Unit 10 – Learning Activity
My aim in taking this MA program is to equip me further equip me in my goal of writing a how-to book on helping lay people in churches to become leaders. Throughout this course, from learning about my weakest the initial Personal Inventory of Servant Leadership to the Light From Many Lamps reflections, I have attempted to apply lessons from the readings to my goal. The weakest aspect in my Personal Inventory of Servant Leadership was listening. One of the most important actions of a servant leader is to “listen receptively to what is being said and unsaid” (Spears, 2010. pg. 27). Reflecting on conversations, rather than immediately offering insight or feedback “is essential to the growth and well-being of the servant leader” (Spears, 2010, pg. 27). If I am to be successful in my leadership context, I need to strengthen my listening skills. Additionally, if I am to work with others in preparing the content for my book, it will be difficult if I jump to conclusions about what others are trying to communicate.
Another important learning from this course has been about transformational leaders and how they have a much greater impact on those they lead, compared with other leadership styles. One of the most interesting actions, to me, of transformational leaders is that they “attend to the needs of their followers and treat each follower as a unique individual” (Wang et al., 2011, pg. 230). As a leader, for simplicity’s sake, it is often easier to assume that groups of people want and need the same thing. In my experience working as a small group leader in my church, neglecting each person’s history and personal experiences can cause great issues and underlying tension within the group. The two learnings from this course that have most impacted my approach to leadership is to act as a servant leader by listening receptively and reflecting on conversations and to ensure I treat each person in my group as a unique individual, not merely as a member of the group.
“The servant leader seeks to identify the will of a group and helps to clarify that will. He or she listens receptively to what is being said and unsaid . . . Listening, coupled with periods of reflection, is essential to the growth and well-being of the servant leader” (Spears, 2010, pg. 27).
Reference
Spears, Larry C. (2010). Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders. The Journal of Virtues & Leadership, 1(1), 25-30.
Light From Many Lamps – Franklin D. Roosevelt
The essence of this last written speech of Roosevelt was, “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be out doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith” (Watson, 1988, p. 309). The context of this writing was very close to the end of the Second World War; April 1945. Roosevelt was exhausted. He had just returned from Yalta. The grueling burdens and problems of the war years had taken their toll, and for some time now he had been ailing. The almost seven thousand mile trip he had just returned from and strenuous sessions there with Churchill and Stalin where they agreed to co-ordinate their military efforts for a swift decisive victory. Much had been accomplished, but much remained to be done; and the president was tired. For two weeks he had spent relaxing at his cottage. A remarkable amount of activity was still carried on with his small staff. Problems weighed heavily on his mind and he gave them much thought and time. There were speeches to think about and plan. The first on his list was to be given in a few days in honour of the Annual Jefferson Day Dinner on April 13, 1945. He finished it on April 11, 1945. The next day , a stunned nation learned that he had died. He never delivered the speech.
A portion of his speech is as follows, “Americans are gathered together this evening in communities all over the country to pay tribute to the living memory of Thomas Jefferson” (Watson, 1988, p. 309). The first part of his speech eulogized Jefferson, the champion of liberty and the defender of the rights of man. “Today this nation, which Jefferson helped so greatly to build, is playing a tremendous part in the battle for the rights of man all over the world” (Watson, 1988, p. 309). Roosevelt expressed high hopes for the future , his dream of a firm and lasting peace, of a happier life for all people, everywhere. “We must conquer doubts and fears . . . We must cultivate the science of human relationships. The work is peace; more than an end of this war” (Watson, 1988, p. 309). His speech by some standards was short. He concluded, “the only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith” (Watson, 1988, p. 309).
Profound, powerful, uplifting, but a similar speech given today could generate a lot of push-back, controversy, possibly riots, anger and maybe more negative impact than positive. Leaders need to be very careful when referencing any historical character. Teresa Sullivan, president of the University of Virginia, which was founded by Thomas Jefferson, quoted Jefferson and this act triggered intense criticism from hundreds of students and professors because Jefferson had slaves (Egginton, 2018, p. 7).
Closer to home, in Canada, our first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, is being attacked. When teaching a course at Ryerson University last year, I witnessed firsthand the intense attacks on Edgerton Ryerson (whom the university is named after) and protests to have his statue removed from the campus and even further to rename the university. Considering the fact that some of our future team members are, at present, university students it might be wise to understand the convictions that some of them may be adopting. A speaker who was banned from the campus of Williams College, said that students “are advancing the belief that what offends them should not be allowed on campus precisely because it offends them and people who agree with them” (Lukianoff, 2018, p., 50). As leaders, we have to be increasingly sensitive to people’s sensitivities.
The essence of Roosevelt’s speech was inspiration and vision. “Achieving grand visions always requires a burst of energy. Motivation and inspiration energize people, not by pushing them in the right direction as control mechanisms do but by satisfying basic human needs for achievement, a sense of belonging, recognition, of self-esteem, a feeling of control over one’s life, and the ability to live up to one’s ideals” (Knotter, 2011, p. 49). Leaders, “are able to create a following of people who act not because they are swayed, but because they were inspired” (Sinek, 2009, p. 6). People who inspire don’t need to be extraverts, or high energy or profound. When Bill Gates, “speaks, he doesn’t rally a room, he inspires it. Those who hear him take what he says and carry the words for years” (Sinek, 2009, p. 133).
My takeaway from this speech is twofold. First, is the importance of team work as evidenced by his frequent meetings with Stalin and Churchill. Secondly, Roosevelt’s incredible ability to inspire, which is the heart of his speech.
References
Egginton, W. (2018). The Splintering Of The American Mind. New York, NY: Bloombury Publishing.
Knotter, J. (2011). On Leadership. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Lukianoff, G. & Haidr, J.(2018). The Coddling Of The American Mind. New York, NY: Penguin Press.
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Sinek, S. (2009). Start With Why. New York, NY: Penguin Group.
Watson, L. E. (1988), Light From Many Lamps. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.