Policy & Practice | Spring 2024

how an organization manages its goals related to values, principles, and well-being. Successful leaders model well-being by taking time for reflec tion and personal growth. This means setting expectations that are reason able and attainable. Showing value in modeling self-care is an effective way to promote well-being, address burnout, and understand its root causes. Employee burnout across all levels is real. Feelings of isolation and anxiety have a direct impact on organizational health and community well-being. Elevating well-being requires a pause to ensure everyone understands the importance of psychological and envi ronmental safety in the workplace.

extend that feeling to how they serve families and communities. Next Generation Leadership Framework Connections Successful leaders across the human services ecosystem share a unique lens on the impact that the human services sector can have on the systems that shape and support all people across their lifespan. Key amongst them is a vital understanding that impact is not about what you do—how many people you serve or how long you’ve been in existence—it’s about moving beyond the foundation of program delivery and service efficiency to root cause-driven solutions. This next gen eration leadership framework is driven

truly connect human services leaders to the communities they serve. Next generation leadership com petencies are shaped more by values and principles than simply defining and achieving a mission. They equip leaders with the shared goal of embed ding community voices and modeling power-sharing to achieve transforma tive, systems-level change that can lead to a stronger, healthier, and more impactful human services ecosystem that can better serve all people. Mission vs. Values This shift from a traditional mission-centric approach to one grounded in values can be illustrated

by looking at the difference between an organization’s

Leaders who are mindful of the way they show up also recognize its positive effect on the workforce and ultimately the communities they serve. By elevating the voice and needs of staff in planning and decision-making, leaders allow for a shift in power.

by the values and principles that all successful leaders share—driving equitable solutions from diverse per spectives, inclusive of all voices. It is also developed in collaboration with individuals and families with lived experience invested in achieving positive and lasting changes

mission and values state ment. A mission statement is a short and precise declaration of the organiza

tion’s purpose in society. Its values are the principles that guide how the organization thinks and acts. While a mission statement explains the organization’s reason for existing, values describe its culture and beliefs. The shift to a values-based approach is one that will engage leaders to truly connect to their employees and communities. Within the human services sector, continual crises can often overshadow values and principles. When the focus is on survival, it can also be difficult to stay aligned with the organiza tion’s mission. Well-articulated values and principles provide direction and behavioral guardrails during times of disruption and intentional focus on these can help leaders stay the course. In challenging times, a leader’s value in their employees is shown in how the organization gives focus and attention to their safety and well-being. Opportunities to empower employees and improve communication define

Accountability in Principles and Well-Being Accountability shows up within leadership, not only as a value, but as an internal principle. Leaders who hold themselves accountable show up with integrity and build trust. They take the first step and pave the way for staff to build trust and confidence in them. Leaders who are mindful of the way they show up also recognize its positive effect on the workforce and ultimately the communities they serve. By elevating the voice and needs of staff in planning and decision making, leaders allow for a shift in power. Value in diversity, personal efforts, and well-being empowers the workforce to develop personally and professionally. Through a shift in power, the workforce feels safe to put observations and learned experiences into practice in the workplace and

in the human services sector. Coming soon in 2025: Participate in APHSA's newly launched Leadership Academy—an interactive learning experience for next generation human services leaders! Trinka Landry-Bourne is an Organizational Effectiveness (OE) Consultant for Leadership Development at APHSA.

Lofaine Bradford is the Learning Coordinator for OE at APHSA.

Julia Mueller is the Community Engagement Specialist for OE at APHSA. Robena Spangler is the Senior Director of Leadership and Organizational Development at Social Current.

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Spring 2024 Policy & Practice