SERVANT LEADERSHIP

Jen Page

ParaProfessional Training Fall 2008

What is servant leadership?

Name some people who practice servant leadership.

What is it?

The theory was produced by Robert Greenleaf in 1970.

These leaders “are the means” for change, rather than the end of itself.

Motivation is intrinsic, from a desire to help others

These leaders have a future vision orientation

It is an ongoing, life-long learning process

What do Servant Leaders DO? Devote themselves to serving the needs

of the organization’s members. Focus on the needs of those they lead Develop their followers to bring out the

best in themselves. Coach others and encourage self

expression Facilitate personal growth in all who work

with them Listen and build a sense of community

Characteristics of Servant Leadership Calling Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion

Conceptualization

Foresight Stewardship Growth Building

Community

Calling

Natural desire to help others Intrinsic motivation Impact other people’s lives

This is an internalized characteristic, making it hard to teach or learn.

Listening

Genuinely want to know about other people

Learn multiple perspectives Gather people’s ideas and inputs

This can be classified as the most foundational of all characteristics.

Empathy

Walk in others’ shoes. Understanding the situations that

others are in and how it affects that person

Think about our “Helping Skills” section of Behind Closed Doors…

Healing

Being the source of mental and emotional health in the midst of crisis

This is all about creating an environment of support and well being

Awareness

“6th sense” Actively searching for cues and

information from the environment. Mentally tracking patterns and

deviations.

Seeing things beyond what’s on the surface

Persuasion

Ask people to do something rather than force something on them

Appeal to the rational side of their followers

Know the “what’s in it for me” that everyone in the group wants to know

Conceptualization

Future orientation Understands the “big picture” or

vision of their organization

Identifies with and believes strongly in the Mission Statement of the organization

Foresight

This is tied in with awareness Observation of patterns and

understanding of human behavior.

Stewardship

Responsible for preparing an organization to better society

Positive impact on those who will come after you

Think about our service projects during training, and think of the service component to the RESPECT model.

Growth

A servant leader wants to lead in a way that prepares each and every one of their followers to step up and into that leadership when the time comes

Development activities, inservices

Building Community

Community spirit: pride in their school, their organization, and their position.

Outreach: bringing that sense of community to outside communities and other organizations.

Think about when we encourage you to do building-wide programming, and take residents to campus activities.

Group Activity:

How are YOU going to bring back some of these characteristics to your residents, your staff and campus wide this year?

What are you Passionate About? “Nothing much happens without

a dream. For something really great to happen, it takes a great dream.” Robert Greenleaf

Time loses its energy, meaning, and power unless it moves us towards our dreams. It’s easy to get “too busy” for our dreams, and when we do, a very special part of us dies.