Leadership

PSYCH 485 blog

Servant Leadership – An enduring leadership model

by

James C. Hunter (2004) called servant leadership, “The world’s most powerful leadership principal” (p. 1). Who would have thought this approach to leadership would progress this far past the prevailing mindset of mid-century America?  The concept would be difficult to grasp for many if not for two of the most well-known servant leaders of the 20th century – Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.  Both men transformed the minds and hearts of millions because they led by their ideals – always putting the needs and desires of other people before themselves (Northouse, 2016).

It is for almost no other leadership theory when epitomized fully by the leader that the leader is remembered and honored well after their deaths.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for all of his contributions for forwarding the civil rights movement is honored with multiple public schools, streets and a federal building in his honor, as well as having a national holiday named for him.  Dr. King through his social activism offered his followers an inclusive vision, listened carefully to the needs of the African American community, as well as the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice (Frady, 2002). He persuaded through reason and healed divisions while building community – all characteristics of a servant leader (Northouse, 2016).

Dr. King’s antecedent that had an impact to him becoming a civil rights icon was inherent in his desire to lead, first as a pastor of his congregation.  He was quoted as saying that he chose to enter the ministry because it was to him the best way to answer, “the inner urge to serve humanity” (Frady, 2002, p. 18).  These leader attributes existing of a deep desire to lead and being driven to a higher calling demonstrate how Dr. King exhibited servant leadership (Northouse, 2016).

The country of India has been forever shaped and impacted by the servant leadership behaviors of Mahatma Gandhi.  Gandhi was a great role model of truth and of non-violence in the form of peaceful civil disobedience demonstrating ethical behavior, an important servant leader behavior (Barnabas & Clifford, 2012; Northouse, 2016). Gandhi was executed when exhibiting facets of emotional healing – being sensitive to the well-being of others, when he bravely stood to support peace with Muslims when he himself was Hindu (Barnabas & Clifford, 2012; Northouse, 2016). Further, he empowered peasants of the Himalayas to take back their farmland from the British, while still motivating all to follow a path of non-violence to achieve this freedom (Barnabas & Clifford, 2012).  Like King, Gandhi put the needs of the people first, at a great personal cost to himself.

Through the actions of these great men, the societal impact for the communities and the countries they lived within are vast and enduring.  Martin Luther King, Jr. helped America realize its capabilities toward being a nation that embraced equality, and inspired millions to “stand at times of trial and adversity” (The King Center, n.d.).  Mahatma Gandhi helped inspire an oppressed India to gain independence through non-violence against the British. Emeritus Professor Gilbert Murray (1939) of Oxford once wrote of Gandhi, “He is a ruler obeyed by millions, not because they fear him but because they love him (p. 197).  These outcomes of servant leadership led to follower growth (people of nations) and a positive societal impact – a desirable and hard-won conclusion to these men’s life’s work. (Northouse, 2016).

 

References

Barnabas, A. & Clifford, P. S. (2012). Mahatma Gandhi – An Indian model of servant leadership. International Journal of Leadership Studies 7(2). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Annette_Barnabas/publication/234090908_MAHATMA_GANDHI_-_AN_INDIAN_MODEL_OF_SERVANT_LEADERSHIP/links/02e7e51ca648ed42dd000000/MAHATMA-GANDHI-AN-INDIAN-MODEL-OF-SERVANT-LEADERSHIP.pdf

Frady, M. (2002). Martin Luther King, Jr.: A life. New York, NY: Penguin Books

Hunter, J. C. (2004). The world’s most powerful leadership principle. New York, NY: Random House Publishing

King, M. L. (n.d). The King Center. Retrieved from http://www.thekingcenter.org/blog/mlk-quote-week-times-challenge-and-controversy

Murray, G. (1939). Gandhi’s spiritual authority. In S. Radhakrishnan, (Ed.), Mahatma Gandhi – Essays and reflections on his life and work (pp. 197,198). Woking, Great Britain: Unwin Brothers Limited.

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice. (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, Inc

 

11 Rings and Records broken: Can’t Miss Leadership Ideas from the Zen Master.

by

Warren Bennis (2009) once said, “Leadership is like beauty: it’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it” (p. xxx). It only takes a quick look however to see the leadership success and ability inherent in obtaining eleven rings; the ones that Phil Jackson has received over a twenty-year history coaching two teams.  For this, Phil Jackson can be viewed as the apex of what a successful team leader should be.  His views and philosophy for leading championship winning teams align with that of the leadership expert elite.

