Lesson Community.100

BEING A SERVANT LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY

TYPE - THINK AHEAD (30 minute duration)

UNIT - COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SERVICE LEARNING

LESSON TITLE - BEING A SERVANT LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY
 

SEQUENCE - N/A

OBJECTIVES - Upon completion of this lesson the user will be able to:

      1  Describe the characteristics of a servant leader; and

      2  Identify steps to begin practicing servant-leadership.

REFERENCES -

 

Barbuto, J. E., Jr., & Wheeler, D. W. (2002). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Nebraska Cooperative Extension G02-1481-A. Retrieved April 17, 2005, from http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/misc/g1481.htm.

Deming, V. K. (2004). The big book of leadership games. New York: McGraw-Hill.

McGee-Cooper, A., & Looper, G. (2001). The Essentials of Servant-Leadership: Principles is Practice. Waltham, MA: Pegasus Communications, Inc.

Reardon, M., & Derner, S. (2004). Strategies for great teaching. Chicago: Zephyr Press

Spears, L. C. (2004). Practicing servant-leadership. Leader to Leader, 34, 7-11. Also available on the Leader to Leader Institute website at: http://www.pfdf.org/leaderbooks/l2l/fall2004/spears.html.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT -
 
  • Whiteboard, chalkboard, overhead, or flip chart
  • Blank paper
  • Colored markers or map pencils
  • Copies of AS - 1: Quotation Quest
  • Copies of AS - 2: Are You A Servant Leader? assessment
     
KEY TERMS -
 
  • Servant
  • Leadership
  • Servant-leadership
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  The term servant-leadership was first coined in 1970 by Robert K. Greenleaf after he read The Journey to the East by Hermann Hesse. After reading the mythical story of a group of people on a spiritual quest, Greenleaf concluded great leaders experience a desire to serve first. Thus, the basis premise of servant-leadership is that the leader is a servant first. In his 1970 essay The Servant as Leader, Greenleaf stated,  

[Servant-leadership] begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. The conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. He or she is sharply different from the person who is leader first,…The difference manifest itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: do those served grow as persons; do they, while being served become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society will they benefit, or at least, not be further deprived?
OBJECTIVE 1 - Describe the Characteristics of Servant-Leaders
 

Based on Greenleaf's writings, Larry Spears (2004) identified 10 characteristics of the servant-leader. Each of the characteristics will be discussed below. While these 10 characteristics do not make up an exhaustive list of characteristics that define servant-leaders, they do effectively describe the core behavioral and developed attributes of servant-leaders.

Listening - Servant-leaders are not only willing to listen to what others have to say, but they also actively seek out others' opinions.

Empathy - Servant-leaders try to understand and empathize with others. They strive to understand the circumstances and problems that are unique to individuals.

Healing - Servant-leaders understand the importance of emotional well-being and strive to help heal the spirits of others when they are hurting.

Awareness - Servant-leaders are keenly aware of what is going on not only around them, but within themselves as well.

Persuasion - Servant-leaders seek to convince others to do things through persuasion rather than exerting their positional authority within the organization.

Conceptualization - Servant-leaders encourage others to think beyond the day-to-day realities and operations of organizations to see possibilities. In other words, servant leaders are able to balance the day-to-day with big dreams.

Foresight - Servant-leaders are able to anticipate future events and their consequences through understanding lessons learned in the past and present.

Stewardship - Servant-leaders are committed to openness, trust, and serving the needs of others in an effort to help the organization contribute to the grater good of society.

Commitment to the Growth of People - Servant-leaders believe everyone has something positive to contribute beyond the typical contributions within an organization and are committed to helping others grow and meet their development needs.

Building Community - Servant-leaders strive to create and maintain a true sense of community spirit within an organization.
OBJECTIVE 2 - Identify Steps to Begin Practicing Servant-Leadership
 

Becoming a servant-leader is an on-going, life-long learning process. However, there are several initial steps that can help individuals begin making the commitment to service-first leadership. Keeping the 10 characteristics of the servant-leader in mind, Ann McGee Cooper and Gary Looper (2001) identified five initial steps to begin practicing servant leadership. Each step will be discussed below.

Listen Without Judgment - When someone comes to you with concerns, listen for both feelings and facts, but listen for understanding before jumping to conclusions about how you should respond and what actions you should take. Once you are sure you understand the concern, you can better identify how to help, if any help is needed.

Be Authentic - Be accountable and take responsibility for your actions and your role in projects. And when you make them, admit your mistakes freely and openly.

Building Community - Find ways to create a true sense of community. Show your appreciation for each member of the organization, recognize and reward them, and celebrate both small and large wins whenever possible.

Share Power - Delegate meaningful assignments, solicit feedback from others in the organization, and encourage others to help generate ideas and identify solutions to organizational problems.

Develop People - Be a mentor so that others can grow and develop into servant-leaders themselves. Give others opportunities to take on more responsibilities and develop additional skills and abilities while providing them with honest and constructive feedback.

