Category: LDRS500 (Page 4 of 5)

Servant Leadership: The Ultimate Leadership Goal

“Do you as a leader serve others? Do those you serve grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?” (Greenleaf, 1970, p. 15 as quoted by Northouse, 2019, p.228)

Dirk van Dierendonck in his article “Servant Leadership: A Review and Synthesis” (2011), states that servant leadership is exactly what the name implies, an act of  both serving and leading . Travis Serle and John Barbuto Jr, in their article “Servant Leadership, Hope, and Organizational Virtuousness: A Framework Exploring Positive Micro and Macro Behaviours and Performance Impact” (2011), state that servant leadership is  one of the most positive styles of leadership because it emphasizes service towards others over self-interest and focuses on optimizing individuals strengths in order to build follower development. Smith, Montagno and  Kuzmenko  reiterate this as well in their article “Transformational and Servant Leadership: Content and Contextual Comparisons” (2004), sharing that, “servant leadership views a leader as a servant of his/her followers. It places the interest of followers before the self-interest of a leader, emphasizes personal development and empowerment of followers. The servant leaders is a facilitator for followers to achieve a shared vision”.  They also state that “servant leadership promotes the valuing and development of people, the building of community, the practice of authenticity, the providing of leadership for the good of those led and the sharing of power and status for the common good of each individual, the total organization and those served by the organization”. D. van Dierendonck (2011) quotes Robert Greenleaf, who coined the term servant leadership in 1977, revealing that first and foremost, a “servant leader is genuinely concerned with serving followers.”  John Maxwell in his YouTube video “The 5 Levels of Leadership” (2013), shares that leadership is a verb and not a noun meaning it requires action on the part of the leader.  This is a good reminder, that   intentional action on the part of a leader is required in order to serve others.

slideshare.net

Colleen Barrett from Southwest Airlines, confirmed all of the above points while being interviewed on the topic of Servant Leadership in a 2008 Youtube video.  She shared that she thinks that one of the reasons why she was most successful as a servant leader, was because she is as good a follower as she is a leader. Van Dierendonck (2011) shares that, “Serving and leading become almost exchangeable. Being a servant allows a person to lead; being a leader implies a person serves” (p. 1231). Colleen’s primary goal was the satisfaction of her employees because she believed that if they were happy and fulfilled, they would go the extra mile to ensure that Southwest Airline passengers also felt happy and fulfilled. She addressed the need to bring people together, to try to turn perceived problems into optimistic solutions and the need to treat everyone equally without rank or tiers on a ladder.  She provided hope to not just her employees but also to Southwest customers. Searle and Barbuto (2011) address the power of hope as a mediator of servant leadership and performance stating that, “hope embraces success rather than failure, adaptation rather than becoming obsolete and optimism rather than pessimism. It shifts obstacles to challenges and even when faced with seemingly insurmountable barriers, alternate routes are embraced” (p.113).  Southwest Airlines focused on creating an atmosphere that enabled employees to become the very best that they can.  Colleen throughout her tenure at Southwest Airlines, displayed the ten characteristics of a servant leader as outlined by Northouse in his book  Leadership:Theory and Practice (2019) in that she intentionally listened, displayed empathy, helped heal others, was aware, persuaded others, conceptualized, displayed foresight, showed stewardship, was committed to the growth of people and building Southwest’s community (pp. 229 – 230).

https://www.biography.com/people/mother-teresa-9504160

The ultimate example of servant leadership (besides Jesus) that I can think of, is Mother Teresa. She encompassed all of Northouse’s 10 characteristics listed above and was a true role model of what putting others ahead of self looks like. She dedicated her entire life to serving others, especially those who were less fortunate and through her example inspired others to also make a difference.

Servant leadership differs from emotional intelligence or self awareness in that the focus of servant leadership is on the growth of others, whereas, emotional intelligence and self-awareness focus on the growth of oneself. Servant leadership recognizes the strengths of others and just like John Maxwell (2013) shares, servant leaders know that people are the most appreciable asset of any organization.  Maxwell states that by recognizing people’s strengths and placing them in positions that enable their strengths to be best utilized, servant leaders equip their followers to be better leaders themselves.