Northouse (2016) writes of the importance of decision making that is done by the collective, rather than in a top down, hierarchal structure.  Instead of the top-down model, the best leadership first occurs from the inside out—offering to others a part of ourselves that inspires them (Jackson, 2014). Each person should feel like they can meaningfully collaborate to solve problems and achieve goals.  When Phil Jackson starting coaching for the Bulls, he turned away from the popular, “my way or the highway” approach and instead he “dialed back my ego and distributed power as widely as possible without surrendering final authority” (Jackson, 2014, p. 12). He worked to allow each person to carve out his respective place on the team and in this way, he discovered who emerged with the “critical capabilities” for success that Northouse (2016) writes is important for effective team leaders (p. 365).  In doing this, Jackson saw abilities that went well past their own inherent talents like foot speed or shooting skills, and delved into things like courage, character under fire, and who could emerge as leaders within the team themselves (Jackson, 2014).

Phil Jackson writes that sharing the leadership with those who had the courage and ability to step up within the team was the key to winning year after year, team after team (Jackson, 2014).  In the beginning of his career with the Bulls, Michael Jordan had been more centered on himself and his astounding abilities.  Jackson molded Jordan into someone who trusted his teammates, who spent time getting to know them, and created bonds that had an impact while on the court (Jackson, 2014). Jackson took the same approach with Kobe Bryant, later with the Lakers.  This shared leadership with these players allowed these two men to not only positively influence the team, but led to maximizing team effectiveness (Northouse, 2016). By this action, both the Bulls and the Lakers enjoyed less conflict, more trust, and better cohesion (Northouse, 2016).

Jackson’s leadership tactics can also be seen through the Hill model of team leadership.  The model’s design is to simplify and clarify the challenging aspects of team leadership and assist leaders in making decisions (Northouse, 2016).  When Phil Jackson starting coaching for both the Bulls and the Lakers, he stepped back and formed a picture in his mind of where they were then, and where he envisioned them to go (Jackson, 2014).  He saw that the Lakers were a talented team, just mired down by ego and self-centeredness (Jackson, 2014).  In addressing this problem, Jackson writes, “If you want them to act differently, you need to inspire them to change themselves” (Jackson, 2014, p. 13).  Through this approach and others, he molded the team whose outcome was one that was effectively self-sufficient, able to make critical decisions on their own, and who believed and relied on each other to reach their shared goal.  There is no doubt that Jackson and his team got the job done and maintained a cohesive team.  Michael Jordan inspired his teammates as a leader within the team to elevate their performance to his standards.  This raised the development of the team as a whole unit, not only surpassing their performances pre-Jordan, but grew together to possess that rare synergistic energy few teams possessed (Grover, 2014).

Under the lens of Larson & LaFasto’s Characteristics of Team excellence model, Jackson’s leadership skill is also evident.  Jackson supplied his team with a clear, elevating goal that was to win a ring, win a championship – to transcend the individual and embrace the whole. (Jackson, 2014).  In each step, Jackson was not vague, and this allowed the team to flourish.  Each was persuaded away from being a star in their own right, to elevating the team above self (Jackson, 2014).  In this, he achieved the unified commitment that afforded the team unity (Northouse, 2016).  “The power of we is stronger than the power of me” (Jackson, 1995, p. 35).  A collaborative climate is also a necessary component of building an excellent team (Northouse, 2016).  Phil Jackson achieved this by showcasing other players of his team and not just relying or focusing on his superstar players.  That is why he favored the triangle offense, which he says allowed him to empower the players, giving each a unique role to play – without waiting for the “Micheal Jordans and the Kobe Bryants of the world to work their magic” (Jackson, 2014, p. 15).  This is a lesson any leader can take away from Jackson – that as a leader you must encourage an environment of collaboration while understanding the need to let them take risks (Northouse, 2016).

Phil Jackson has been called the greatest basketball coach of all time.  It is his supreme abilities to guide, motivate and foster cohesiveness that has made his teams successful. Michael Jordan once said, ““Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships” (Liza, 2016). Phil Jackson knew how to take some of the most talented individuals to ever play the sport, and led them to understand the value and importance of collaboration, trust, mentoring and making the right decisions for the group, instead of what was best for themselves.

