Neil Thompson

This important book successfully blends theory and practice to address authentic leadership from a non-essentialist angle. Drawing extensively on existentialist philosophy, it presents an alternative understanding of authenticity that challenges the essentialist notion of selfhood.In this second edition, Neil Thompson explores leadership as a people-centred undertaking, placing emphasis on the need for leaders to take ownership of their choices, and encourage their followers to do the same. New chapters address key issues such as workplace wellbeing, spirituality in the workplace, and remote and hybrid working. Thompson focuses on the human dimensions of leadership, as well as the significance of the workplace as a distinctly human social space.Authentic Leadership Revisited is a highly accessible resource crucial to the understanding of selfhood as a fluid concept. It will be of interest to students of management and leadership, as well as those studying philosophy and the sociology of organisations. Practising managers and leaders seeking illuminating examples of exemplary leadership behaviours will also find it beneficial.

The Managing Stress Practice Manual, 2nd ed, provides the ideal stress management tool for practitioners across the public sector and professionals at all levels in business and management.The modern world of work is highly pressurised, with stress levels affecting workers' health and little to no understanding of the roots of stress, making workers feel overwhelmed and lacking the confidence to do anything about it. This book takes a holistic look at stress, offering clear and practical guidance onhow to manage pressure,how to prevent stress,what to do if stress arises andhow to deal with the aftermath of stress.By taking a deeper look, this book provides the reader with a full understanding, taking the narrow focus away from the individual themselves, and thereby taking away the 'blame the victim' message that can add to stress.This latest edition features new content including:current pressures caused by Covid-19,stress related to job insecurity,financial stress and the cost of living crisisissues around neurodiversity.It explains complex ideas clearly and accessibly, including practical examples and exercises throughout, with a repertoire of strategies and sources of help that will be invaluable to practitioners and business professionals alike.

This book takes a data-first approach to framing the built environment sector’s unique challenges and how industry can address them through better use of data. It describes how the sector has failed to derive value from data, and the common causes underlying this failure. It then provides practical guidance on how to use data to construct and operate built environment assets in a manner that better meets society’s needs. The book examines how industry norms, organizational culture, and our personal behaviours contribute to the successful use of data. It sets out a philosophy and vision for the use of data in the built environment, and how this in turn might help the sector realise better outcomes in terms of cost, schedule, quality, and sustainability. Data is a valuable asset, one that the built environment sector must generate, protect, manage, and exploit. The book works as a holistic primer to data and the built environment, written both for those who are new to data or the built environment, and including deep-dive material that will provide insight to experienced professionals.

What is social work? How is it carried out? What skills does it require?Despite its many challenges, social work remains a rewarding career that makes a difference. Understanding Social Work is a much-loved and highly acclaimed introduction to what is involved in the role, offering an excellent grounding in what the profession is all about.Neil Thompson provides a clear and helpful account of the knowledge, skills and values that underpin social work, makes clear what some of the main challenges of social work are and helps you rise to those challenges.Each engaging and succinct chapter supports the reader’s learning and development with case studies, valuable advice from experienced practitioners, practical exercises and further reading suggestions.In this sixth edition, Thompson shares lessons from his expert witness work and offers renewed focus on the significance of loss and grief and the resurgence of interest in anti-racism in social work.It is an ideal starting point for people considering a career in social work, students beginning their social work journey and for experienced practitioners who want to revisit their roots.Accompanying online resources are available at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/the-effective-social-worker. These resources are designed to support teaching and learning when using this textbook and are available at no extra cost.

