Leadership is similar to parenthood, just the thought that a mirror reflection effect can be achieved is a possibility that can make us think twice the way we conduct ourselves, the reality that others will do as I do, say what I say and like what I like, makes me realize that the need for guide, teach, encourage and discipline will be required, from that perspective I understood and discovered that lead others is as challenging as it is rewarding. Having experienced both areas, I can honestly say that I have made my share of mistakes and blow ups, lost my temper and been hot-headed a few times before. But the good news is that with every slip, trip, and fall, I have learned valuable lessons.
Most leadership models can be observed in the workplace and then explained in behavioural terms. Servant leadership differs from other models in that servant leadership comes from within the leader, surfacing out of the leader's principles, values, and beliefs. The servant leader's motivation and behaviour come exclusively from the personal principles,
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Also, to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done; in other words, leading by example. It included, lightening the load of another or even being willing to do whatever I asked others to do. It can go as far as leveling hierarchies, with the ability to not only being a boss, but a trusted friend. Sometimes included, listening to those served to find out what they really need me to do for them, rather than just deciding what is best for
There has been a bit of research done on the nature of servant leadership. The belief is that many organizations are moving from the traditional style of leadership to a more servant based style. Larry C. Spears (2010) and Kent Keith (2016) note a few characteristics of one who is a servant leader. The characteristics proposed by Spears (2010) are listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to others growth, and community building. These traits will often manifest naturally becoming more enriched as time goes by through experience. Keith (2016) references only four elements of servant leadership. He begins with an element of morality, then of the servant focus, concern for others’
Servant leadership, as defined by Kretiner and Kinkicki (2015, p.486), is putting the needs of others, including employees, customers, and community ahead of one’s own needs. This management style requires selflessness and humility from management so the organization can focus on serving key stakeholders. There are ten characteristics of a servant-leader as identified in the text
The Servant Leader discusses the importance of leaders who adopt a service oriented attitude in which they care for the needs of others before their own. A servant leader need not be an actual servant or have ever been a servant to become a servant leader. Rather, a servant leader is born with or adopts an “others first” disposition. Climbing through the ranks may help to create a servant leader, though it is not necessary. When leaders choose to see that the needs of their followers or their organizations are the highest priority they become servants.
Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that augments the lives of individuals, builds better organizations, and creates a more just and caring world, they put the team first, and themselves second (MindTools, 2015). Servant leaders are able to demonstrate their traits through interaction with followers and other leaders within the organization. The characteristics of servant leaders include their commitment to the growth of people, stewardship, and building community, and provide leaders with the opportunity to experience change and to invite followers to change (Savage-Austin & Honeycutt 2011). Servant leadership encourages leaders and followers to ‘raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality’, and set their leadership focus: follower’s first, organizations second, their own needs last (Sendjaya, Sarros, & Santora, 2008). The servant leader focuses on the needs of others to include team members.
James McGregor Burns was one of the first people to come up with a definition of transformational leadership (Bromley). Transformational leadership is great, but Burns made a quote in his book Leadership that should be recognized, “The aim of leadership is not to just reach a goal, but also transform leaders and followers into better, more self-actualized leaders” (Komives and Wagner). This quote really explains what leadership means to me, not only as a person leading a group, but also learning how to follow as well.
Servant leadership can be thought of as an inverted triangle where the leader is supporting the organization at the point. As a result of this leadership style, leaders are more in tune with their teams. They have more insight on their team and the inner workings of their organizations.
3). Through the service of others, servants as leaders create positive changes in the lives of others that lead those served to act more autonomously (Block, Blanchard, Wheatley & Autry, 2006). The goal of a service leader is to help others achieve their highest level of functioning. Those served are then motivated to become service leaders as well (Block, Blanchard, Wheatley & Autry, 2006). Thus, servant leadership focuses on commitment to helping the individual served grow in their abilities. In turn this gives the served individual confidence in their work and personal abilities which then transforms into a desire to help others do the
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).
Servant Leadership has advanced into one of the speediest developing patterns in administration and administration circles. Servant Leadership bases its principle reason as "changing the way of life of administration to make the greatest amount of positive change". Why is the theory of hireling authority turning out to be so mainstream? Why are such a variety of significant organizations embracing these rules for their business? The benefits of servant leadership are excessively incalculable, making it impossible to include. Taking after are one and only or two of the cases why servant leadership is seen as beneficial to enterprises, firms, little organizations, and non-benefit affiliations.
The theory believes that a leader is a servant to those he or she leads. And that a leader should focus on serving others rather than being served. The servant leader creates an environment of trust and cooperation, which results in reciprocal service and ultimately higher performance. Much of Jesus’ approach to leadership used this model.
In order to try and answer such a question it is necessary to first understand what it means to be a servant-leader. Robert K. Greenleaf (1977) suggests that “the servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the feeling that one wants to serve. Then the conscious choice brings one to lead…The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being met” (p. 22). This is ...
Once servant leaders are identified in organization they must be developed as any other employee would be. In the “Five necessary attitudes of a servant leader” the authors, Boone and Makhani explore the concept of servant leadership in terms fitting the style of an organization. Three main attitudes are vision handling, listening as hard work, and being a talent scout. Attitudes, in this article, are looked at as determinants of behavior. (Boone & Makhani, 2012) The article also takes the stance that implementing any leadership style is difficult. Servant leadership is considered for many business leaders challenging or puzzling to develop the necessary skills an attributes needed. The article
For many years, I have been told by teachers, family, and friends that I am a good leader. Until fairly recently, I had never truly thought about what it means to be a good leader and just took it as a compliment. Leadership is an intangible concept which cannot be properly outlined in a dictionary, but one which must be formed and explained only through one’s own philosophies and experiences.
Leadership is something that is heavily prevalent in the workforce and in the world today. Being a leader, in my opinion, takes someone (or a group of people) who is willing and able to lead a few or many people. Not every leader though is successful or leads in a positive way. There definitely exists both good and bad leadership. Many leaders fail while many achieve extraordinary milestones. But everyone, not just leaders, have their pitfalls and rough patches in life. I know that I myself have some weaknesses as a leader, and that is what I want to take some time to reflect on.
Throughout my life I have encountered the chance to experience position of being a leader. Being part of groups in university for class presentations, being the organizing secretary of my campus fellowship, being a youth leader in my church and the church admin, also being part of a family. Leaders are charismatic, inspirational and trust worthy. I have gained some important qualities of being a good leader through these experiences. Most of the valuable leadership’s characteristics that I obtained and strengthened are: learn to become a better leader every day, how to be a team player, to be a better listener, to be an effective communicator, to have more patience, not afraid of constructive criticism, to be outspoken, and to be a problem solver. Even though I have gained a lot, I still have more things to learn to become a better leader such as being more assertive, being more disciplined, becoming a better public speaker, and learn how to be realistic and not too optimistic. You are a leader if someone else choses to follow you.