INTEREST APPROACH (3 minutes)
 
Quotation Quest
Give each participant a Quotation Quest sheet that contains partial quotes from famous leaders. Have participants try to come up with the missing words.
  1. Ask not what your country can do for you: Ask what you can do for your country. --- John F. Kennedy
  2. When I let go of who I am, I become what I might be. --- John Heider
  3. The first step of leadership is servanthood. --- John Maxwell
  4. True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leader. --- Robert Townsend
  5. Leadership in its best form is sharing. By sharing the best in us, we bring out the best in others. --- Kenneth Love
  6. Life can be more full for those who try, regardless of the outcome. --- Robert K. Greenleaf
  7. Leadership is a serious meddling in other people's lives. --- Max DePree
  8. When I give, I give myself. --- Walt Whitman
  9. The essence of leadership is not giving things or even providing visions. It is offering oneself and one's spirit. --- Lee Boleman & Terence Deal
  10. From now on any definition of a successful life must include serving others. --- George Bush
Discussion Questions:
1. What do you believe is the central theme of each of these quotes?
   (Lead participants to service, leadership, and/or servant leadership.)
2. What does service have to do with leadership?
3. Is the central theme of the quotes evident in your organization? Your community?
TEACHING PLAN / STRATEGY
 

OBJECTIVE 1 - Describe the characteristics of a servant leaders (10 minutes)

Based on the responses to the questions for discussion in the Quotation Quest activity, lead a discussion on the 10 characteristics of the servant-leader from the background information. Write each characteristic on a whiteboard, chalkboard, overhead, or flip chart. Ask participants how each characteristic relates to being a servant leader.
 

OBJECTIVE 2 - Identify steps to begin practicing servant-leadership (5 minutes)

Ask participants to identify steps they can take to begin practicing servant leadership. Write responses on a whiteboard, chalkboard, overhead, or flip chart. Fill in missing steps from the Cooper & Looper list presented in the background information.
 

APPLICATION ACTIVITY - (10 minutes)

Once the material has been covered, give each participant a sheet of blank paper. Using markers or map pencils have each member participate in a Picasso Moment activity in which they are to paint a picture that represents servant leadership. Provide time for a "gallery walk" for participants to share their pictures and look at the pictures of other participants.
 

SELF-ASSESSMENT -

Based on the characteristics of servant leaders, Barbuto and Wheeler (2002) identified 11 questions to help individuals assess their status as servant leaders. Pass out the Are You A Servant Leader activity sheet and allow participants to record their responses.
 

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS -

  • Quotation quest (AS-1)
  • Are you a servant leader (AS-2)
 
(AS - 1)
Quotation Quest
Directions: Try to complete the quotes below by filling in the missing words.

1. Ask not what your __________________ can do for you: Ask what you can do for your     _________________________. --- John F. Kennedy

2. When I let go of ______________ I am, I become what I __________________ be. --- John Heider

3. The first step of leadership is __________________________. --- John Maxwell

4. True leadership must be for the benefit of the _________________________, not the enrichment of the     ______________________________. --- Robert Townsend

5. Leadership in its best form is _____________________. By (same word) the best in us, we bring out the    best in others. --- Kenneth Love

6. Life can be more full for those who try, regardless of the _________________. --- Robert K. Greenleaf

7. Leadership is a serious _______________ in other people's lives. --- Max DePree

8. When I give, I give ___________________________. --- Walt Whitman

9. The essence of leadership is not giving things or even providing visions. It is offering     ___________________ and one's spirit. --- Lee Boleman & Terence Deal

10. From now on any definition of a successful life must include __________________ others. --- George      Bush

Adapted from Deming, V. K. (2004). The big book of leadership games. New York: McGraw-Hill.
AS-2
Are You A Servant Leader?

Read each of the questions below. If you can answer "yes" to the questions, place a check in the box. If you answered yes to more than seven of the eleven questions, you may be well on you way to becoming a servant leader.

Do people believe that you are willing to sacrifice your own self-interest for the good of the group?

Do people believe that you want to hear their ideas and will value them?

Do people believe that you will understand what is happening in their lives and how it affects them?

Do people come to you when the chips are down or when something traumatic has happened in their      lives?

Do others believe that you have a strong awareness for what is going on?

Do others follow your requests because they want to as opposed to because they "have to"?

Do others communicate their ideas and vision for the organization when you are around?

Do others have the confidence in your ability to anticipate the future and its consequences?

Do others believe you are preparing the organization to make a positive difference in the world?

Do people believe that you are committed to helping them develop and grow?

Do people feel a strong sense of community in the organization that you lead?

Taken from Barbuto, J. E., Jr., & Wheeler, D. W. (2002). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Nebraska Cooperative Extension G02-1481-A. Retrieved April 17, 2005 from http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/misc/g1481.htm.