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Reflection on community volunteer work
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As part of our leadership course, we were required to do a service learning project. This project was aimed at giving thought to a social problem that bothered us; one we were passionate about and would like to learn more about and also contribute to finding solutions to. After I thought long and hard about what I am restless about, I concluded I was interested in any social issue that involves children. Whenever there is an opportunity to help children in need I try my best to contribute to it whichever way I can. This passion and love for children fueled my decision to work with children for my service learning project. This paper therefore highlights a social issue, what I did to meet that social issue and the way forward for me. For some time, we have been learning in the leadership IV class about servant leaders. One major thing I will forever keep with me is that servant leadership emphasizes increased service to others, holistic approach to work, building a sense of community and the sharing of power in decision making (Spears & Lawrence, 2002). This inspired me to join eight other ladies to offer our service to Kumasi SOS Children’s Village in Asokore-Mampong in the Ashanti Region. The first week in March was devoted to working with the children to observe them and identify any challenges they may be facing and come up with solutions for it. We just knew as a group that we wanted to improve on the running of the village and contribute to impacting the lives of the children. When we arrived at the school, they seemed to have everything. As we went round the school, we interacted with some of the children and listened to the village mothers talk about what the organization had done so far for the children. From our interact... ... middle of paper ... ...ers so that people would think of me. My group members and I plan to do a follow-up by visiting them during the long vacation in order to keep track of their progress. Aside that, we were able to develop a great friendship with Mr Laate, the head social worker, the school staff and kids and intend on maintaining this friendship we have established with them. The children are such lovely children that we do not want to just end there after service project but we plan to made a long term impact by giving contributions and ideas about how to improve the lives of the children in SOS whenever the opportunity presents itself. Works Cited Bornstein, D. (2007). How to change the world. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. Spears, L. C., & Lawrence, M. (2002). Focus On Leadership: Servant-Leadership For The 21st Century. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
purpose for this book is dual. First goal is clearly defining servant leadership and second one is
Servant leadership is becoming a more “sought-after” concept in today’s society, but what exactly is servant leadership? Does it mean different things to different people? Although the three books, The Servant as Leader, The Servant, and Lead Like Jesus, all center around servant leadership, each author takes a different perspective on the meaning of being a servant leader. Robert Greenleaf addresses leadership from a straight-forward stance; saying that a good leader must be a servant-first by finding the will within themselves to put the needs of their group before their own. James Hunter discusses servant leadership through a story involving everyday people that the reader can relate to. He uses Jesus as a guide to explain how to initiate character development that will, in turn, fashion servant leadership. Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges offer a new perspective on servant leadership by bringing Jesus into the picture on an even deeper level than Hunter. They explain that by knowing Jesus Christ and developing an intimate personal
Sendjaya, S. (2005). Leading with the heart: Servant leadership put other people’s needs, aspirations and interests above their own. Monash Business Review, 1(2). 34-41.
The two most intriguing leadership styles presented in the readings were transformational leadership and servant leadership. Both leadership styles are relationship-oriented, that is, in order for these leadership styles to be effective, positive relationships must exist between leaders and followers. Also, both leadership styles reject the role of leader as being reserved for those individuals in designated positions of power, but rather a quality that may be exhibited by any individual (Kelly, 2012, pp. 10-11). However, the differing goals of each leadership style is the seemingly critical factor that separates transformational leadership from servant leadership.
In the Dominican Republic, there is a great need for education, and financial support for poor families. Providing the people with a good education, and teaching a trade to the head of the household could help to solve these needs drastically. Not only this, but the service project could be used to be a good witness for Christ to these people. A service project to the Dominican Republic could not only solve the lack of education, and help impoverished families for a short time, it could provide a long-term solution, and benefit this nation greatly.