Dan Cable (2018) in his article “How Humble Leadership Really Works” published in  Harvard Business Review, states that the best way to help people feel “purposeful, motivated and energized so that they can bring their best selves to work” is to become a servant leader. He states that, “servant leaders view their key role as serving employees as they explore and grow, providing tangible and emotional support as they do so” and that by actively seeking input from others, servant leaders can create a “culture of learning, and an atmosphere that encourages followers to become the very best they can”.

Van Dierendonck (2011) refers to six characteristics of servant leaders:

1. They empower and develop people
2. They demonstrate humility
3. They are authentic and are true to themselves
4. They understand where people are coming from through interpersonal acceptance
5. They provide direction  based on “work that is dynamic and tailor made” [similar to Maxwell’s (2013) point about recognizing strengths and acknowledging that “no matter how talented you are, if you are out of position, you ‘ll never reach your true potential”]
6. They demonstrate stewardship by acting as caretakers and role models for others [Maxwell (2013) also refers to this when he shares that who you are as a leader is who you will attract on your team. It  is important to model what you want because we “attract who we are, not what we want.”]

I especially loved Maxwell’s (2013) question of “What step are you at in your leadership journey?” and where would the people you work with perceive you to be?

Is it…

1. Level 1 – Positional – Key Word: Rights
2. Level 2 – Permission – Key Word: Relationships
3. Level 3 – Production – Key Word: Results
4. Level 4 – People Development – Key Word: Strengths
5. Level 5 – Pinnacle – Key Word: Respect

What did you discover about yourself and your servant leadership journey?

References:

Barbuto, J.E. and Gottfredson, R.K., (2016, October). Human Capital, The Millennial’s Reign and the Need for Servant Leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, 59-64.

Barrett, C. (2008). Southwest Airlines’ Colleen Barrett on Servant Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TgR95vnM0c

Cable, D. (2018) How Humble Leadership Really Works. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from   https://hbr.org/2018/04/how-humble-leadership-really-works

Maxwell, J. (2013). The 5 Levels of Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPwXeg8ThWI

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications.

Searle, T.P. and Barbuto, J.E. (2011). Servant Leadership, Hope, and Organizational Virtuousness: A Framework Exploring Positive Micro and Macro Behaviors and Performance Impact. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies 18(1), 107-117.

Smith, B.N., Montagno, R.V. and Kuzmenko, T.N. (2004). Transformational and servant leadership: Content and contextual comparisons. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies 10(4), 80-92.

Van Dierendonck, D. (2011). Servant leadership: A review and synthesis. Journal of Management 37(4), 1228-1261

This is a response to Charlie Mable’s Read, Rank, Write Blog Post

https://create.twu.ca/charliemable/2018/05/20/rank-talk-write-unit-3/

There are many examples of being a Novice, whether starting a new job, sport, travelling, DIY project, learning to drive, that have similar experience to what Cahalan describes.  Cahalan’s thesis is transferable to many different areas. Frankly, starting this Masters program draws parallels here. Setting up a blog, referencing, rereading assignment instructions, clicking on ‘publish’ and looking for any feedback. As a Novice in this program, already I have ‘vacillated between feelings of failure and moments of exhilaration. ‘(Cahalan & Foley, 2017, p. 12) I think I proved Cahalan correct with her description of a Novice.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog post Charlie and could relate completely to what you described being a novice  feels like and your parallels to this course.  I too, ‘vacillate between feelings of failure and moments of exhilaration’ (Cahalan & Foley, 2017) both in this course and in my new position at work. I have moments of pure panic in this course when I go online and see that others have posted in a different format and question whether or not I even understood the assignment instructions.  I am definitely a novice when it comes to APA citation rules and continue to seek clarification. These feelings of uncertainty and nervousness are a good reminder to me of how some of my own students must feel when it comes to trying something new.

I also loved your point (in your opening statement), where you shared that the more you read, the less you felt you knew.  I felt like that this week when I sat down to write my essay on Critical Thinking.  I found that I was just spinning in circles as I read, wrote, edited, scrapped what I wrote, read, edited and wrote and edited again and again. The process definitely made me aware that I am very much a novice on my journey.

Thanks again for sharing your beautifully expressed thoughts.  They were a great reminder that learning is a process and it is perfectly acceptable to be a novice.  Being a novice, means that we aren’t afraid to start the journey and step outside of our comfort zones.

