Servant Leader Thesis

Thesis: Leadership is the way of developing, growing, and serving others by allowing for self expression, personal development, unity, and ownership.
The Servant Leader
A person may claim to be a servant leader and feel they have made effective connections, but there has to be evidence to validate that claim. The evidence is shown when as a leader, I am able to bring about change in the organization. I effectively communicate with others to ensure that directives are clear and comprehended. Creative approaches for engagement and motivation are implemented. After the members have been motivated, I actively participate in the process. “Connections refer to the bond an individual feels with another person, group, task, place, idea, mission, piece

Colvin (2008) stated, “Through deliberate practice, your task is to deepen your knowledge about what works and about how to support and develop others, including the particular others with whom you are working.” Change will happen when leaders are able to generate an energetic and passionate purpose in others (Fullan, 2011, p. 22). I must be committed to change taking place. The leader does not work alone, but mobilizes and develops others in the organization throughout the change process (Fullan, 20011, p. 31). When leading, I do so in a manner that is demanding but empathic. It is not about producing an immediate, perfective outcome, but the journey toward the outcome in which learning took place with the confrontation of challenges and progress (Dweck, 2006, p. 24). When things go wrong along the way, the leader must “face the hard facts, learn what happened and why, and keep using those facts to make the system better” (Pfeffer and Sutton, 2006, p. 232). Effective change does not always happen on the first attempt, but with continued effort and practice the desired end will be visible. The five steps in the Cycle of Excellence by Hallowell (2011) provide insight on how to achieve the peak performance from employees. He first stated that the manager has to select individuals for the right jobs. Next, a connection to the workplace must be accomplished to re-establish powerful connections and fuel performance. Then, the productivity will flow through the activity of their minds. The manager must create a culture where others want to work hard. The final step in change being at its peak is to give recognition and notice when a person shines (p. 6-7). By taking the time to inventory all members of the organization, I will be able to place each one in areas that will bring about the greatest change and build a sense of unity. When individuals work in an area they feel comfortable with, they