Leadership

PSYCH 485 blog

Servant Leadership: Remembering where they came from

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During my childhood, whilst playing ice hockey, almost everyone of my teammates had a role model in the sport that they looked up to. One of the players that almost everyone looked up to was Wayne Gretzky. He is an ice hockey legend and due to his outstanding performances and accomplishments his jersey number, which was number 99, was retired and now there is an unwritten rule that nobody is allowed to wear the number 99. Once he stopped playing professional ice hockey and retired he did not stop to inspire other people to play ice hockey and became a great leader. Still to this day, I find that he is motivating me to work harder and become the best version of myself on the ice. The second role model that I have is Dirk Nowitzki, who is a German retired basketball player who spends most of his time after his career giving back to the basketball community and helping young people chase their basketball dream. Both Wayne Gretzky and Dirk Nowitzki awareness of their leadership roles and responsibilities align with the servant leadership theory. 

Spears (2002), was able to identify 10 characteristics that define the development of servant leadership (Northouse, 2022). These characteristics include listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community (Northouse, 2022). For both Wayne Gretzky and Dirk Nowitzki, it was important to them that they wanted to give back to the people and wanted to help other people achieve what they have achieved. In other words, it was and still is important for them to show commitment to the growth of people. Dirk Nowitzki built a foundation once he stopped playing, by the name of Dirk Nowitzki Stiftung (Dirk Nowitzki foundation), which focuses on helping children to achieve what he once achieved and it is important to him that the foundation “…helps children and teenagers to make the best out of their possibilities, to recognize potential and to develop. To experience community and develop playing competencies” (Wer wir sind, n.d.). Wayne Gretzky built a hockey school together with his son Ty Gretzky. Their goal is similar to the goal of Dirk Nowitzki, “Our goal is to establish the same foundation and implement the same training habits as Walter did with Wayne and the kids.” (The Best Ice Hockey Camp Gretzky Hockey School, n.d.). 

The respective servant leadership styles from Wayne Gretzky and Dirk Nowitzki show how their influence is able to build a whole new community, which is a characteristic of the development of servant leadership. Many young people might not have had a passion for anything particular but through looking up to their role models and their role models enabling them to follow in their footsteps might have changed their life. The servant leadership from Wayne and Dirk built a community of children that “developed shared interests and pursuits and feel a sense of unity and relatedness.” and their actions have shown to “…provide a place where people can feel safe and connected with others, but are still allowed to express their own individuality.” (Northouse, 2022).

Oftentimes Dirk Nowitzki spent his free time visiting other basketball schools in order to build a connection with some of the young basketball players. This action can be described by many of the servant leadership characteristics above. Dirk shows that he is listening and actively communicating with the people he is influencing instead of just paying for them for example, he is showing empathy and showing that he once also started where they are right now, he helps them to overcome personal problems and heal, he is aware of the environment and the impact that he has on them if he visits them, he persuades these young players that it is possible for them to reach their goals, he helps them conceptualize their goals, he shows them what can happen if they consistently keep practicing and believing in themselves, he shows that he is aware of the responsibilities of his role as a leader, and commits to the people and building a community (Northouse, 2022). 

Many people have far-reaching amounts of influence on people and they choose what they want to do with this influence. A servant leader uses this influence to make a positive impact on another person or group and leads with example. He recognizes the issues and/or the place that needs improvement and uses his influence to do so. The servant leadership theory perfectly describes the serving actions of Dirk Nowitzki and Wanye Gretzky. 

References:

Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice. SAGE.  

The Best Ice Hockey Camp Gretzky Hockey School. Gretzky Hockey School. (n.d.). https://gretzkyhockeyschool.com/ 

Wer wir sind. FORTYONE. (n.d.). https://forty.one/de/stiftung/home/wer-wir-sind/ 

Leader Inflation: Why are American Leaders Paid Like Saviors?

