Servant Leadership - Paper
Servant Leadership
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
This paper will describe Servant Leadership and focus on the differences between transformational leadership and servant leadership. It will look at the characteristics of servant leadership within modern day competitive industries and the practicality of the theory through application. We will further review how the Bible relates to this theory and criticisms of the theory.
The concept of Servant Leadership was developed in the 1970’s reflecting the idea that great leaders primary goals are to serve others. This term would suggest that a good leader must aspire to lead through a need of servicing others versus trained to lead through external motivations. It further suggests that a person must have a specific set of values in order to be a successful leader. This is different from transformational leadership that suggests that leaders are developed or trained. A transformational leader is empowered through motivation, persuasion and vision.
As we continue within this topic we will look as similarities and differences of the two styles and their success in influencing organizational change within competitive markets.
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
What is Servant Leadership and how does it differ from transformational leadership?
“The phrase “Servant Leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970. In that essay, he said:"The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature."” www.greenleaf.org/whatissl/. Servant leaders
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
This paper will describe Servant Leadership and focus on the differences between transformational leadership and servant leadership. It will look at the characteristics of servant leadership within modern day competitive industries and the practicality of the theory through application. We will further review how the Bible relates to this theory and criticisms of the theory.
The concept of Servant Leadership was developed in the 1970’s reflecting the idea that great leaders primary goals are to serve others. This term would suggest that a good leader must aspire to lead through a need of servicing others versus trained to lead through external motivations. It further suggests that a person must have a specific set of values in order to be a successful leader. This is different from transformational leadership that suggests that leaders are developed or trained. A transformational leader is empowered through motivation, persuasion and vision.
As we continue within this topic we will look as similarities and differences of the two styles and their success in influencing organizational change within competitive markets.
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
What is Servant Leadership and how does it differ from transformational leadership?
“The phrase “Servant Leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970. In that essay, he said:"The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature."” www.greenleaf.org/whatissl/. Servant leaders
References: Bass, B. M.; Avolio, B. J., (1994b). Transformational leadership and organizational culture. International Journal of Public Administration, 17 (3/4), 541-552 DeGraaf, Don; Tilley, Colin; & Neal, Larry Dennis, R., Bocarnea, M., (2005). Development of the servant leadership assessment instrument, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 26 (8) Maxwell, J.C Parolini, J., Patterson, K., Winston B. (2009). Distinguishing between transformational and servant leadership, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 30 (3) Robbins, S Russell, R (2001). The role of values in servant leadership, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 22 (2) Spears, Larry C