Response to Layla Zhang’s Post

 https://create.twu.ca/layla11/2018/05/19/unit-3-learning-activity-2-rank-talk-write/

Additionally, I would like to mention the idea brought explicitly by Cahalan that “To learn a practice means to experience the practice, practice it, tell about it, ask questions about it, read about it, write about it, practice it, do it, empower others to do it” (Cahalan & Foley, 2017, p. 12). These are exactly what we are doing right now in this course. We are assigned to read, write, reflect on our thoughts, ask questions to invite further discussion, and response to others blogs. That is why I love getting involved in education because I could help myself and other people become a wiser person.

I appreciated the quote by Cahalan and Foley (2017) that you selected to share; “To learn a practice means to experience the practice, practice it, tell about it, ask questions about it, read about it, write about, practice it, do it, empower others to do it (p.12)”.

I immediately applied this quote to the classroom and my responsibility as a teacher to help my students develop their critical thinking skills.  Firstly learning happens by actively doing, so I try to provide as many hands on opportunities for learning as possible. Secondly, after practicing,  I’ve found that by having students share their learning experience with others, it helps to not only reinforce  the concepts but also allows for them to be open to others ideas and conceptions.  They can then reflect and readjust their thinking if needed. Thirdly, these animated discussions can lead to more essential questions being asked; such as “What factors are necessary for institutional change to happen?” that lead to even more discussion and even more questioning. After this intentional analytical and analyzing of information, students are then in a better position to write about and share their learning with others. I love watching this process in action and always leave feeling empowered and inspired by it! We are creating future citizens who are socially conscious of their responsibilities and who will be producers of information, rather than just consumers!

The reason why I bring up the classroom is that sometimes these critical thinking skills that teachers practice with their students, might not necessarily be practiced by themselves.  It is a good reminder that we all need to do these things and not just be passive receptors of information that we then regurgitate as being correct without any analysis or questioning.

Some questions to really ask ourselves are:

Other than this course… in our daily lives and in our daily jobs…

Do I ask questions, share my learning with others, read or write about my practice on a regular basis?

If not, why not?

In Response to Achsah’s Springs Post on Rank, Talk Write

https://create.twu.ca/achsahs-springs/2018/05/18/rank-talk-write/

Summary Sentence #1  – There is much that I need to practice.

The number one idea that strikes me is that there much I still need to practice.  In order to be a critical thinker there is an intelligence to practice. (Source:  Unit 3 notes).  Excellence also requires practice – repeatedly doing what is good, repeatedly doing what is right, arguably, repeatedly doing what is difficult or challenging until excellence becomes a habit (Source:  Unit 3 notes, Durant (1926, p. 87)).  Becoming a critical thinker also requires the practice of thinking critically (Source:  Unit 3 notes).  There are many traits, skills and behaviours that I already possess or have developed, but I also need to be engaged and intentional in practicing intelligence, excellence and thinking critically.  In my context the practice of critical thinking is absolutely essential if I am going to make the best decisions for patients, staff, taxpayers and multiple other stakeholders in both the present and in the future.

I love that you chose to rank the summary sentence “there is much that I need to practice” as number one on your list! There is so much truth to the fact that we really do need to take the time for intentional practice in order to get better at something.  As we have been reading and discovering, learning is a continuous life long journey. Malcolm Gladwell (2008) in his book The Outliers,  discusses the idea that it takes a minimum of at least 10,000 hours of practice before we can become considered proficient at any skill.

Critical thinking is particularly important for me to practice as well as it is a skill that I am also required to help students develop as well. The whole point of school is teach students how to think so that they can become producers of information rather than just consumers. As health care professionals, teachers or anyone who deals directly with the well being of others, there is a feeling of tremendous responsibility to get things right and to make the best decisions for all stakeholders. We are reminded of this on the website www.criticalthinking.org that; “the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.” Many times after a lesson or a situation didn’t go as intended, I need to remind myself that it really is okay. That it is all part of the learning process and that it is through reflection that I can grow the most. As we have been reading, part of being good critical thinking leaders is when we can admit our mistakes and share our learning with others.

