Organizational conditions for leadership – do they exist?

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to describe what ideas there are for exercising of a leader’s leadership in human service organizations in the city of Gothenburg. The aim was also to clarify the factors that play a part in management of future leaders in the exercising of leadership. The study aims to on answer the following questions: 1) how do managers experience the organizational conditions, within the organization, for exercising of leadership in individual and family care and 2) how do managers experience the plan for future supply of managers in individual- and family care in the exercise of leadership? In this study ten Unit Managers, in individual- and family care in the city of Gothenburg, have participated in qualitative semi-structured interviews. The theories applied in this study are organization theory and system theoretical perspective. The results showed that organizational conditions for Unit Managers in the five pre-selected themes in the study; Introduction, activities and areas of responsibility, organizational resources, leadership and managerial management varied depending on the organization she/he was managing. Thus, the study is indicating that the Unit Managers need organizational conditions to fulfill their mission and to remain in their role as leaders. Organizational conditions also contribute to the ability to perform a good job in the organization as well as a successful leadership. In addition, Unit Managers perceive that the city's management should focus more on the organizational conditions of leadership practice within the human service organizations they operate.