Lekitta Servant Leadership

Bill Owens says “true leadership lies in guiding others to success. In ensuring that everyone is performing at their best, doing the work they are pledged to do and doing it well” (as cited in Kruse, 2012, #87). Leaders do amazing work and inspire so many people that we often forget that leaders are humans too. Just like us leaders have downfalls that they aren’t aware of or are trying to fix. Employees may feel that they are not part of a team and that their ideas and thoughts are not valued because of six different downfalls a leader can portray (Comaford, 2013).

“Selfless leadership is difficult to achieve, but in terms of the public interest, it is essential” (Brookes, 2014, p. 211). Serving your employees is critical to success in any organization. If employees noticed that leaders were only looking out for themselves, they may stop working as hard, and the organization for which they work may ultimately lose valuable, otherwise productive employees. As stated in Matthew 20:16, (version) “so the last will be first, and the first last,” the leader, who is first in command, should think of themselves last, and the employees should be first to receive attention from the leader.

From the group Biblical Integration Paper, it was understood that servant-leadership is not only a gift of purpose that God places in the hearts of His people, but it is also a calling in one’s life to truly touch the lives of others in need. Living a successful life, as a servant-leader is not one that focuses on self-fulfillment, rather it is in seeking a fulfillment that comes from Christ when one pours him/herself out for the sake of others. It is through servant-leadership that one is able to bring hope into hopeless situations (Group Integration Paper,

“The difference between followers and leaders is that followers need leaders to help them follow what leaders themselves are following. This relationship takes the form of a shared response-ability to a shared calling. Both find each other in a true fellowship to create the world responsibly.” —James Maroosis

Analyze and explain the situation using any of the theories of leadership discussed in Chapter 14.

The shared themes discussed in these articles aligned with my thesis – caring for the least able, service before leading. Liden, Wayne, Chenwei, and Meuser (2014) suggest a servant leader must guide followers to emulate the leader’s behaviors by prioritizing the needs of others above the leaders'needs. Liden et al. (2014) further attest that servant leaders cultivate servant leadership attributes among those they lead, creating a serving culture which influences performance and enhances followers’ traits and skills through mediating influence of personal identification. For leaders to operate under ethical leadership framework, the leader must possess character, competence, and commitment. The leader must also lead by example, thrive on the

He further explains that servant leaders are not motivated by material possessions and are not usually driven to lead for the power that comes from the position (Greenleaf et al., 2002). Instead, the servant leader will ensure that the needs of their followers, the organization, or the community are met first and are treated with the utmost priority over their own needs (Greenleaf et al., 2002). Northouse (2016), also notes that servant leaders are attentive to the needs, concerns, and the wellbeing of their followers. Servant leadership also helps to promote employee satisfaction through helping them grow, succeed, and empowering them to be more independent and successful (Northouse,

Great leaders don’t just tell they do, and I think that by leading with a servant heart means you do just that. You don’t just tell others that you’re the leader and expect them to follow you; you live your life in such a way that others want to look up to you as a leader in their life. You meet the needs of others and humble yourself always. A servant leader makes sure that all the people around them are set up for success in life.

Leaders likewise know that people will be more impacted by the quality of relationships than they will be by the accomplishment of tasks. Servant leaders

Organizations and their leadership teams collectively, must possess the means of making a major impact on many consumer markets around the world. Regardless of the size, these two elements set the tone for many consumer lifestyles. For organizations and leaders being in sync with one another, they must form a bond that encompasses their ability to trust. This level of trust should be in line with how an organization functions and whether it will be able to withstand the test of time within a competitive market. Leaders should have the knowledge and skills needed to bring the

During my time as Supervisor of Customer Service I learned quickly that I must be flexible and willing to serve those who worked for me. I was in my first management position, and I was tasked with leading a group of employees who I had never done the work in which they perform. I was in over my head, as one might say, however, I soon discovered that I must put aside my self-interest for the betterment of our team. Becoming a servant leader was a great way to earn the respect of my employees without having the “street cred”. A servant leader transcends self-interest to serve others, the organization, and society (Daft & Marcic, 2016, pg. 474). By giving ideas, recognition, and credit for accomplishments I was able to bridge the gap between my employees and myself. In doing this, I was able to learn from my employees and they were willing and open to showing me how they worked which increased my field

Another important leadership behavior I really admire is servant leadership. In servant leadership, the focus shifts to a followers first philosophy. (Northouse, 2016). By attending to the needs of followers first, leaders are able to build up their followers and create a culture of caring and respect and ultimately lead their team and their organization to greatness.

Through the history of all the leadership theories, scholars have been trying to clarify the relations among leaders, followers and tasks to define and explain the most powerful and effective leadership approach. However, people have noticed that each leadership theory has its own emphasis on some distinctive leadership elements that can reflect on their historical backgrounds, authorial understanding and purposes of leadership. Among all the theories, servant leadership is one of the models that present a realistically positive and practical concept. It frames well the modern relationships among leaders, followers and tasks. It responds to the call of human nature and motivations. It has become one of the most popular leadership theories

Being a servant leader can by definition empower your followers. Attending to the needs of your employees and creating a nurturing environment can create trust. Yukl (2010) states, “The servant leader must stand for what is good and right, even when it is not in the financial interest of the organization. Social injustice and inequality should be

To have great leadership, there needs to be a leader-follower relationship. The relationship can’t be effective without inspiration, involvement, and support from both participants. To develop this alliance, the leader must give extra effort to reach out to followers. The only way a leader can be successful is if the follower trusts the leader. The most important characteristic of a leader is to set a good example for their followers.