Anamarie Mixson
learn-understand-create
Servant Leadership Theory
Servant Leadership theory proposes, that for one to lead s/he must first serve. Robert Greenleaf first introduced the modern Servant Leadership Theory in his 1970 essay, The Servant as Leader. The servant-leader’s main focus is to ensure the “highest priority needs” of those around them are being met. The servant-leader is not driven by how much power one has within an organization but rather how one can lift-up those around him or her. Ensuring those being served are growing as individuals becoming “healthier, wiser, freer, and more autonomous” is the test to measure at which a servant-leader is leading or serving effectively. A servant-leader also has a “least of these” mentality. How does the servant-leader’s actions effect the least privileged in society? The goal is not to cause further depravity, but to create an environment that is beneficial to everyone. Flipping the traditional pyramid of leadership and sharing the power allows people at every level to share responsibility. Creating an environment where success or failure is dependent on the whole team and not primarily the decisions of those at the top. Servant leadership is a relatively new concept to the field of leadership, solidifying as a theory in the 1990’s. Some still question the validity of servant leadership as a theory and believe the framework represents difficult to achieve standards that are to normative to measure (Kim, Kim, & Yeong-Gyeong, 2014).
Serving others is one of the greatest gifts and privileges we as humans have. Going back to the beginning of time, an attitude of servant-ship has been demonstrated by some of the world’s most influential leaders. Servant leadership reminds me that others needs are more important than the bottom line of a company. By lifting-up my colleagues, and empowering them to achieve greatness, the environment in which we strive to be successful in will also become great. This type of service should not be taken lightly. Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Transformation Leadership Theory
First introduced by James Macgregor Burns in his 1978 book Leadership, transformational leadership is defined as, “Leaders taking the initiative in mobilizing people for participation in the process of change, encouraging a sense of collective identity and collective efficacy which in turn brings stronger feelings of self-worth and self-efficacy.” To better understand transformational leadership, I would like to explore Burns definition of transform. Burn defines transform as “… to cause metamorphosis in form or structure… a radical change in outward form or inward character” (Burns, 1978, p. 24). To me, transformational leadership creates an environment where change is not only acceptable but is expected. This type of change comes with a heavy price tag. Your character and market identity are on the line. Transformational leadership appeals not only to the leader but to the follower. Simply put, you cannot be a leader if you do not have followers and depending on the state of your followers you may or may not be a successful leader. Creating an environment where colleagues and peers are motivated, empowered, and growing is one of the main components of transformational leadership. The idea is to grow followers into leaders as they learn.
Allowing for this type of growth and motivation exhibits a level of trust from the leader to the follower. Relationships built on trust, respect, and strong moral character allow for a healthy working environment among colleagues. I truly believe when we begin to transform the way we see the leader-follower relationship, that is when greatness abounds within an organization. Leveling the “playing-field” promotes creativity, collaboration, and allows for a whole lot of grace when we stumble.
Authentic Leadership Theory
Authentic leaders are defined by theorist Bill George as, “genuine, moral and character-based leaders” ( George, 2015). In his book, Authentic Leadership (2003), George describes five qualities an authentic leader must possess:
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Understanding their purpose
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Practicing solid values
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Leading with heart
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Establishing connected relationships
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Demonstrating self-discipline
The leading premise behind authentic leadership is being “real and genuine” (George, 2015). Authentic leaders must be flexible and purpose driven, all while adhering to the highest standards of integrity. Authentic leaders care deeply for the mission and goals of the organization and it’s stakeholders. The authentic leader also realizes the importance of serving the community in which s/he is engaged. This form of authenticity builds trust among colleagues and stakeholders. Many people can mistake authenticity for perfection however, authentic leaders are not perfect, no person is. Being real and sensitive to those around you allows authentic leaders the best opportunity to cultivate trust, lead based on character and style, and allow for opportunities to grow.
I firmly believe being your authentic self in every circumstance is the foundation to being a great leader. Establishing yourself as honest, caring, genuine, and real is what creates an environment of trust among colleagues and peers. Being consistent in an environment when so many are one way at work and different away from work can be discouraging, leading to dis-trust among colleagues. It is easy to get caught up in the power that comes with a title. Authentic leadership reminds me that being myself is the best representation of my character and the best way I can serve those around me.
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Because the idea of authenticity is so important to me I want to include this excerpt from Bill George’s Francis Greenwood Peabody Lecture titled, Finding Your True North: The Spirituality of Authentic Leaders. George delivered this lecture at the Memorial Church, Harvard University, on Friday, April 13, 2007.
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“I believe we are all called to use our gifts to make the world a better place. This does not mean that our journey through life will be easy. In fact, our lives will most likely be filled with many highs and lows and many ups and downs. As I have discovered the hard way, life is not always fair. Good things do not always happen to good people. This is the reality of life. Going one step deeper into this paradox, I believe that it is only in confronting life’s challenges that we grow as real human beings – vulnerable, humble and open to stepping up to lead in order to use our gifts to serve others.”
Sources
Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership.New York: Harper & Row.
Greenleaf, R. (1970). The servant as leader. Retrieved from http://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/199th/OCS/content/pdf/The%20Servant%20as%20Leader.pdf.
What is Servant Leadership? - Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2016, from https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/
George, B. (2003). Authentic leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
George, B. (2015, November 10). True qualities of authentic leaders. Forbes.
Retrieved from
Kim, S., Kim K. Yeong-Gyeong, C. (2014). A literature review of servant leadership and criticism of advanced research. International Journal of Social, Behavorial, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering, Vol: 8, No:4. (p.1154-1157) Retrieved November 21, 2016, from http://waset.org/publications/9998071/a-literature-review-of-servant-leadership-and-criticism-of-advanced-research