https://create.twu.ca/sjasmins/2018/11/27/my-leadership-story/
Sarah, your story was inspiring and refreshing to hear! To hear about the circumstances of your past and present, along with your decision now to open yourself to new experiences as a way to broaden your horizon is really impressive.
Your strong encouragement for leaders to get out of their own comfort zone, to serve others and to immerse themselves in new cultures is expressed so well and I wholeheartedly agree. Clearly these experiences have shaped you to be who you are today.
As I think about what we have learned in this course related specifically to transformational servant leadership, I resonate with your encouragement. I see how the experiences you are encouraging can help develop so many of the characteristics needed to live out this kind of leadership.
Thinknig about the ten characteristics of servant leadership from Spears (2002, as cited by Northouse, 2018) it is evident how many of them would be cultivated through transcultural, other-centred experiences. Listening, empathy, awareness, stewardship, and building community come to mind immediately as being affected by serving others and focusing on those whose needs are greater than my own.
When it comes to the four factors of transformational leadership, these work together to allow “followers to accomplish more than what is usually expected of them” (Northouse, 2018, p. 172). A leader who has been able to accomplish more than they thought possible in a scenario like you have described in your leadership story is one who will likely be able to help the ones they lead do the same. Regarding inspirational motivation and individualized consideration (Smith, Montagno, & Kuzmenko, 2004, as cited by Northouse, 2018), leaders who have experienced the impact and effect of intentionally serving others are more likely to be equipped in encouraging followers to do the same.
Reference
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.