Discussion 1 by Haley Taylor
A Servant Leader
A successful leader leads with people in a primary position. A person aiming to excel in the workplace through climbing the corporate ladder only possesses some of the required characteristics of being an exceptional leader, even if they have years of experience within a given field. The mark of an exceptional leader is one that strives to make others feel sensational in their ability to carry out a task (Blanchard, 2019). This type of leadership is also known as servant leadership. In essence, servant leadership is the ability to place others above self while also being able to adhere to company regulations.
A servant leader places heavy emphasis on the success of others within the workplace. Rather than being full-on dictator, servant leader takes the time to invest in the lives of their employees while also creating ways to make their operative processes smoother. A leader choosing to neglect the personal leadership level also neglects the ability to inspire and encourage (Kotter, 2012). Imagine a leader who does not take the time to ask employees about their day. Imagine how overlooked every employee under that individual’s leadership must feel at the end of the day because of the neglect felt towards their well-being. Now picture a leader whose influence is contagious. This person goes out of their way on a daily basis to ask questions that matter to each employee (Maxwell, 2007). Not only does the employee feel as though they matter, but they also feel more comfortable expressing ideas to their manager.
Those ideas spark innovative plans that lead to progress. If the progress has enough meaning to hold interest, employees are inspired to continue innovating. All of these positive attributes occur because one leader took the time to ask an employee how they are doing on a regular basis (Blanchard, 2019). Servant leadership is not as time-consuming as one might think. Servant leadership is a mindset that changes the makeup of any conversation, plan, action, or activity (Daft, 2017). A servant leader plans with people as the primary authority rather than the self. Although a leader strives to grow within their career, they also acknowledge the progress of a coherent team. If the team enjoys the leader enough, that person’s actions speak far louder than words ever could (Burnett, 2020). Servant leadership has rewards that are not always the most shiny or public. A job well done by a servant leader consists of satisfied employees that are working to better the lives of customers and other individuals within the company itself. If a leader is confident in their ability to lead others, then they must also be confident in their ability to carry the needs of those individuals.
References
Blanchard, K. (2019). Leading at a Higher Level (3rd ed.). FT Press.
Burnett, C. (2020). “Diversity under Review…” Innovative Higher Education. Vol. 45, issue 1, p 3–15.
Daft, R. (2017). The Leadership Experience. Cengage Learning.
Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading Change. Harvard Business Review Press.
Maxwell, J (2007). The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership… Harpercollins Leadership, LLC.
Discussion 2 by Kimberly Russ
During the early part of my career, I had only known servant leadership as it applied to serving in ministry. As a Lutheran school teacher, a leadership student at Concordia, a Lutheran University, and a theology student, I learned servant leadership related to disciples acting as the hand and feet of Christ. In the Lutheran school system, theologically trained teachers are eligible to receive a “call” to serve in a Lutheran School. Blanchard speaks of servant leaders being called leaders. I am leaving a leadership position in a public school system to accept a “call” to teach first grade at a Lutheran school in the fall.
Only when I moved back into the public system did I understand servant leadership from a secular perspective. Blanchard speaks of servant leaders as special individuals whose “goals are focused on the greater good” (Blanchard, 2018, p. 287). He explains that one can lead through the visionary process and then serve when it is time for a vision to be implemented. Servant leaders put others first. It is not about who the leader is but who the organization seeks to serve.
In addressing servant leadership, Blanchard refers to strategic and operational aspects. Blanchard states, “the leadership part (strategic leadership) of servant leadership is important because vision and direction get things going, but the real action is with the servant aspect of servant leadership (operational leadership)” (Blanchard, 2018, p. 296). Like Max Goodwin from the television show New Amsterdam, a servant leader should continuously ask, “How can I help?”
In talking to a colleague today, the subject of gossip came up. She mentioned several exceptional teachers at her school, but they gossiped, and it was hurting the school’s climate. I made the statement that I would always hire character over skills. I can train someone to become a better teacher. It is a lot more challenging to change someone’s heart. Blanchard says being a servant leader is “about character and intention” (Blanchard, 2018, p. 297). Servant leadership is a matter of the heart.
Blanchard speaks of ego as a stumbling block to servant leadership. He uses the acronym edging good out for the word ego. In church, we often say that ego edges God out. The first aspect of ego, false pride, was unsurprising. However, the second, self-doubt or fear, was new to me. McGee warns, “Your self-worth is a function of your performance plus others’ opinions” (Blanchard, 2018, p. 300). For both of these shortcomings, Blanchard prescribes humility.
Blanchard utilizes another acronym to describe how servant leaders serve. Servant leaders (S)EE the future. They (E)NGAGE and grow others. These leaders (R)EINVENT as needed. Results and relationships are (V)ALUED by servant leaders. Finally, these leaders walk the talk as they (E)MBODY their values. This is not an easy list of expectations, but leaders with a servant’s heart win big.
In the article Ten Principles of Servant Leadership, Larry Spears identifies key attributes of servant leaders. Among these are listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community. Many of these, stewardship, commitment to growth, conceptualization, and building communities, were addressed by Blanchard in the text, but some were not. Servant leaders listen for understanding. Through selfless actions, they seek to empathize and heal. These leaders are self-aware. Persuasion is a characteristic of servant leadership that I struggled to understand initially as I perceived it as manipulation.
Blanchard, K. (2018). Leading at a Higher Level (3rd ed.). Pearson Technology Group. https://reader2.yuzu.com/books/9780134857589
Spears, L. (2022, January 31). Ten principles of servant leadership. Student Life. https://www.butler.edu/student-life/volunteer/resources/servant-leadership-principles/
