Dr. Michael L. Kaufman – a Helping Professional and a Business Executive – Pens His First Book, Empowering Colleagues to Pursue Their Leadership Aspirations

JACKSON, N.J., Jan. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael L. Kaufman, MSW, PhD, launched his 30-year career in the social services sector as an in-the-field social worker, applying his formal training from Rutgers University to populations in need with unwavering commitment and deep compassion.

His early community-based experiences inspired his transition into the special education space, where he progressed through a series of leadership positions to become the CEO of one of the largest privatized education companies in the United States. He now runs his own special education management and consulting company.

Kaufman is often asked: How did you turn your non-profit role as a social worker into a for-profit executive function while still maintaining your career directives and purpose as a helping professional?

"Sure, it can be a balancing act. I always had a bent for business, earning my undergraduate degree in accounting before discovering my true calling in social services," Kaufman explained.  "And many, many helping professionals like me don't realize the skill set they already possess that equips them to travel a fruitful and fulfilling path to professional leadership.

"These special individuals have specific characteristics, distinct aptitudes and the servant leader mindset to rise to the highest tiers of their organization's leadership structure," he said. "My book talks about how to tap that budding capacity, whether you're still in school or in the middle of your career trajectory."

Written in a very accessible, colloquial style, Doing Good & Doing Well: Inspiring Helping Professionals to Become Leaders in Their Organizations was launched at the end of 2023 and is available for sale at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other online booksellers.

Kaufman never set out to write a book. But several years ago, when he looked back on the uncommon route his career had taken, he realized he had a unique perspective and a wealth of experience he wanted to share with fellow helping professionals to encourage them to continue "doing good" for society while also "doing well" for themselves professionally and for the organizations and causes to which they're dedicated.

"Being a helping professional doesn't preclude you from being a business leader," Kaufman said. "It's quite the opposite, actually. That's the whole premise of my book — that the helper's natural abilities, proclivities and mentality are the very things that qualify them to be particularly conscientious and talented leaders."

Many of Kaufman's colleagues over the years have chosen to teach, treat, counsel or service caseloads as opposed to rising through the ranks to seek organizational leadership posts. He understands that inclination and is tremendously grateful for it, noting the "boots-on-the-ground, arms-in-the-mud, out-in-the-field professionals" are the people who serve as the very backbone of a fair-minded, justice-seeking, caring civil society.

But helpers shouldn't feel limited by their current roles or unable to aspire beyond what their credential expects of them, Kaufman stressed. If they're perfectly happy where they are, doing precisely what they're doing, that's wonderful. If they have a hankering to extend their impact on a larger scale, though, he wants to empower them to do so.

His target readers are helping professionals who have a big heart and big dreams, but who also want a big job, a big title, big responsibility and, in turn, the reach to effect big change.

"I wrote this book for the helping professional who secretly believes that he or she might just have an untapped well of greatness in them," Kaufman shared. "My goal is to inspire them to get excited about their potential to advance to top-tier positions. They have what it takes to be the director of the whole show, not just an actor taking cues on someone else's stage."

The 206-page book is published by Rowman & Littlefield under the genres of Education, Leadership, Organizations & Institutions, and Professional Development. It applies to helping professionals of all types, from educators, health care workers, and rehabilitation specialists to youth workers, therapists, and social agency personnel.

Kaufman is available for media interviews to expand upon his practical guidebook to transform one's passion for helping others into opportunities to lead.

Learn more at michaellkaufman.com

Media Contact:
Jonathan Jaffe
908-789-0700
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SOURCE Dr. Michael L. Kaufman