As mentioned on the website www.critical thinking.org;“Critical thinking is an eminently practical goal and value. It is focused on an ancient Greek ideal of living an examined life. It is based on the skills, the insights, and the values essential to that end. It is a way of going about living and learning that empowers us and our students in quite practical ways.”  The use of the words “empowers us” is particularly uplifting to me. If we can mindfully and intentionally practice this skill we will not only empower ourselves but those around us.

What does intentional practice look like for you? What in particular will you be focusing on?

Ranking was much harder than I thought.  How could I rate something as being more important than something else, when in my opinion they at times carried equal weight.  I even determined that some couldn’t exist without the other.   It became almost like the chicken and the egg dilemma, not knowing which came first.

 1. “Each time the learner temporarily exits the box to take a fresh view of life, it is not to throw the person into a state of chaos or abandonment of absolutes, but to give a moment where thoughts can be free to explore other possible points of view or to reflect on habits and unconscious actions that are rooted in their beliefs. Once challenged or left open for review, a critical analysis can be made, conclusions drawn and a shifted belief or value stabilized, by restating or redesigning their box.”            Source: Unit 3 Notes: MA Lead Student Christel Davidson’s Jan. 9th blog post entitled ‘Designing Our Boxes’

Image courtesy of www.cavemommas.com

This point is essential because in order to grow and learn, we need to start from where we are at currently (whatever box that we are in). Critical thinking, like any journey in life,  needs a starting point in order to move forward.  Once we have defined where we are currently at, and had the opportunity to assess, absorb, reflect upon and analyze new information, we are able to determine our next steps and create a new box for ourselves.

Continual learning is essential to growth and development, otherwise our conclusions and views are at risk of becoming stagnant.  As Christel mentions in her post,  we don’t want to get stuck in the same box forever.  As leaders, it is important to constantly redesign our boxes as we grow and learn.  This is beneficial not only for ourselves but also essential for the success and growth of our team. In order to step out of our current box and into another, requires us to step out of our comfort zones. It is through this process that we truly grow and learn. Learning definitely can be messy and that messiness needs to be celebrated as part of the process.  By sharing our journey with others, especially our mistakes, we all have the opportunity to learn and grow and redesign our boxes.

2. “Integrity stems from honesty, but is a higher more public form of action. When we act with integrity we are consciously making our personal values known to others. The interpersonal nature of integrity makes it a key component of leadership.”  – Unit 3 Notes, (ibid, p. 77)

Courtesy of Brene Brown, Rising Strong (2015)

Without integrity, it doesn’t matter how smart a person is, or how well they get along with others.  A leader without integrity is nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The backbone of all leadership should be upholding integrity and practicing our values.  In the Leadership Standards for Principals and Vice-Principals in British Columbia (2016, pp 9-11) developed by the BCPVPA Standards Committee; integrity and moral stewardship is listed first. It specifies that leaders need to foster and care for a demonstrated, clear, and consistent alignment between ethical authenticity and the moral purpose of education. Part of that includes having to articulate the process of decision making using an ethical framework.

As an educational leader (or any leader), a person must demonstrate ethical authenticity by modelling courage to uphold values; especially when encountering challenges.  As mentioned in the Unit 3 notes by Kavelin Popov (2004) and Rolheiser (1995) leaders acting with integrity “accept difficult consequences, quickly and visibly admit to mistakes and talk about values”.  It is important to admit our errors and own the responsibility that comes along with that.  Integrity should be transparent.

3.  “Give others the space to speak fully, to tell you the whole story without interruption” – Unit 3 Notes

The Companioning Process to Listening Source: https: www.virtuesproject.com

The art of listening is key for several reasons. Firstly, it sends a message to the speaker that they themselves and what they are talking about is important to you, and that you care.  Secondly, we learn more by genuine active listening than we do by speaking.  Thirdly, by listening without prejudice or judgement we can process information much more logically and critically. Fourthly, listening demonstrates empathy and enables us to see things from a different lens or perspective. If we do not listen and only rely on what we think we already know, we will never learn or grow.

At http://www.virtuesproject.com on their home page, they describe listening as one of the greatest gifts that we have to give stating “it is our presence, our compassionate, attentive listening” that means the most to people.  The website also provides a diagram that helps explain the process of listening and the steps that need to be taken.  They refer to it as “The Companioning Process”. First, you need to open the door, offer receptive silence, ask cup-emptying questions, get to the heart of the matter, ask virtues reflection questions, ask closure and integration questions and then provide a virtues acknowledgement. By following these simple steps, they are demonstrating active listening.

