When someone thinks of a servant they do not typically think of a leader. People usually think of a leader as someone who influences and a follower as a servant (Northouse, 2022, pg. 253). However, servant leadership theory works to change the way of thinking about this particular type of leadership. Servant leadership focuses on leadership from the point of view of leaders and their behaviors (Northouse, 2022, pg. 253). These types of leaders are concerned with their followers’ concerns, feel for them, and help them feel better (Northouse, 2022, pg. 253). They will put their followers first and help them to become the best they can be.
Recently, I had an experience, as a leader, that has helped me to understand servant leadership on a little more of a deeper level. My team was preparing for a specific training that was needed for the beginning of the school year. We had plans set to attend this meeting in a neighboring town. However, last minute we found out that the space that was supposed to be used for the training was double booked and since we were the second booking we lost our spot. This of course sent most of my team into a tailspin as they were counting on this training to have the tools they needed for the beginning of the school year. As difficult as the task was, I was able to secure a spot for my team and two other teams from our organization to get the training and therefore be prepared for the start of school.
This situation directly relates to a few of the characteristics that were presented in the Northouse text. The three that really stuck out to me were conceptualization, foresight, and stewardship. Conceptualization is an individual’s ability to be a visionary for an organization, providing a clear sense of its goals and direction (Northouse, 2022, pg. 256). I had a complex and immediate situation that needed me to make a complex decision. I had to find accommodations for 21 staff members in order to make sure that the teams within my organization received the proper training before the beginning of the school year. Not to mention, that since the venue changed, the time and date also changed. Figuring out a way to accommodate all of those individuals and their schedules was quite a task. As for foresight, I was able to identify that there was a problem before I needed to get the supervisor or our boss involved in the situation. I knew that with a venue, date, and time change that some things would have to be taken care of at the office first. I went ahead and took care of those things before they even really became a problem. Stewardship is described as taking responsibility for the role that is given to the leader (Northouse, 2022, pg. 256). I was able to do this by not asking for help in coming up with a solution because it is my responsibility to get the teams within our organization the trainings that they need to be the best teachers they can be. I take great pride in my responsibility and take it very seriously. This has a direct effect on my supervisor and my boss as well as the teachers that I serve. There is a great deal of trust between myself and the teachers in the organization because they know that I will not let them down. They know that no matter what obstacle presents itself, I will find a solution.
Having these characteristics allows me, as a leader, to help the teachers within my organization to complete their trainings and be the best teachers they can be. I am able to serve the teachers at my organization by making sure they feel valued and appreciated and that their concerns are my concerns. I know that the majority of the teachers within my organization were concerned with not getting this new training that they would need for the start of the school year. Since I am working to be the best leader, and servant, I took on their concerns and made them my own. I helped to fix the problem as well as help them to feel better about the situation. Knowing that I am helping the teachers on my team to feel valued, appreciated, and understood makes my job as a servant leader rewarding.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). SAGE.
Hello Claire,
I agree with you that initially people don’t often view servants as leaders, but I think it is important to consider what leadership role one is looking at. For example, I feel pastors often excel as servant leaders because their goals are often to help others grow. Servant Leadership is based on the idea that leaders want to serve others to develop the followers, the leaders, and the organization toward each of their goals (PSU WC, 2022, L. 11). In fact, looking at the various theories of leadership we have studied, I almost immediately think of pastors when even simply looking at the name Servant Leadership. As you noted there are various major characteristics of servant leadership: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community (Northouse, 2021, p. 254). In a past post I highlighted how my pastor shows all of these characteristics. I agree that in your leadership experience you showcased servant leadership. However, you only mentioned a few of the characteristics, do you feel you showcased all ten of them or only the ones you highlighted? Strong servant leaders communicate through listening first, and the leaders must validate the followers’ perspectives (Northouse, 2021, p. 255). Did you listen first? Did you showcase empathy? Empathy is working to see the world in the follower’s viewpoint which shows understanding and continuing validation of the follower (Northouse, 2021, p. 255). Along with empathy leaders need to focus on healing their followers and caring about their health and well-being, did you accomplish this, or do you feel it was hard to do in your situation (Northouse, 2021, p. 254). I feel as though you did showcase awareness in your situation responding to the ever changing situation properly and finding solutions (Northouse, 2021, p. 255). Were you able to careful persuade your followers without using your leadership position as leverage? I feel as though in your situation following your leadership was clearly the best option, but did you face any opposition (Northouse, 2021, p. 255)? In addition strong servant leaders show commitment to build both their community, which I feel you clearly did as a teacher, and build your followers which I think you were doing by trying to train both you and your team to become better teachers (Northouse, 2021, p. 255). Overall, I like your analysis on your situation, but am curious if you considered the other characteristics involved in servant leadership.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781071834473
Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2022). PSYCH 485 Lesson 11: Servant Leadership. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/canvas/fa22/22281–15804/content/12_lesson/printlesson.html
Hey Claire,
For starters, what a great job taking on such a complex and convoluted task that required multiple decisions, actions and further a commitment which you seem to be passionate in providing. You fuel the great direction you are leading in your career by the actions you do, and even the risks that are taken as well. It seems you are very confident within taking on these harder tasks, and finding correct direction in the situations at hand. Taking the bull by the horns and taking initiative. This would be to put the goal of these teachers first, accepting, trusting, and “caring principles” (Northouse, 2022). As your team trusts you and your decisions, and accept that you would take this initiative speaks volumes on your servant leadership qualities in this situation and all other situations before as this has been built up from many situations like this. The ideas you brought on conceptualization by Northouse are importantly stating the outcome as well, which you deemed to hit on the head. Northouse speaks on Stewardship through servant leadership as accepting the responsibility to take on and manage the people and the organizational task at hand, which would be done in the best interest of the greater good of the society (Northouse, 2022). You bring upon many great points in this blog post, and I really enjoyed your post.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). SAGE.