What is social work? How is it carried out? What skills does it require?Despite its many challenges, social work remains a rewarding career that makes a difference. Understanding Social Work is a much-loved and highly acclaimed introduction to what is involved in the role, offering an excellent grounding in what the profession is all about.Neil Thompson provides a clear and helpful account of the knowledge, skills and values that underpin social work, makes clear what some of the main challenges of social work are and helps you rise to those challenges.Each engaging and succinct chapter supports the reader’s learning and development with case studies, valuable advice from experienced practitioners, practical exercises and further reading suggestions.In this sixth edition, Thompson shares lessons from his expert witness work and offers renewed focus on the significance of loss and grief and the resurgence of interest in anti-racism in social work.It is an ideal starting point for people considering a career in social work, students beginning their social work journey and for experienced practitioners who want to revisit their roots.Accompanying online resources are available at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/the-effective-social-worker. These resources are designed to support teaching and learning when using this textbook and are available at no extra cost.

Social worker. You're a helping hand, a rock in the tempest, a friendly face through the hard times, and a catalyst for change. But what about you? How do you keep going when the pressure just keeps rising?In this no-nonsense handbook, Neil Thompson and John McGowan distil years of social work expertise into key strategies to overcome the challenges that come with the profession. Each chapter is full of clear, practical advice on staying resilient in the face of tough situations, whether they're political, social, or economic. Handy frameworks and expert advice will strengthen your practice and give you a solid structure to build on, helping you fulfil your potential as a social worker and provide better support for your clients. Social work is tough, but with the guidance and support in this book you can learn to tackle the challenges and thrive as a force for change.

There is a huge collection of literature relating to death, grief and bereavement, but one aspect that has received relatively little attention is that of death management practices (by which we mean the various ways of managing the circumstances of the death, ritually acknowledging it and sensitively handling the disposal of the body and so on). While ways of disposing of the dead and grief practices have been thought of as based upon individual responses, grief and bereavement practices can be understood not only by looking at psychological and medical frameworks, but also by examining people as part of a complex structure of social arrangements, institutions, structures, and patterns. By examining the social and institutional structures of various groups around the world, we provide an international framework for a better understanding of the study of dying, death, and bereavement.This book highlights the significance of these matters in an international context, reflecting common themes and important differences. It will highlight common themes across diverse cultures and national settings, while also drawing attention to significant differences. If professionals working in the field of death, grief and bereavement are not aware of such differences, their practice can be insensitive, discriminatory and therefore ineffective, if not actually counterproductive. As such, the book provides an invaluable resource for a wide variety of professionals and students, including medicine and health care; social work; counselling and psychotherapy; chaplaincy and pastoral work; and, of course, those involved in the funeral industry. In addition, students of sociology, psychology and anthropology will find much of interest here in terms of appreciating the diversity of ways in which funerals and other death management practices are managed and integrated into social life.

Neil Thompson sets out what you really need to know about supporting further learning during placement and practice. Stripping away the confusion and anxiety about 'what next?', this manual goes back to the core theories of how learning works in the first place, and how you can synchronise that with values and reflective practice to help your students and colleagues reach their professional goals. Summaries illustrate and reinforce the guidance, creating a set of easy-to-follow strategies for effective workplace development mentoring.Accessible explanations guide you through the theory and practice, covering everything from fostering a learning environment to troubleshooting difficulties and encouraging a culture of self-directed learning. Grow your mentoring skills and help your colleagues get to grips with not just what to learn, but how to learn it and make it stick.

An essential handbook for students and experienced social workers alike, this practical guide filters out the jargon and sets out what you really need to know. 30 easy-to-follow chapters delve into topics ranging from holistic thinking to effective record keeping, all rooted in Neil Thompson's extensive hands-on experience. Complicated subjects such as cultural sensitivity and managing conflict are discussed thoughtfully and pragmatically, helping you understand the roots of tricky situations and find effective solutions. Each section successfully combines theory and practice to give a holistic view of social work that can be tailored to help each unique client. Over 45 years of experience distilled into one manual for success.

