Parenthood is an amazing thing. When looking at parenthood in the image of servant leadership, I am going to take you into the vision of Christian parents. The ultimate goal of a Christian parent is to lay a strong foundation of godly principles within their child. They wish that their children will always seek God’s advice and recognize that although everything may play out as they wish, that it is all in God’s plan for them. How can we do this?
As parents we must clearly demonstrate to our children that God’s principles work for us. We must show them that God’s laws are worthwhile, and that the godly principles we teach are good for them. By doing so, our children (followers) will develop into servants themselves and help their children (and others) to perform in the way in which they were taught. This is how servant leadership works.
“Though parents cannot force children to make the right decisions. Even God, our Father, does not force us to make right decisions. He will lead us and direct us, but He will not force us. The goal of godly parenting is to help our children want to walk in the footsteps of parents who are living God’s way of life, and who are walking in the footsteps of their spiritual Father. As parents, we want to develop our children’s desire to follow God, not just emphasize our desire for them to follow God.” (Fall)
Servant leadership works when leaders truly believe and act upon a desire to make their followers successful. What more motivation than to make your very own kids successful? PSU lesson commentary points out the servant leadership theory is the only theory that makes ethical behavior an actual component of it’s explanation of leadership and I think that is thoroughly shown in the example of parenting I have given in this post.
The parenting experience is undoubtedly one of the most challenging and difficult tasks in a parent’s life, yet it has the potential of being the most fulfilling and richest experience in life. Serve those and they will serve others. “Parents who devote the time and the commitment—showing genuine love and interest in their children—will receive a reward that will bless them, and their children, to the end of their days!” (Fall)
Fall, J. (n.d.). Successful Parenting: God’s Way. Retrieved June 28, 2015, from http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/booklets/successful-parenting-gods-way/content
PSU WC, (2015). Lesson 11: Servant Leadership
Emily Peter-saunchez says
I enjoyed reading your blog it was very inviting and I wanted to continue reading. I was brought up in a Christian home and I love the lord as well. I love how you said that we are given a choice to serve god and not forced to serve. I believe if you show your children the way the can make the decision to serve him for the rest of their lives. Children remember what they were taught from a young age, they are like sponges. I am a parent of a little girl myself and I teach her teachings of god, it’s up to her to continue to serve him when she gets older.
Servant Leadership is the only leadership approach that frames the leadership process around the principle of caring for others (Northouse, 2013). In leadership the potential outcomes of the leader behavior according to the servants’ leadership are follower performance and growth, the organizational performance and the social impact (Northouse, 2013).
I really enjoyed your blog post, good job.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.
jbh5133 says
I love that you applied a leadership theory to a children’s movie. It just goes to show how even kids need to learn leadership skills and how to work in a group. I think this was a very good analysis of the team leadership qualities. The different emotions all have to work together to help this individual function. This would be like a team at an orgranization that all need to work together to help the organization run.
bbs5079 says
I have to come clean an admit for wanting to comment because I have been watching to see Inside Out! The ay that you broke down the emotions was a fantastic way of showing how they all serve in a leadership setting! It takes multiple ways and functionality for a leader to come to be. If I had to pick one leadership style I would have to say intrapersonal. Strictly because intrapersonal because this type of leadership listens to those around them (followers) to be a blue to build and lead. (PS WC,2015)
Seeing the way this blog was broken down to resemble Inside Out was fun and very informative! Great work and a fun read!
-Pennsylvania State University World Campus, Psych 485. Lesson 12:Authentic Leadership. 2015