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CEO Money Bags (Adobe Stock, 2022)

America is the global leader for the highest pay gap in its workforce measured between the business leaders and the people doing the work, the followers. The pay gap in America has continued to rise at an exponential rate, from 21-to-1 in 1965 to 351-to-1 in 2020 (Mishel and Kandra, 2021). The Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO) pay grew by 1,322% from 1979 to 2020 (Mishel and Kandra, 2021). I am sure your jaw dropped open with shock, and anger might have set in; okay, maybe that is just me then.

CEOs have continued to increase their pay without significant improvements in performance, productivity, or even providing new in-demand skills (Mishel and Kandra, 2021). The CEO’s rocket ship of self-inflation can largely be attributed to the fact that they have the power to determine their pay (Mishel and Kandra, 2021). So why does America have the highest pay gap in the world? We might not be able to answer that in this article. However, that exact question prompted the thought of exploring the leadership that American CEOs value to perpetuate such a divide.

 You pay for what you value.

The increasing complexity and change of the world have given rise to the importance of diverse specialized, and highly skilled workers. Proportionally, these workers mostly find themselves in follower roles, although they are not restricted to these roles throughout their careers. The need to rely on the many skills of cross-functional laborers also requires a progressive leadership method to support these new types of followers and adapt to the situations of today and tomorrow.

The leadership equation has evolved from the prominent leader and led model to a more balanced leader, follower, and situation model (Northouse, 2021, p.21). Given the exuberant inflated pay of the CEO that has led to the disparity in pay inequality, American business leaders are clinging to an old guard approach. They are exploiting their power for personal gain. We fuel these behaviors when we view leaders as “saviors,” as it inflates egos and sets the course for the corruptibility of absolute power. Perhaps the CEO-to-follower pay inequality divide signifies an even deeper need to train and educate leaders and followers on the empirical research of leadership that has come to light over the last 30 years. Could the emergence of holistic leadership models over the past 30 years be influenced by the rise of authoritarian leaders inflating their salaries at the expense of their followers?

Leader Savior Worship (Adobe Stock, 2022)

Human Default Model

Today’s business models indicate that their leadership approach is rooted in a preference for autocratic leaders expected to save the business from the followers. This leadership concept is akin to the trait leadership model of the “great man,” which mostly believes leaders are born with traits for leadership and, as such, leaders aren’t made (Northouse, 2021, p.27). Old ways are hard to overcome, and trait leadership judgments are one of the most ingrained leadership selection concepts rooted in our psyche (Northouse, 2021, p.28). Just as we aren’t born critical thinkers, we aren’t born leaders. Breaking that paradigm won’t happen by chance, and it requires a proactive effort to educate and train people to think, follow, and lead while navigating the changing situations we face today.

The Leader is Here for You

Leaders must inspire and empower others to do the bidding of their vision for organizational objectives to be achieved. Yet, the pay inflation of leaders across the top fortune 500 companies indicates a value for the leader as the center of the organization, and a follower is merely a tool for the leader’s success. Maybe these leaders are motivated by a need for personalized power to achieve influence over others and maximum control, thereby approaching employees as pawns to the leader’s objectives (Hughes et al., 1993).

Other leadership models, such as servant, transformational, team, and followership, suggest a more integrated approach that removes obstacles and barriers to the empowerment of followers and treats leadership as a shared endeavor toward a common goal (Northouse, 2021). These theories have a common theme: the leader must actively engage, inspire, and facilitate followers’ success (Northouse, 2021). Through the follower, the leader realizes the potential of leadership to achieve together what one could not do alone.

CEO I am Super all by Myself (Adobe Stock, 2022)

One such theory changing the leadership landscape is servant leadership, which aims to flip leadership expectations upside down by emphasizing the leader’s attention to the needs of followers, empowerment, and cultivating their full potential (Northouse, 2021, p. 282). Famous servant leaders are referenced as Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Theresa (Keets and Abaldo,  2017). Interestingly, many of these leaders are also considered transformational leaders, which shows how leadership theories are connected across many facets. The servant leadership model provides a framework of antecedent conditions, seven servant leadership behaviors, and business outcomes (Northouse, 2021, p. 283). Several critical elements of the servant leadership approach are personal behaviors over traits, which means it is a learned leadership model, culture establishment and outcomes, and focus points (Northouse, 2021, p. 282). These facets make servant leadership a more complete theory that has the potential to reverse the course of the CEO’s self-stamped pay raises.