References

Bennis, W. (2009). On becoming a leader. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Grover, T. (2014). Relentless: From good to great to unstoppable. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Jackson, P. (1995). Sacred hoops: Spiritual lessons of a hardwood warrior. New York, NY: Hyperion

Jackson, P. (2014). Eleven rings: The soul of success. New York, NY: Penguin Publishing

Liza. (2016, November 30) Michael Jordan’s leadership profile. Retrieved from http://www.leadershipgeeks.com/michael-jordan-leadership/

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice. (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, Inc

 

 

 

Blindfolded Driving! – For the Win?

by

Many organizations are searching for the most unique and impactful ways to unify and build great teams.  There are many companies that offer extreme experiences that range from driving a car blind while your team is buckled in the back shouts directions, or sumo wrestling competitions that each person strives to be the next “Rikishi.”  These experiences are meant to humanize others on your teams as well as showcase strengths that maybe had not been on display in the office (Zhang et al., 2018).  While these activities are definitely adventurous, can an adept leader by his or her leadership skills alone build great teams without the need for seatbelts or sumo suits?

Team building requires an innate understanding of people, gleaned from focused information gathering over time (Hakanen & Soudunsaari, 2012).  One must get to know what their strengths are, as well as what motivates them to work with others (Northouse, 2016). Leaders must show their subordinates that they support them, that they are looking out for their best interests (Northouse, 2016).  Lead a team efficiently and adeptly and the organization as a whole can yield greater productivity, better decision and problem solving, and greater innovation and creativity (Northouse, 2016).

To achieve excellent, communicative and productive teams, a leader needs to have a good working picture of what the team may face situationally, and be flexible to meet the team’s needs (Northouse, 2016). Teams must constantly evolve and meet the challenges of change presented by a connected, fast moving global society.  William Bennis (2009) writes that adaptive capacity – the ability for a leader to “respond quickly and intelligently to relentless change” – is the absolutely essential key component of leadership (p. xxvi). Under the lens of the situational leadership model, it is written that a leader must know their staff, what their strengths, weakness and how strong their commitment is to the project or goal (Northouse, 2016). The approach is instrumental in building strong, cohesive teams that work well together.  Team members can be thought of puzzle pieces that can be put together in a variety of ways.  It is up to the leader to utilize and match what is going to be the best fit now to the current problem to be solved.

Leaders can best activate the talent that surrounds them by alternatively using both supportive and directive behaviors to inspire and motivate (Northouse, 2016).  When to use one behavior over another depends on both the follower and the situation. In the beginning of a project, where clear instructions are needed and responsibilities are unclear, one must be more directive (Northouse, 2016).  Laying this foundation, as well as setting expectations and goals are paramount.  The leader must assess the development level of the followers thereafter, and shift his or her skills to best lead those at that stage (Northouse, 2016). Building the best teams means we must truly know and assess the competencies and commitment level of those around us.

Lastly, followers must also feel like they can engage with the leader, and they must trust and value his or her input. Elements of transformational leadership described as “assessing follower’s motives, satisfying their needs and treating them as full human beings” is an important component of team building (Northouse, 2016, p. 161). Being transformational in your approach can motivate followers to reach beyond even their own expectations because of the meaningful connections formed as well as the confidence that the leader exhibits in their abilities to get the task done well (Northouse, 2016). Teams are loyal to their leader and will work harder to achieve the shared goal if the leader is seen as authentic and the goal worthwhile (Hakanen & Soudunsaari, 2012).

Team building assists a group of people with vastly different ideas and skillsets to come together, combine their skills, and become more than the sum of their parts. Without a cohesive team, there can be unease, unresolved issues, low productivity and an unwillingness to communicate (Hakanen & Soudunsaari, 2012). To win at team building does one need to hang on tight while being driven by someone who can’t see?  While that might sound fun for a minute until the wall comes ever closer, having an adept, trustworthy and adaptable leader who is emotionally supportive when needed and is clear, honest and confident might arguably be better for a team’s long-term success.

