Servant Leadership:Personal and Professional Self Care

Servant Leadership:Personal and Professional Self Care Healthy Congregations Annual Retreat 2005 April 8-9, 2005 Rock Spring Ranch Johnston 2005

Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet. Author Unknown Johnston 2005

Agenda • Soul Leadership • What Robert Greenleaf Forgot to Tell You About Servant Leadership • Introduction to Mental/Emotional, Spiritual, Social & Physical Self Care Johnston 2005

Soul Leadership • What is Servant-Leadership? • Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader Johnston 2005

The Best Test of Servant Leadership… 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?” The Servant as Leader by Robert Greenleaf Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Listening • Encompasses getting in touch with one’s own inner voice • Coupled with reflection, listening is essential to the growth & well-being of the servant-leader Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Empathy • Acceptance & recognition of others for their unique & special spirits, even when certain behavior or performance is unacceptable Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Healing • Recognition of the opportunity to help make whole those around you • the potential for healing one’s self & one’s relationships from emotional hurts Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Awareness • Arises from a grounded vision of who we are in God’s eyes: children, heirs, those worth an ultimate price • Understanding of issues involving ethics, power, & values • The ability to view most situations from a more integrated, holistic position Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Persuasion • The ability to build consensus in a group • The ability to convince others, rather than coerce compliance Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Conceptuatlization • The ability to dream great dreams &to think beyond the day-to-day realities Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Foresight • Vision that looks deeper than the surface • vision that sees beyond current appearances • Learning from the lessons of the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequence of the future Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Stewardship • The call not to selfishly use natural resources, but to shepherd & care for our natural world • Recognition that the gifts given to the members of the body of Christ were given not for personal use, but rather to fulfill a role within the body Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Commitment to the growth of people\ • Belief in the intrinsic value of each individual • A sense of responsibility to nurture others • Following Jesus’ example of empowering others to grow & succeed Johnston 2005

Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader • Building Community • Willingness to show the way to others • Demonstrating the leader’s unlimited liability for the group Johnston 2005

What Robert Greenleaf Forgot to Tell You Johnston 2005

What Robert Greenleaf Forgot to Tell You: • Leadership demands skills & the ability to express those skills so that those who are led grow & prosper • The leader’s ability to serve others is totally dependent on their ability to function fully & to be healthy Johnston 2005

What Robert Greenleaf Forgot to Tell You • The four facets of health are the responsibility of the individual, but cannot be managed totally by the individual • If you do not prioritize self-care (servanthood for your body, mind & spirit) it is unfair to ask others to prioritize your well-being Johnston 2005

What Robert Greenleaf Forgot to Tell You • The successful servant-leader leads the way to a better self! • The successful servant-leader models self-care for those s/he leads Johnston 2005

What Robert Greenleaf Forgot to Tell You Servant Leader Servant of Self (Temple of God) Servant of Others (Congregation, Family, Friends & Community at Large) Johnston 2005

Exercise: Step 1 • Place your pen or pencil in your non-dominant hand • When I say “Go”, write as many words to The Lord’s Prayer as you can • When I say “Stop”, finish the word you are writing and put down your pen or pencil. • Count the number of complete words you wrote & report out Johnston 2005

Exercise: Step 2 • Place your pen or pencil in your dominant hand • When I say “Go”, write as many words to The Lord’s Prayer as you can • When I say “Stop”, finish the word you are writing and put down your pen or pencil. • Count the number of complete words you wrote & report out Johnston 2005

Lesson: What you are able to give is dependent on what you have to give You can get work done when you are not healthy, but both the quality and quantity of the work suffer. Johnston 2005

Mental/Emotional Health • A servant-leader who fails to take care of their own mental/emotional needs is stressed, unable to focus and prioritize • Mental/emotional health are necessary to be creative & supportive of those you lead. Johnston 2005

Spiritual Health • Personal spiritual health is critical in keeping the individual grounded in the faith that christened the servant-leader into a leadership role. • It is the sustenance for the journey & the refreshment for the soul that keeps their “calling” alive. Johnston 2005

Social Health • We need deep roots & ongoing encouragement to reach our full potential. • Such depth arises from community supporting us in our growth & development, and from our supporting others in kind. Johnston 2005