More than ever, servant leadership is needed to support the challenging and complicated work ahead. Servant leaders can create a fair and equitable environment for appreciated employees and leaders to interact through these approaches. By creating a safe culture for building trust, leaders can increase collaboration and employee engagement (Northouse, 2021, p.280).

 

Change the Leadership Model, Change the Game

 How can we ever implement a new leadership model, such as a servant leadership model, if what we value is displayed in how much we pay CEOs? Although I am optimistic, I am doubtful of adjusting to the CEO-to-worker pay gap without an external catalyst for change. The followers are the catalyst for the much-needed change, as they are the pillar of the organization to ensure the work gets done. If servant leadership behaviors were prioritized in the American business executives’ approach, then such a significant pay divide would likely not exist. It is ironic that America, the land of the free, has the highest inequality workplace pay gap in the world. The hypocrisy of our “CEOs gone wild” system requires immediate attention to ensure our country’s values also become an aspect of our business.

References

Adobe. (2022). Adobe Stock. https://stock.adobe.com/.

Hughes, Richard, et al. (1993). Power and Influence. Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience. Focus on the Leader. Homewood, IL. Irwin. 0256102783. Ch. 5. pp. 107-131.

Keets, John and Abaldo, A. (2017). Servant Leadership: Learning from Servant Leaders of the Past and Their Impact to the Future. International Journal of Management Sciences and Business Research, Vol. 6, Issue 1 (2017), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2912730.

Mishel, L. and Kandra, J. (2021, Aug 10). CEO pay has skyrocketed 1,322% since 1978. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-pay-in-2020/#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20the%20ratio%20of,%2Dto%2D1%20in%201989.

Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership (9th Edition). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781071834473.

The Leadership Driven Culture: Servant Leadership in the United States Army

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The United States Army has a long-standing disposition toward every soldier being a leader. I was not alone in previous sentiments that not everyone is built to be a leader, has leadership potential, or ought to be put in leadership positions. I was falling into the rank and position versus leadership trap. Not every soldier is cut out to be a leader of other soldiers, just as unfortunately not every senior ranking member of the military is necessarily a leader beyond the assertion their rank or position implies. Though one does not need title or position to be a leader. Rather, the Army developed a culture of leadership geared toward developing leaders as they progress, and forging the next new crop of leaders, for the betterment and survival of its personnel the organization alike.

Context and culture being one of three antecedent conditions of servant leadership (Northouse, 2021, p. 462), the Army finds itself in no short supply of reasons for its existence, that its strength is in the fighting will and resolve of soldiers, and a culture whose operative norm is elevating and holding itself to a higher standard than the populace it defends. The Army has become an organization so adapt to surviving the combat and attritional loss of leaders that the branch’s official song, “The Army Goes Rolling Along,” is a fit reminder that every member is replaceable, and the organization will continue with its mission as another leader picks up the baton. While this is not the actual context toward the songs meaning, it fits with the ever-changing personnel landscape of the force. Whether gaps occur due to deaths, retirement, end of contractual obligations, congressional downsizing, or transfers, the Army emphasizes the building and growth of leaders because the organization and its individuals are always only moments away from human capital changes, or unexpectedly eliciting ordinary men and women to respond to extraordinary circumstances in the bravest of ways.

