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Date Available

5-2-2024

Year of Publication

2022

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

Faculty

Dr. Laura E. Escobar-Ratliff

Abstract

This capstone project examines the current state of burnout, prevention strategies, prevalence, and introduces neuroleadership as a new leadership theory to advance burnout prevention among the public human service population. Neuroleadership presents a new conceptualization of leadership practice and burnout prevention method by utilizing neuro-informed leadership practices. This new neuro-informed leadership strategy is explored throughout the three major products of this capstone project including a systematic literature review, conceptual paper, and practice application paper.

The first product completed was a systematic literature review. This literature review included a total of 13 articles which were used to answer the research question, “how can neuroleadership improve employee retention and decrease burnout in public human service agencies?” During the literature review an overview was provided, giving a better understanding of neuroleadership and how it impacts leadership practice. Neuroleadership differs from most current leadership theories by focusing on the neurological effects of various leadership strategies. These neuro-informed strategies and insights give leaders a new level of insight into the impacts of their leadership practices on the individuals around them. This new level of insight and leadership strategies includes interventions to decrease burnout. Furthermore, many key neuroleadership concepts and practices have been directly linked to decrease burnout and improved retention. One example of a particular neuroleadership model that has shown some exciting results is David Rock’s SCARF leadership model. This model provides leaders with a specific set of recommendations on how a leader can provoke positive (reward responses) and minimize negative (threat response) in five of the primary social qualities of the workplace.

The second product, the conceptual paper presented neuroleadership as a new leadership strategy to address burnout. The major themes of neuroleadership are discussed and applied to what is currently known in burnout prevention. Current neuroleadership literature indicates that this leadership theory has shown some efficacy in preventing burnout. David Rocks SCARF neuroleadership model is presented in further detail as a model that has shown efficacy in burnout prevention. Neuroleadership is not without limitations, as many of the studies are focused in the for-profit or business sector. Therefore, caution must be exercised when applying neuroleadership principles to the field of public human services. Nevertheless, neuroleadership provides new insights to inform innovation in leadership practice and burnout prevention.

The final product, the practice application paper utilizes the knowledge gathered during the systematic literature review and conceptual paper to form a voluntary leadership coaching and consulting presentation. This coaching presentation will provide training to members of organizational leadership. This leadership coaching presentation will present neuroleadership as an innovation in leadership practice to prevent burnout. The coaching presentation will include general education on burnout principles, how to identify warnings signs of burnout, brief overview of current prevention techniques, overview of neuroleadership principles, review practical neuroleadership prevention techniques, and case scenarios to practice neuroleadership techniques.

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