Servant Leadership
“The servant–leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.” – Robert K. Greenleaf
Working at Extend-A-Family has brought to my attention many different theories and philosophies of leading and working with others. One of the main philosophies that we incorporate into all of our interactions with the people we support or our teammates is called servant leadership. Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world. The themes present within this philosophy often remind me of the type of characteristics I hope to emulate as a teacher within the classroom.
The following are 10 themes that are present within servant leadership:
- Listened
- Actively listening and being present with the person who is speaking to you. Listening to everything – not just the words
- Empathized
- Understanding and empathizing. Seeing everyone as someone who deserved respect and appreciation
- Encouraged
- Healing yourself and others. Helping people solve problems and encourage growth and development
- Aware
- Awareness of yourself and others. Helps to see the big picture
- Persuaded
- Convincing those you work with, rather than using labels of authority, to persuade people into a course of action
- Saw Possibilities
- Conceptualizing helps in thinking beyond the day to day realities
- Saw It Coming
- Foresight helps to see an outcome of a situation. Learning from the past helps to identify possibilities for the future
- Experienced a Growth Opportunity
- Committed to the growth (personal and professional) of others
- Took Care Of
- We hold Extend-A-Family in stewardship for the families and individuals we support
- Built Community
- Building a strong community, both in and outside of our walls
These themes are so important when working with anyone. We must always conduct ourselves in a way that is respectable and self-less when working with others, whether it be peers or students. By constantly conducting ourselves in this manner, we remind ourselves of exactly who our work is for: others.