While the organization and its leaders exhibit the full range of leadership models and theories, its real need to continuously plant the next crop of leaders, heavily emphasizes the servant leadership model to its personnel, stating specifically in its Professional Leadership Policy that, “a trusted Army professional must be an honorable servant, Army expert, and steward of the profession,” (AR 600-100). The very word “Sergeant,” used to identify its noncommissioned officers (NCO), “comes from the French word for servant” (Mattson, n.d.). Those Army Sergeants even have a creed that testifies they “not to use their position to attain pleasure, profit, or personal safety,” reminds them that the “welfare of their followers is one of two basic responsibilities they are charged with,” and that they are to be “loyal to those with whom they serve, seniors, peers, and subordinates alike,” (as cited in Elder, 2020). These words are without a doubt celebrates the spirit of servant leadership and is echoed as an expectation for all NCOs to live up to.

Originated in the writings of Greenleaf (1970, 1972, 1977), servant leadership emphasizes that leaders should be attentive to the needs of followers, empathize with their situations, empower their being, and help followers develop their full human capacities. (Northouse, 2021, p. 452).

The Army’s culture of leadership is characteristic of servant leadership, inherent in the words of, again, the NCO Creed. Focusing specifically on the Sergeants professional relationship with his followers, the creed proclaims of the servant leader and follower relationship:

All soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership. I know my soldiers and I will always place      their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my soldiers and never leave them uninformed. I will be fair      and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment. (as cited in Elder, 2020)

That paragraph exemplifies the servant leadership characteristics of stewardship and foresight through “accepting the trust and responsibility of, and accountability toward, their role” (Northouse, 2021, pp. 457). Listening, awareness, healing, and persuasion in “understanding and communicating with their soldiers, training and developing, and the reinforcement or correction of their followers’ behaviors.” (pp. 456-457). I believe the paragraph is also reflective of commitment to the growth of people, “through knowing each follower as an individual and recognizing their personal value and building community” (p. 457), and building community through the “shared interest in the values and ideals that go into choosing the profession” (p.458), and the charge toward safeguarding the welfare of those willing to fight beside another to protect them.

Graham (1991) reflected on Greenleaf’s writings that “servant leaders have an inherent social responsibility toward the marginalized and those less privileged or fortunate, and that a servant leader attempts to correct any existence of inequalities or injustices within their purview.” (as cited in Northouse, 2021, p. 455). Though portrayed in a different service uniform, the fictional film A Few Good Men (Reiner & Sorkin, 1992), depicted two United States Marines on trial for the murder of a fellow Marine they had inadvertently killed while hazing him, at the order of their commanding officer, for deficient performance, reminds me of this sentiment of servant leadership looking out for the welfare of followers. At the end of the film, the senior of the two marines remarked to his junior (and follower) that, as Marines, they were “supposed to fight for the people who couldn’t fight for themselves. Supposed to fight for [their fellow Marine]” (Reiner, Sorkin, 1992).

Strengthened by its emphasis on service leadership, looking out for the welfare of followers and the underdog, leaders and soldiers in general look out for one another in the generalist everyday mundane sense, to hostile environments where they could find themselves in a situation where the few soldiers beside them and the leader making decisions can influence whether they ever return home under their own power or live to see another day. To quote another military film that echoes the truest sense of why soldiers fight, one that I learned myself on the streets of Baghdad 15 years ago, a Special Forces operator in the 1991 film Black Hawk Down nonchalantly explains how he responds to inquiries from civilians as to why he fights, stating, “they won’t understand. They won’t understand why we do it. They won’t understand that it’s about the men next to you, and that’s it. That’s all it is” (Scott & Nolan, 2001).

All of that said, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and words, creeds, and doctrine are all just lip service if not backed by the actions of leaders within the organization serving their followers. Servant leadership and the community’s propensity toward ensuring that the needs of followers are being met” (Greenleaf, 1970, as cited in Northouse, p. 453) can be witnessed in the actions of leaders daily at Army posts and military installations throughout the world. Leaders serve the newest followers when they welcome them to the installation, driving them to where they will work, introducing them to the other soldiers in the unit, helping them move their personal belongings into their barracks room, and showing them around the installation and surrounding towns. Servant leadership is displayed in teaching followers how to conduct Army business; conducting physical training alongside them during off-duty hours, for the second time in a day, to help followers reach their physical performance goals, despite the leaders own needs and personal responsibilities; in knowing their followers, their strengths, their weaknesses, their personal and professional goals; in knowing their followers’ families, because the Army is a family, transcending a community, as the ties run much deeper than business hours and greeting card signed by everyone in the office when someone leaves. families know each other and are all stakeholders in the micro-activities, conduct, and decisions of leadership and one another. Servant leadership is reinforced every time a leader invites single soldiers over to their families holiday meal so that they would not be alone, helps a follower with financial advice, trains them how to employ a machine gun more proficiently, drives them to the airport so that they can fly home from leave, help them navigate their civilian education benefits, help them navigate their retirement, help them navigate their life!

