Greenleaf's Theory Of Servant Leadership

Wendy, Thank you for an insightful initial thread on successful leadership. Comparing your reference of Van Dierendonck’s servant-leader characteristics with Greenleaf’s servant-leader characteristics lends credence to both authors’ perspective of what a servant-leader should be. The important aspect that seems to be absent from Van Dierendonck’s and Greenleaf’s assessment of a servant-leader is the fact that the service is grounded in man’s principles and not God’s principles. Instead of just serving others in a leadership capacity, the model that Christ gave is to equip those that a leader leads so that they can be impactful in a leadership role in a later capacity. According to an article by Kevin J. Donaldson, Jesus equipped the disciples by giving them enduring leadership

Winston and Fields (2015) note that a servant leader consist of three main characteristics placing followers ahead, demonstrating ethics in decision-making and actions, and creating value. By placing followers first, the leader demonstrates that the followers are more important that the position he or she holds. The leader is there because of the followers. Therefore, it is appropriate to take care of the interests of the followers at all times so that the organization can thrive. Ethical decision-making is all about doing the right thing at the right time.

The Army values are the core to my leadership principles which are shaped with my own personal experiences and goals. I believe through communication and integrity, I can aspire to become a better

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.” Here he said: “This is my thesis: caring for persons, the more able and the less able serving

Some refer to scripture and some seek power over others. In the end of the day, we all want to talk to someone that listens and truly understands our needs and works hard to meet them. Social medial dictates that Servant Leadership which may not consist of a leadership that serves with value. Values are the core elements of servant leadership; they are the independent variable that actuates servant leader behavior. We need to feel good morally, socially and

A Servant leader is a person who leads unselfishly and has the passion to serve. Being selfless and open-minded are ideal characteristics of a servant leader. Servant leaders focus on their group or community and their overall well being. In order to get the job done, a servant leader shares power and helps his fellow group member reach their full potential. Martin Luther King Jr. is a modern day example of a servant leader.

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.

According to the articles, “What Leads to Success in Life,” by Jocelyn K. Glei, and “The Moral Bucket List,” by David Brooks, a person must possess certain qualities in order to achieve ‘success’ in his life. While Glei emphasizes that self-control, passion, and perseverance are the necessary qualities needed to accomplish a person’s dreams, Brook illustrates that the keys to a successful life are the virtues that inspire the inner characters of a person. The article that resembled my outlook on success was “The Moral Bucket List” because the lessons that Brooks expounds on follow closely with the teachings of my religion as well as how they produce life-changing decisions. As a Mormon, or Latter-day Saint (LDS), I’ve been taught that the virtues that Christ possessed and exhibited during his lifetime are the same virtues that a person should live by and the attributes listed in the ‘bucket list’ are similar in nature, albeit if not the

Relationships such as these can be dangerous if a person attempts to use a relationship to fill a gap within themselves. Les Parrott discusses this balance in The Compulsion for Completion. It’s important as leaders we must recognize for ourselves and teach others that “self-worth does not come from the mere existence or presence of someone in your life” (Parrott 25). With Jesus at the center of my leadership philosophy, it’s important to understand that I can only find completeness in Him. Looking for completeness through relationships will only cause disputes and disappointment from both parties.

The role of followers in supporting servant leaders is to be respectful and responsible following guidelines. For examples, followers must be modest in accepting the tactics from a servant leader. A servant leader has the authorization to do it because he is devoted to people’s growth. A servant leader must be humble and trustworthy to their followers. The followers appreciate that their servant leader can understand them because he is all about authenticity.