Introduction Through identification and ongoing assessment of her leadership style and ability, this leader is able to develop and understand her own strengths and limitations in order to grow and develop into a more effective leader. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of servant leadership, contingency, and path-goal styles of leadership to gain an understanding of current leadership models, identify this author’s style of leadership, and explore why leadership is important to organizations, society, and this author. A Personal Model of Leadership Servant leadership was a term that was first used by Keifner Greenleaf (1970) in his first essay, The Servant as Leader (as cited by Crippen, C., 2005). Greenleaf based his essay on his belief that a servant leader is a servant first, and explained that it would begin with the natural urge to serve and then the leader would make a conscious choice to become a leader, in doing so he makes the choice to ensure that others needs are met first (2005 ). As a servant leader develops he should always keep aware of those who he serves and strive to ensure that they are becoming healthier, wiser, freer, have an increase in autonomy, and become more like servants themselves (2005).
Moving into a non-profit health care organization, servant leadership is a more common style, one that I find difficult to balance. I hope in the future to develop active listening and find skill in putting others before my own goals, while providing transformational leadership to the staff who report to me. In the vast array of health care systems, a variety of leadership styles are not only common but necessary.
(2013) analysis on servant leadership delivered practical perceptiveness on why servant leadership is an effectual leadership behavior. The authors’ study revealed servant leadership stimulated positive followers’ behaviors and reduce employment turnover. Servant leadership is a vital component to a work atmosphere that encourages the benefit of servicing others, in which followers want to remain at their place of employment. Associates’ outcomes are vital to any corporation that attempts to decrease turnover expenditure and enrich employee performance, teamwork, and customer service (Hunter et al.,
Greenleaf “The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.” Servant leaders put the needs of the employee first, they do not focus on themselves. A priority is put on meeting the needs of employees rather than one’s self. An example of such leadership in a hypothetical environment would be if a leader helped all team members first instead of himself. A servant leader would be a good listener, must be able to set a vison for employees and trust them. Although servant leadership is unorthodox as it’s difficult to use in an operation and apply in everyday situations. As Greenleaf (1977) stated “it is meant to be neither a scholarly treatise nor a how-to-do-it manual” (p.49). Servant leadership is very different from current views in organizations where often times they put the organizations profits before the individual. One can only hope this theory and model becomes more widely
Young, D. S. (1999). Servant Leadership for Church Renewal: Sheperds By the Living Springs. Scottdale: Herald Press.
Effective leadership relies on the ability to influence other and is important to the success and longevity of an organization. I believe that a servant style of leadership is most closely aligned with my beliefs. Servant leaders believe that “people can accomplish much when inspired by a purpose beyond themselves” (Economy, 2015). As an educational leader I will remind teachers that our purpose is prepare student’s for their future whether they are headed for college or a career. To play a role in the growth and development of another person is an honorable task.
Stone, A. G., Russell, R. F., & Patterson, K. (n.d.). Transformational versus servant leadership: A difference in leader focus. Retrieved from http://www.regent.edu/acad/sls/publications/conference_proceedings/servant_leadership_roundtable/2003pdf/stone_transformation_versus.pdf
Chung, Y. (2011). Why servant leadership? Its uniqueness and principles in the life of Jesus. Journal Of Asia Adventist Seminary, 14(2), 159-170.
I’ve always known to be the best follower but not necessarily a leader. Prior taking this course, my philosophy of leadership was anyone who is in charge of a group in order to give out instructions or order. This type of leadership has been adopted by various cultures around the world for centuries. Thank to new emerging leadership styles such as contemporary, followers actually have the opportunity to voice their opinion. I’m hoping to learn new skills that will eventually help me in the professional realm and as well as my community. I found servant leadership to be the most important type of leadership. Komives, Lucas, and McMahon (1998) mentioned that people who dedicate themselves to building communities so they become better places for others (p.170). This is the type of leader I’m striving to
Melchar, David and Susan Bosco. “Achieving High Organization Performance through Servant Leadership.” The Journal of Business Inquiry 9.1 (2010):74-88. http://www.uvu.edu/woodbury/jbi/volume9/journals/achieving_high_organization_performance_through_servant_leadership.pdf