4. “How long should you remain silent? When you think you have been silent long enough, be silent a little more” – Unit 3 Notes

Image courtesy of www.morethanasundayfaith.com

I love this!  How often are people half listening to someone while focusing more on what they themselves are going to say next, or turning something that is being shared into their own story? It’s not only annoying for the speaker but also disrespectful.

Silence allows for contemplation, reflection and process.  As leaders (or human beings in general), we shouldn’t be so quick in our replies, and take the time to process what is really being said instead.

5. “Learning is a consequence of thinking. Retention, understanding, and the active use of knowledge can be brought about only by learning experiences which learners think about and think with what they are learning” (Perkins,1992, Smart Schools)  as quoted in Ritchart, R., Church, M.,  Morrison K., (2011, p.26). Making Thinking Visible: How to Produce Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners  

I love how simply Perkins  (1992) in his book Smart Schools as quoted by Richart, Church and Morrison in their book Making Thinking Visible: How to Produce Engagement, Understanding and Independence for all Learners (2011, p.26) summarizes learning.

We need to think in order to learn.

As life long learners, as leaders, we need to think about what we are learning and use what we are learning to think!

6. People who think critically “are keenly aware of the inherently flawed nature of human thinking when left unchecked. They strive to diminish the power of their egocentric and sociocentric tendencies.”  Source: http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766

Image courtesy of www.thelivingyogablog.com

People who make decisions based on their own pre-conceived notions and beliefs are not critical thinkers. People who make decisions based on the voices and opinions from their social groups and upbringing are not critical thinkers.

Leaders who practice and build their critical thinking skills rely on factual information and the truth.  It is important to be aware of the biases that can creep into our subconscious while we are making decisions.  Our egos need to be left at the door!

This was also touched upon by Mark Sanborn in the video clip link entitled The Importance of Critical Thinking.  Effective leaders are those who seek the truth and rely on factual information rather than conjecture.  Highly successful people are also healthy skeptics who only want to believe what is true.

7.  “Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking.”                                                                                          Source: http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766

Thinking critically is something that we need to take full responsibility for, we can’t expect others to do it for us!  The best part about this sentence is that critical thinking is self-corrective.  As mentioned in a prior point, learning is messy and we learn best from our mistakes.  We are always able to correct our thinking once we become aware of additional information. It is important to be open minded to allow for this process to happen.

8.  “Knowledge is power and also a responsibility. Servant leaders want the best for the people they lead.” – Source (Chong, 2015) as quoted in Unit 3 Notes.

Image Courtesy of: https://www.parenting.in/knowledge-is-power.html

It is important to stay on top of our game and stay current in our knowledge.  As a Department Head, I attend professional development days and workshops so that I can come back and share my knowledge with the rest of my team.  Having knowledge without sharing it, doesn’t allow for the opportunity for others to grow which is one of the key elements of servant leadership (Northouse, 2019).

9. “You will be able to provide a calmer and thoughtful voice with less judgement and more nuances.” – Source (Chong, 2015) as quoted in Unit 3 Notes.

The more knowledge I gain, the more tools I collect in my toolbox.  I use these tools and this knowledge during those tough conversations with parents, students or other staff members.  It is much easier to stay calm, focused and project a servant leadership style during  challenging situations when we refer to our past experiences and knowledge.  It enables people to feel like their concerns have genuinely been acknowledged  in a safe and welcoming environment free from judgement.

10.  “Are there biases or stereotypes represented in what I’m reading?”                     – Source Unit 3 Notes

Image courtesy of: https://betterhumans.coach.me/cognitive-bias-cheat-sheet-55a472476b18

Critical thinkers need to know how to determine the validity of a source, whether that be listening to a story, reading an article online, watching a video etc.,  There are some key questions to ask to when determining bias.  A few are:

• Who is the author of the information?
• What do they have to gain by sharing this information? (money, political, social or personal agenda, marketing etc.,)
• When was this information written, provided? (Is it still relevant and current?)
• Who funded the study (if there is one?)
• Website domain address (helps determine validity and authenticity of information)
• The numbers used in the data collected (can it also be substantiated?)