Mike Webster

Mike worked as a probation officer and service manager in Auckland and England before joining the University of Auckland as a lecturer and researcher. His primary area of research relates to social work leadership. Mike's doctoral thesis developed a New Zealand model of social work organisational leadership and is associated with a current project exploring leadership for workplace wellbeing. In addition to conference presentations, Michael has published seven articles and a book chapter drawing on this research and has also presented webinars on his research.

The workplace wellbeing project aims to respond to the question: What leadership values and actions will create or contribute to wellbeing in the workplace? The aim of the research is to create an applied model of leadership for wellbeing in human service workplaces.

Together with local leaders, Mike worked in Botswana for 6½ years in an NGO which trained the indigenous Christian church and was recognised by the government under Sir Seretse Khama, the first President following independence. He has lectured and given conference presentations in Beijing, Lanzhou, Seoul, San Diego, Melbourne, Sydney, and Dublin as well as Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.