Servant Leadership: Robert K. Greenleaf's 'Leading Change In Your World'
Assignment: In a 2-page essay, using material from Leading Change in Your World and at least one library (local or OCLS) source, discuss the following questions:
Question 1: What is servant leadership? Servant leadership is a model of leadership that starts from the top of the leadership ladder and goes on down to the workers. It’s a model that revolves around serving others. This model emphasizes increased service to others, promoting a sense of community, the sharing of power in decision making, and a new complete approach to work. It is interesting seeing the two words servant and leader being put together, because they often seem so much like opposites, but in this manner, they are brought together in this creative way to create a unique and necessary leadership style. The phrase “servant leadership” was originally created by Robert Greenleaf in his essay The Servant as Leader that he published in 1970. On the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant …show more content…
Leadership website, it states, “Indeed, he had great faith that servant-leader organizations could change the world. In his second major essay, The Institution as Servant, Greenleaf articulated what is often called the “credo” (Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, 2012). Greenleaf really played a large role in developing these leadership principles that have been around for so long.
Question 2: In what ways is servant leadership different than other leadership models?
There is quite a difference in servant leadership than there is in other leadership models. Our textbook, “Leading Change in Your World”, provides us with three different leadership models other than servant leadership (Lindsay, pp 57). Managerial administrators are driven by communicating the information that the CEO wants the manager to communicate. Transactional leaders use different perks, rewards and incentives to get their employees to do what they need them to do. Transformational leaders put a lot of emphasis on shared vision, team building and creating a culture of mutual trust and collaboration. All of these differ from servant leadership, because of one main factor that sets this leadership style apart from all others. Servant leadership is about serving others. Servant leadership enables a person to lead, but at the same time, thinking of the needs of others and creating an environment of service and
care.
Question 3: How can someone become a servant leader? There are several characteristics of a servant leader. First, the servant leader displays authenticity. This is the type of person that is very real, genuine and open with others. The second characteristic is the value of people. A servant leader believes that people have present value. Most leaders are known for the potential they see in others, but servant leaders see their present value. Third, servant leaders aim to develop people. Through mistakes and mishaps, servant leaders use these situations to teach and develop people. Fourth, community building is important. Servant leadership is a model is concerned with the people just as much as they are getting the job done. Fifth, servant leaders provide the guidance and leadership that others need to get the job done. They cast the vision for others to follow and give them a goal that is worth following. Lastly, the servant leader gives leadership to others. These leaders know see the potential and value in their people and gives them opportunities to lead.
Question 4: How can servant leadership be implemented in an organization? This leadership style can be implemented almost immediately. Serving others and caring for their needs is something that can be almost instantly without hesitation. Looking for ways to care for others and identifying their needs should be fairly visible. One hang up to bringing in this new style of leadership would be if a leader was very angry and abrasive with his/her employees. They could be very resistant to this kind of care and leadership if all they remember is the hurtful way that they were required to obey or adhere to in the past. Yet, I believe that in time this, too, could be overcome.
References
Lindsay, L. M., & Smith, M. A. (2010). Leading change in your world (3rd ed.). Marion, Ind.: Triangle Publishing.
What Is Servant Leadership?. (n.d.). Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Retrieved November 4, 2013, from https://greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/
Question 1: What is servant leadership? Servant leadership is a model of leadership that starts from the top of the leadership ladder and goes on down to the workers. It’s a model that revolves around serving others. This model emphasizes increased service to others, promoting a sense of community, the sharing of power in decision making, and a new complete approach to work. It is interesting seeing the two words servant and leader being put together, because they often seem so much like opposites, but in this manner, they are brought together in this creative way to create a unique and necessary leadership style. The phrase “servant leadership” was originally created by Robert Greenleaf in his essay The Servant as Leader that he published in 1970. On the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant …show more content…
Leadership website, it states, “Indeed, he had great faith that servant-leader organizations could change the world. In his second major essay, The Institution as Servant, Greenleaf articulated what is often called the “credo” (Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, 2012). Greenleaf really played a large role in developing these leadership principles that have been around for so long.
Question 2: In what ways is servant leadership different than other leadership models?
There is quite a difference in servant leadership than there is in other leadership models. Our textbook, “Leading Change in Your World”, provides us with three different leadership models other than servant leadership (Lindsay, pp 57). Managerial administrators are driven by communicating the information that the CEO wants the manager to communicate. Transactional leaders use different perks, rewards and incentives to get their employees to do what they need them to do. Transformational leaders put a lot of emphasis on shared vision, team building and creating a culture of mutual trust and collaboration. All of these differ from servant leadership, because of one main factor that sets this leadership style apart from all others. Servant leadership is about serving others. Servant leadership enables a person to lead, but at the same time, thinking of the needs of others and creating an environment of service and
care.
Question 3: How can someone become a servant leader? There are several characteristics of a servant leader. First, the servant leader displays authenticity. This is the type of person that is very real, genuine and open with others. The second characteristic is the value of people. A servant leader believes that people have present value. Most leaders are known for the potential they see in others, but servant leaders see their present value. Third, servant leaders aim to develop people. Through mistakes and mishaps, servant leaders use these situations to teach and develop people. Fourth, community building is important. Servant leadership is a model is concerned with the people just as much as they are getting the job done. Fifth, servant leaders provide the guidance and leadership that others need to get the job done. They cast the vision for others to follow and give them a goal that is worth following. Lastly, the servant leader gives leadership to others. These leaders know see the potential and value in their people and gives them opportunities to lead.
Question 4: How can servant leadership be implemented in an organization? This leadership style can be implemented almost immediately. Serving others and caring for their needs is something that can be almost instantly without hesitation. Looking for ways to care for others and identifying their needs should be fairly visible. One hang up to bringing in this new style of leadership would be if a leader was very angry and abrasive with his/her employees. They could be very resistant to this kind of care and leadership if all they remember is the hurtful way that they were required to obey or adhere to in the past. Yet, I believe that in time this, too, could be overcome.
References
Lindsay, L. M., & Smith, M. A. (2010). Leading change in your world (3rd ed.). Marion, Ind.: Triangle Publishing.
What Is Servant Leadership?. (n.d.). Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Retrieved November 4, 2013, from https://greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/