Servant leadership, driven by their sense of community and a deeply seated and intrinsic desire to ensure that their followers needs are met, they are developing into their best self, and that they are successful is evident every time a leader considers the possible outcomes for their soldiers at a tactical decision point. Most remarkably, servant leadership is typified when a leader makes the split-second decision to lay his body down on an enemy grenade so that his followers have an opportunity to succeed. This is the legacy of the servant leadership driven culture of the United States Army. From the mundane and inconsequential and unimpactful acts, to selfless acts of courage and sacrifice, the disposition of the United States Army toward servant leadership ensures that the seeds of future leaders are continuously planted, and existing leaders developed, for the benefit of its followers, the organization and its community, the republic, and its people.

“If serving is below you, leadership is beyond you” (Anonymous, n.d, as cited in Lord, 2019)

References

Elder, D. (2020). History of the NCO Creed. The NCO Historical Society. Retrieved from https://ncohistory.com/history-of-the-nco-creed/

Headquarters Department of the Army (2017). Army Regulation 600-100. Army Professional Leadership Policy. Washington, D.C.. Retrieved from https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN3758_AR_600-100_FINAL_WEB_.pdf

Northouse, P.G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and Practice. 9th Edition. Los Angeles: Sage Publications

Mattson, J. (n.d.). ‘Sergeant’ means ‘servant’: How NCOs typify the servant leader. NCO Journal. Citadel. Retrieved from https://www.citadel.edu/root/images/commandant/assistant-commandant-leadership/ld-3-1-sergeant-means-servant-article.pdf

Lord, W. [@MGWaltLord]. (2019, Sep 10). If serving is beneath you, leadership is beyond you [Tweet]. Twitter. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/MGWaltLord/status/1171518131925209090/photo/1

Reiner, R., Sorkin, A. (1992). A Few Good Men [Film]. Castle Rock Entertainment

Scott, R., Nolan, K. (2001). Black Hawk Down [Film]. Columbia Pictures

 

 

 

Combating the Pursuit of Home Ownership with Servant Leadership

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The current real-estate market has been and continues to discriminate against military service members when comparing a government-backed home loan provided by Veterans’ Affairs to a conventional loan or cash offer. There are existing misperceptions that veteran’s or active-duty service members are not qualified, responsible, and/or may be too risky because they are not required to put a single dollar down as a down-payment (Heaney, 2018). Combine these misunderstandings with myths that sellers must pay closing costs, VA appraisals come in lower than conventional loans, and a nationwide home shortage due to the pandemic, service members are facing inequality and for lack of a better term, discrimination.

When my wife and I began looking for our first home earlier this year, we were faced with the same issues as most people around the country: shortage of available inventory, home prices reaching record-highs, and the insane amount of offers. What we did not expect to deal with was having our VA home loan offer so easily dismissed any time it got in front of an inexperienced and/or ignorant listing agent. Luckily for us, we had an amazing real estate agent and mortgage lender that would work together to not only put together an attractive offer that would compete with the masses, but they would go the extra mile to remove hurdles and ensure that we stood a fair and equal chance to own a home like everyone else. Their combined approach to put my wife and I first is known as servant leadership; it is about focusing on identifying and meeting the needs of others, especially those who are less privileged (Northouse, 2018).