There are particular challenges involved in teaching social work. As with other professional disciplines, it is not simply a matter of passing on the key elements of the knowledge base; there is also the need to equip students to be able to make use of that knowledge in practice and in the context of relevant professional values.This book offers broad insights into effective social work education. It provides insightful guidance to 50 aspects of the social work curriculum and warns of common pitfalls and obstacles to learning. Practical suggestions for exercises and activities are presented in a clearly written, successful blend of theory and practice.Neil Thompson is a distinguished, international scholar and brings over 30 years of experience to a wide range of case studies and transferable skills that will provide a foundation for future social workers everywhere. This guide will be essential for academics teaching social work, practice educators and workforce and freelance development officers.

This succinct and insightful guide to reflective practice is designed for students and practitioners across a range of professions in the human services - social work, healthcare and related fields. In seven compact chapters, it takes the reader through the main theories and principles of reflective practice, drawing on concepts and findings from across the associated literature. Its clear and careful integration of both the 'thinking' and 'doing' elements of the complex and often challenging task of practising reflectively makes this an ideal text for students and practitioners alike.New for this edition:New material which covers how pandemic-induced remote working has affected opportunities for spontaneous group reflection. New content which looks at the significance of reflective practice for management and leadershipClearer links across reflective learning, personal growth and spirituality

Sociology of Death and the American Indian examines dying, death, disposal, and bereavement practices and applies those concepts to selectAmerican Indian tribes historically and currently, supplemented with oral histories. The focus is that learning about other cultures can enhance the understanding of one’s own culture by comparing traditional and modern societies. Gerry R. Cox addresses the centuries of injustices committed against American Indians that led to a neglect of learning about American Indian cultures and attempts to fill the gaps in knowledge of American Indian practices.

There is a huge collection of literature relating to death, grief and bereavement, but one aspect that has received relatively little attention is that of death management practices (by which we mean the various ways of managing the circumstances of the death, ritually acknowledging it and sensitively handling the disposal of the body and so on). While ways of disposing of the dead and grief practices have been thought of as based upon individual responses, grief and bereavement practices can be understood not only by looking at psychological and medical frameworks, but also by examining people as part of a complex structure of social arrangements, institutions, structures, and patterns. By examining the social and institutional structures of various groups around the world, we provide an international framework for a better understanding of the study of dying, death, and bereavement.This book highlights the significance of these matters in an international context, reflecting common themes and important differences. It will highlight common themes across diverse cultures and national settings, while also drawing attention to significant differences. If professionals working in the field of death, grief and bereavement are not aware of such differences, their practice can be insensitive, discriminatory and therefore ineffective, if not actually counterproductive. As such, the book provides an invaluable resource for a wide variety of professionals and students, including medicine and health care; social work; counselling and psychotherapy; chaplaincy and pastoral work; and, of course, those involved in the funeral industry. In addition, students of sociology, psychology and anthropology will find much of interest here in terms of appreciating the diversity of ways in which funerals and other death management practices are managed and integrated into social life.

In Sociology of Death and the American Indian, Gerry R. Cox examines dying, death, disposal, and bereavement as well describes these practices in various American Indian tribes both historically and currently, supplemented with oral histories from select tribes. The book focuses on what can be learned from the practices of traditional cultures, showing that understanding the ways of other cultures can enhance the understanding of one’s own culture by comparing traditional and modern societies. Cox addresses that the centuries of injustices committed against American Indians have led to a neglect of learning about American Indian cultures and ways and attempts to fill the gaps in knowledge of American Indian dying, death, disposal, and bereavement practices.

This popular textbook provides an up-to-date guide to the knowledge and skills required for working successfully with people. The book is divided into three key areas of people skills development. Part 1 highlights the importance of personal effectiveness; Part 2 explores core interaction skills including verbal, nonverbal and written; and Part 3 outlines the skills of intervention. Packed with engaging features, each chapter includes practice focus boxes that help connect theory with real-life practice, and exercises that stimulate and challenge the reader.Whether you're a social worker, nurse, youth worker, a manager or supervisor, or in any role that involves working with people and their problems, this book will help you to develop your skills and improve your effectiveness.New to this Edition:- Self-development exercises and further resources at the end of each chapter to help students consolidate learning