Physical Health • Lack of physical health due to poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, tobacco use or exposure, inadequate sleep, &/or inadequate water consumption leave us performing at less than our potential. • It is like writing with our non-dominant hand! Johnston 2005

Lesson: What you are able to give is dependent on what you have to give. • Total health incorporates all four facets of health: mental/emotional, spiritual, social and physical health. • If any one facet is lacking, the other three facets will suffer as a result • Balance is key! Johnston 2005

Wheel of Health Johnston 2005

Questions to consider • What might be some beliefs that keep us Christians from self-care? • Who do I want to engage in healthy self-care? Johnston 2005

Questions to consider • Why should I be a model for self-care? • What benefit would there be to others if I encouraged them to be leaders? Johnston 2005

Questions to consider • Do I encourage my own heart? • How could I do more to encourage myself about self-care? Johnston 2005

No man is capable of self-improvement if he sees no other model but himself. Conrado I. Generoso Johnston 2005

A Preview of the Self-Care Workshop Information, self-assessment, reflection, & commitment Johnston 2005

Mental/Emotional Self-Care • Stress Management • Relaxation and Time Off • Time Management Johnston 2005

Stress & Relaxation • Breathing • Meditation • Progressive relaxation • Guided imagery • Positive thought • Humor • Stretch Johnston 2005

The more familiar we are with our inner terrain, the more sure-footed our teaching – our living – becomes. Parker Palmer Johnston 2005

Spiritual Self-Care: Questions for Reflection • Do I find spiritual nourishment in my worship community? • Am I actively growing in my spiritual journey? Johnston 2005

Social Self-Care: Questions for Reflection • Do I balance my social/interpersonal well being with my professional responsibilities? • Do I have hobbies, interests & responsibilities outside of my job? Johnston 2005

Physical Health: Actual Causes of Death • Tobacco (19%) • Poor Diet/Lack of Exercise (14%) • Alcohol (5%) • Infectious Agents (4%) • Pollutants/Toxins (3%) • Firearms (2%) • Motor Vehicles (1%) • Illicit Drug use (1%) McGinnis JM, Foege WH. Actual causes of death in the United States, JAMA 1993; 270:2207-12 Johnston 2005

Dyslipidemia HDL Trig Injury Risk Macrovascular Disease CancerRisk Metabolic Syndrome: The Life Continuum IGT Early DM Hypertension IFG Late DM Obesity Genetics Lifestyle Environment Microvascular Disease Johnston 2005

Physical Health • Healthy Eating • Water • Active Living • Tobacco-Free Living • Sleep Johnston 2005

Effects of Environment • Challenging • Super-sized portions • Advertising/mis-information • Fast foods • Personal Situations • Supportive • Variety • Convenience • Information Johnston 2005

Stages of Change Model for Individual-Level Change Prochaska, J. O. and C. C. DiClemente (1986). The transtheoretical approach. Handbook of Eclectic Psychotherapy. J. Norcross. New York, Brunner/Mazel: 163-200. Johnston 2005

Personal Mission Statement • What? • Values • Passions • Why? • To guide decisions • To direct activity • To help us sort out what deserves our attention, time & effort Johnston 2005

Personal Health Covenant • Commitment to self care • Achievable • Small step • Moves you one level in stages of change • Active • Buddy system Johnston 2005

An Opportunity: • To Become a Trainer for Servant Leadership: Personal & Professional Self Care: • Attend May 6, 2005, workshop in Wichita • Keep a self-care covenant • Participate in monitoring & support system • Attend follow-up training in Fall 2005 • Accept assignments to co-facilitate training in pilot congregations (at least one congregation in 2 years) Johnston 2005

Servant Leadership: Personal & Professional Self Care Self-care by both clergy & laity is a key component of the Healthy Congregations in Action initiative. Johnston 2005

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you will land among the stars. Les Brown Johnston 2005

Judy Johnston, MS, RD/LDResearch InstructorDepartment of Preventive Medicine & Public HealthUniversity of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita Phone: 316-293-1861 E-Mail: jjohnsto@kumc.edu Johnston 2005

Servant Leadership:Personal and Professional Self Care