References

Bennis, W. (2009). On becoming a leader. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Hakanen, M., & Soudunsaari, A. (2012). Building trust in high-performing teams. Technology Innovation Management Review, 2(6), 38-41. Retrieved from http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/1614473230?accountid=13158

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: theory and practice. (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, Inc

Zhang, X.C., Lee, H., Rodrigues, C., Rudner, J., Chan, T.M. & Papanagnou, D. (2018, March 2). Trapped as a group, escape as a team: Applying gamification to incorporate team-building skills through an ‘escape room’ experience. Cureus 10(3). doi:10.7759/cureus.2256

 

 

How the Best Built Shoes are Acquired

by

Oprah has famously said, “I still have my feet on the ground, I just wear better shoes.”  If the success of one’s life is measured in the quality of the shoes he or she wears, Oprah reigns supreme.  Just how has she achieved this kind of success?  Oprah was born very poor in rural Mississippi in 1954.  She rose above labels of poor, black, female in midcentury America and carved her path to success by getting great grades in high school, winning scholarships, and then procuring her own television show.  What propelled her past the judgements attached to the color of her skin, the origin of her birth and the gender inequality assumptions of her sex?  Her ability to connect, to inspire, her willingness to be vulnerable – to be seen for who she really is. Oprah having her feet still planted firmly on the ground lends itself directly in her being humble, self-aware and someone who exemplifies great emotional intelligence.

Northouse (2016) defines emotional intelligence (EI) as the ability to expertly grasp your own and other’s emotions, and use these emotions effectively to make decisions that benefit your life and your relationships with others.  Someone with great EI guides others productively and are empathetic and conscientious (Northouse, 2016).  All of these traits can be perfectly ascribed to Oprah Winfrey.  If building quality relationships with others is a one of the measures of emotional intelligence, Oprah would be at the apex.  Jeremy Young, the author of The Age of Charisma, defines charisma as a relationship between leaders and followers (Shonfeld, 2018).  Young asserts that Oprah is “the single most charismatic person in America” (Shonfeld, 2018, para 5).  EI has its foundation from the trait theory of leadership.  Trait theory focuses on the leader themselves, and what traits a leader would possess to be considered effective in different situations (Northouse, 2016).  Arguably, Oprah embodies many of the traits positively associated with leadership, as well as knowing how to expertly apply those traits within the right situations.

William Bennis (2009) writes, “Leaders are capable of achieving their vision exactly because they are focused on their followers and feel their pain, desires and needs” (p. 65).  In 1988, Oprah started her own production company OWN, because she wanted to be in control of her show’s content and not be made to include content like her contemporaries at the time were producing referred to as “tabloid tv.”  Ratings fell, but quickly came back up (“Oprah Winfrey Biography”, (2018).  She ended up being more successful and carving her own unique niche in the tv market because she stayed true to her vision – that she wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and guide them into being their most authentic selves.  She advocates shifting one’s focus or end goal from success, to service (Winfrey, n.d.). In this, she uses her emotional intelligence to go against the status quo and made something new and deeply affecting.

Carl Jung once said, “The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that fits all cases” (Goodreads, n.d.).  How unique we all are; in the way that we are raised.  We are all the sum of our experiences.  We all have found our own way either by the fault of where we started, or in spite of where we have been – it is our decision which path we move on. Oprah Winfrey came from an environment of poverty and abuse that leads many to be antisocial and disassociated (Evans, 2016).  Instead, Oprah understood that deep down we were meant to connect and care for each other – that division equals conflict and is destructive. She has used her emotional intelligence to lead us to better hearing each other, and asking another, “What is your story – let me understand you and what you have been through.”  She has shown us what really hearing someone looks like.

Her impact as an adept servant leader and her unwavering emotional intelligence she exudes has led many to call for her to run for President in 2020 – our greatest leadership position.  What greater honor and testament to what she has meant to people over the years than that kind of call to action?  Oprah leads by her heart and head, equally intelligent, equally strong.

 

Resources

Bennis, W. (2009). On becoming a leader. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Biography.com editors (2018). Oprah Winfrey biography. Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419

Evans, G. W. (2016, December 27). Childhood poverty and adult psychological well-being. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(52) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1604756114

Goodreads, (n.d.). The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that fits all cases. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/85057-the-shoe-that-fits-one-person-pinches-another-there-is

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice. (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publishing.

Shonfeld, Z. (2018, January 12). Oprah Winfrey is the most charismatic person in America—and yes, she really could be president.  Newsweek.com. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/2018/02/02/oprah-winfrey-president-campaign-golden-globes-777508.html

Winfrey, O. (n.d.). What Oprah knows for sure about finding success. Retrieved from http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/what-oprah-knows-for-sure-about-finding-success

 

 

 

Skip to toolbar