Response – Unit 4-LA 4.5 and Reflection to Unit 4, LA 4.1
In response to Omolewa Ahmad- LA 4.5
Question:
Is it possible to apply the principles of servant leadership in situations where the leader lacks the charisma of a messiah or an extraordinary person?
My question was informed from the conceptual framework presented in the study of servant leadership (Sendjaya & Sarros, 2002), one of the leaders was an extraordinary person while the other was a messiah. I could not help thinking about the character of the leaders – Leo and Jesus Christ; if they had no charisma, would their “servanthood” have been noticed?
My response;
Charisma is a result of excellent communication interpersonal skills, as these skills can be learned and developed. So according to your question, they can be developed. Its all about interacting with people around you and try to meet their needs positively. Being confident about supporting others when needed and applying positive thinking optimistically. It’s the notion of the SL movement to transform to meet the needs and interest, which opposed to their needs. I did read the article: Servant leadership: Its origin, development, and application in organizations, by (Sendjaya & Sarros, 2002), and I enjoyed and learned from it the notion of SL.