalize it with his pictures supervisor was expected to return to work in a few and academic degrees. He knew that there would be months. However, after four months she suffered other "perks" too, like some paid professional travel a medical setback and decided to take a disability to the annual supervisor's meeting at the beach and retirement instead. When the job was posted, Ben the freedom to keep more flexible work hours. The and Kathy, a caseworker from another unit with raise in salary might finally make buying a condo whom he had never gotten along, both applied for possible and there would have to be fewer bag the job, along with several people from outside lunches or dinners at fast food restaurants. the agency. The agency had a policy of hiring from Ben enjoyed his new job for about the first month. within. Since Kathy had several more years of prac- Then something happened. It didn't seem as great as tice experience than Ben, he both expected and he had anticipated. His former caseworkers acted dif- feared that she would be offered the job. ferently toward him. They no longer joked around with (continued) 332 Part Three: Completing the Management Picture Case Example Continued him as they once had. A few times, they got suddenly paperwork and he knew his upcoming staff perfor- quiet when he came out of his office; he wondered mance evaluation would reflect it. He became de- sometimes if they had been laughing about him. He pressed and had trouble sleeping. was not asked to join the NFL football pool in which Fortunately for Ben, he found a way out of his situ- he had always participated. He understood that he ation. His partner, a lawyer, was offered and took a could no longer have the kind of friendships with them junior partner position in a law firm after being highly that he had once had, but he felt isolated and cut off. recommended for it by one of his former professors. When he tried to become friendlier with the other su- It was in a larger city, one with plenty of jobs for direct pervisors, they were polite, but they seemed to show practice social workers in child protection and related little interest in starting up a friendship. About the only fields. Ben resigned immediately and was offered interaction he had with them was during the special a job as a family counselor in the other city without called meetings at 4:00 PM when some problem had much of a drop in pay, in part, because his former arisen. He began to resent these meetings, since they supervisor wrote such a glowing reference for him. often lasted an hour or longer and put him right in Over the next ten years, Ben received several more op- the middle of rush hour traffic. His partner started to portunities to move into a job with more management resent them too, and told Ben so. responsibilities. He seriously considered taking one of Since he had not really been a supervisor before. them, but decided against it. Finally, when a part-time everything seemed to take longer than what Ben supervisor's job opening was announced, he applied thought it should take. He quickly got behind on paper- for and got the job, but only after asking numerous work, most of which he thought was unnecessary, and questions and being assured that he could continue to found himself coming in to the agency on Saturdays carry a small client caseload. to try to catch up. Then, he was told in a confidential supervisors' meeting that the agency was preparing Discussion Questions for some severe budget cuts. They would most likely 1. What were the reasons why Ben wanted a man- include cuts in the personnel budget, which would ager's job? Do you think any of them were good necessitate laying off one or more caseworkers. He ones? Why or why not? dreaded the possibility of having to fire any of his for- 2. What misconceptions did Ben appear to have mer coworkers; he had wanted the job partly to be able about a job with more management responsibili to make life better for them, not worse. ties? Why did his time as acting supervisor not What surprised Ben the most was that he really prepare him for his new role? missed direct contact with his clients, He considered trying to carry a few cases himself, but recognized 3. Why do you think that Ben's former coworkers that he just didn't have the time. Besides, his boss treated him differently when he became their would never approve if he asked about doing it. He supervisor? wanted to get back in his old job, but he knew that 4. Why did the "perks" that Ben envisioned before wasn't possible either with the impending layoffs. he began his new job no longer seem important Even if it were possible, Kathy might be offered the once he had been in it for a while? supervisor's job and become his boss, and it would 5. What do we know about Ben that would suggest look to his coworkers, friends and relatives like he that he might miss working directly with clients in had failed. That would be embarrassing. the role of a supervisor? Ben had never been one to call in sick unless he 6. What did Ben learn about the possible effects that was very ill, but that began to change. He did not a job with increased management responsibilities look forward to Mondays and stayed home on two can have on an individual's personal well-being, successive ones. He got even further behind on as well as his or her relationships with others