After our third offer had gotten beat out by twenty-four offers, yes you read that right, 24, we knew this process was not going to be quick nor was it going to be easy. Our mortgage lender reassured us that our offer was amazing and that he was going to personally give the listing agent a phone call and walk through our presented offer so there were no hurdles, misperceptions, and he/she understood it in full to make a financially educated decision when it came time to review with his/her clients. His initiative to go out and educate these listing agents who are operating off outdated information in support of us as first-time home buyers, as well as a veteran family, really exemplified the many characteristics of a servant leader.

People are so quick to thank veteran’s and service members for their service during Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day, yet when it comes to giving back in the form of equality in a home loan, we fall short (Black Rifle Coffee Podcast, 2021, Minute 27:11-27:28). Our lender primarily displayed empathy for me and the veteran community by understanding the difficulties that we regularly face. Secondly, he exhibited awareness and persuasion by dedicating his time to dispelling VA home loan myths and educating the industry during his weekly YouTube R.E.D. Friday episodes (Sean Herrero, 2021). Lastly, he is committed to the growth of people. He is a constant advocate for helping people make educated decisions, whether that is with a VA home loan, refinance, improving your credit score, or making overall good financial decisions.

So, if you or someone you know is looking to play in the real estate games, make sure you have people in your corner who are willing to lead in ways that serve the great good of followers, the organization, the community, and/or society at large (Northouse, 2018).

References

Black Rifle Coffee Podcast. (2021, August 16). Free Range American: Ep 154 Sean Herrero – How to use your V.A. Home Loan [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vciAdZMBcr8

Heaney, A. (2018, September 10). “Saving Private Ryan from discrimination”. Center for Law and Military Policy. https://centerforlaw.org/sound-off/f/saving-private-ryan-from-discrimination

Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice (8th ed.) [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. vbk://9781506362298

Sean Herrero. (2021, June 9). What is different about a VA Loan Appraisal? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdwBMIMLMuk

Servant Leadership in Sports

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Throughout this lesson we learned about what a servant leader is, what their characteristics include, and what strengths and weaknesses they can provide to an organization. A servant leader is there to provide assistance to their followers needs, and some of their main characteristics include: empathy, awareness, foresight, and commitment to the growth of the people/organization. I chose these specific characteristics to list because they stood out most to me, and I feel like these characteristics are the most apparent in today’s society. The strengths of the servant leadership approach include the focus on developing rather than guiding/directing, and making ethically sound decisions. These strengths motivate and unify groups to where it overall improves production and efficiency. The weaknesses of the servant leader approach is moralistic overtones, and the lack or research that can support concepts within this theory.

Servant leadership can be apparent in almost any organization or group; however, I feel like it is most apparent in sports. The second I went through this lesson I was immediately able to make a connection that of my personal life, regarding my old basketball captain. My old basketball captain could not have fit the servant leadership profile more accurately. His sole purpose day in and day out, whether it was practices, workouts, or games was to physically, emotionally, and psychologically prepare us for any task that comes in our direction. He displayed the such empathy and commitment to the growth of our team that it motivated and pushed us all the way towards winning a championship. He was the team captain and through his attitude and work ethic he seemed as though he was more concerned with the development of the team than the development of himself. This selflessness he demonstrated to our team allowed us to really connect with one another while not having the fear to ask for help. His role as team captain was simply to be the leader of the team, however he took it upon himself to be a servant leader that consistently looked to help others.

This theory really stuck home with me because I know how powerful these leaders really can be. Their ability to devote their time and attention to assisting the needs of others is one of the most motivating behaviors I can think of. This leadership behavior strikes inspiration towards the entire group or organization because it shows selflessness. Knowing that your leader generally cares about your development, it translates to the rest of the group, where everyone wants to help everyone reach their full potential. The honesty servant leaders display creates a great sense of trust within an organization and in turn, the organization develops into a brighter future. Overall, this has been my favorite theory to learn about and I believe there are far more intangible benefits that can be associated with this leadership style through more research.

 

References: Hamel, R. (n.d.). Lesson 9: Team Leadership, 2021

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