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Servant leadership style key characteristics
Strength and weaknesses of servant leadership
Strength and weaknesses of servant leadership
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What does it mean to be a servant leader? Servant leaders are constantly focusing on the needs of others before their own. Servant leadership involves an individual demonstrating the characteristics of foresight, awareness, and commitment to personal growth toward others. Servant leaders act for the greater good, even when controversy has the possibility of rising. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks are excellent examples of this.
Jennifer McClellan, RN, BSN is presently my Associate Service Manager, for the Urgent Care Emergency Department. She has been in that position since May, 2013. Her main responsibilities are to manage the flow in the unit, since our unit is a fast paced, and we have a high volume of patients. Also, if there is a problem, she has to go above and beyond to fix the problem. She also has to handle patient’s complaints which are something not uncommon in our unit.
In reading “Serve To Be Great’ written by Matt Tenney, I was introduced to a new perspective on leadership. Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world. Servant leadership is more a way of life than a management technique. Tenney believes that making your employee’s happiness the priority
The definition of Servant Leadership as defined by Robert K. Greenleaf states that this is a person who is first a servant, and then a leader. He or she starts from the bottom and works their way up the ladder. These people are often focused other people’s priorities, they often share power with all and they are helping their followers or subordinates develop and mature so they can perform at their best. Jim Lovell is a great example of a servant leader.
Servant leadership is not the only leadership theory that is compatible with the Christian worldview. Others Christian-compatible leadership principles include Transformational Leadership Theory. Northouse (2016) states transformational changes and transforms people. The theory concern with emotions, values, ethics, standards, and goals while assessing followers’ motives, satisfying followers’ needs, and treating members’ as full human beings. Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX).
Servant leadership can be applied from the top of an organization to the lowest member because no one team member is more important than another. This is because each member is dependent upon the other to accomplish their job. This form of leadership provides a positive example of leadership for both junior to highest ranking members of the senior personnel, because of a single team member regardless of rank being attentive,supportive, and helpful to those members of staff below and above them. These
The basic principle of servant leadership is serving others and the community. The three principles of the servant-leadership are sharing the power, putting the needs of others first and helping people achieve their highest potential so that they may want to serve others. This creates an environment of trust, collaboration, teamwork and group improvement. Robert Greenleaf created the term, Servant Leader, and creating the idea of leading by serving with individuals and organizations. In one of his major essay’s, The Institution as Servant, Greenleaf (as cited in “What is Servant Leadership,” n.d.) expressed what was frequently called the “credo.”
Servant leadership requires that the leader be hopeful, humble, moral, and, most importantly, put the needs of his or her followers ahead of the needs of self. Abraham Lincoln was an early American
Our group was given the privilege to interview Anton Goff, the current Director of Athletics for the University of Hartford. Goff was able to provide us with valuable insights on how he advanced through the ranks of athletic administration. He was able to explain how he uses servant and situational leadership styles to positively direct and influence his employees and student-athletes. He states, “I’m all about servant leadership so I want to help young people that want to get into the business and go from there, because I didn’t get to where I am today without help from other people” (Goff, Oct. 23, 2015).
Through volunteering, I realized successful leaders exhibit perseverance and are self-disciplined and that servant leadership is not a specific style or skill but rather, it is about (a leader’s) behavior and actions, that are adopted over the longer term. As a leader, it is important to understand the organizational mission, values and long-term vision, whether one is working for the organization or a volunteer of it, to effectively and whole-heartedly serve the organization. This experience showed me the areas in my leadership, where I can improve upon. I recognized the importance of listening to others and what a vital part it plays, in building strong and successful relationships. I also recognized, that I tend to want to nurture and care for others, and while that is important, it is also important to recognize when an individual may not welcome that and that is okay.
Servant leadership “begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first” (Greenleaf, n.d). Dr. Martin Luther King was a prime example of a leader who serves. He was a devoted Christian whose beliefs are at the core of who he was; he practiced many servant leadership principles and characteristics defined by Greenleaf (Greenleaf, n.d.). If there was a servant leadership test, Dr. King passed would have passed it with flying colors. His love for people started at birth, he was a servant to the community with a propensity to want to serve others.
Servant leadership believes one should provide priority to others interest. Leaders should server others to meet their desires, needs and aspiration. Leaders should service and develop their employees (Nahavandi, 2015) leaders do not encourage leaders to go over and beyond to meet the need of the individual problems. Servant leadership listens, persuades, and give empathy during times of crisis. Authentic leaders adapt their style to the situation.
Kelleher as a servant leader. However, most servant leaders are defined by their acts and success based on behalf of other people. One example of Mr. Kelleher’s servant leadership happened when a Southwest Airlines captain came to him discussing the pressure he was receiving from the labor union. Mr. Kelleher told this captain to write to the board of the labor union explaining the blame should be placed on him.
Servant Leadership during Natural Disasters Servant leadership is a leader who displays ethical and caring behaviors. These leaders seek to enhance the growth of others while improving quality of life. The two main constructs of this leadership are ethical behavior and concern for subordinates. The characteristics embodied in this are stewardship, foresight, conceptualization, persuasion, building community, listening, empathy, awareness, commitment to growth of people and healing.
Over the last few weeks, leadership class has succeeded in getting me to think deeply about my life, who I really am and who I hope to be. This is good because it helps me put proper measures in place that will help me accomplish those goals. A servant leader, as we have discussed in class is one who is servant-first. His main aim is to serve his people and do what is best for the people around him, whether he is in a leadership position or not.
