Servant Leadership

1. Servant Leadership By Dave Worland Principal Cathedral High School July 5, 2011

2. Introduction to servant leadership? • This is an interactive presentation, so please do raise comments and questions anytime during the presentation. • Thisraises many issues, so questions are always welcome!

3. Why is this a topic today? Currently is a buzz word in educational circles Many Experts and many books available on this topic now “I am” survey, etc.! Horizon League Leader – Power, wealth, and fame Counter-cultural – media and upbringing

4. What terms come to mind? • “Leadership” • “Servant” • Paradox: Servant Leadership does not mean weak or powerless! • Proponents: • John Stahl-Wert – The Serving Leader • Robert Greenleaf – The Servant as Leader • Kent M Keith – The Case for Servant Leadership

5. Greenleaf Definition • Servant Leader is servant first. • It begins with natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. • That person is sharply different from one who is leader first. • Leader-first and servant-first are 2 extreme types – between them are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.

6. My definition of Servant Leadership is Action Coach Vince Burpo – Frontier HS – senior football players clean up locker room after home and away varsity games Benton Central HS – Sportsmanship banquet – most recipients were servant leaders Your examples?

7. Other experts? See handout • Stephen Covey – urges people to rise above our present circumstances • Peter Drucker – What can I contribute and mean it? • Jim Collins – leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves • Peter Senge – most singular & useful statement of leadership in last 20 years

8. How would servant leaders act when dealing with difficult situation? • New Coach named after strong relationship with former coach • Injury? • New teammate who is very skilled in your position? • Junior on J.V. Team?

9. Do Anyway Handout • People are illogical, unreasonable, & self-centered. Love them anyway. • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. • If you are successful, you will win false friends & true enemies. Succeed anyway. • The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. • Honesty & frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest & frank anyway. • The biggest men & women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. THINK BIG ANYWAY.

10. Do It Anyway (continued) • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. FIGHT FOR A FEW UNDERDOGS ANWAY. • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. BUILD ANYWAY. • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY. • Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU HAVE ANYWAY. - Kent M Keith (1968)

11. Examples of students/adults at your school with characteristics of a Servant Leader • A leader who is focused on serving others • One who listens, has empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community • Common qualities: unconditional love, brokenness, self-awareness, being real, foresight, facilitate common vision, builds community, empowers others, meets needs of others, removes obstacles, being the cheerleader. • See leadership as only worth it if it is helping others!

12. The Case for Servant Leadership • Not about controlling; about caring for and being resource for • Not about being boss; is about being present and building a community at work • Not building territory; is about letting go of ego, bringing your spirit to work, being your best and most authentic self

13. Case for Servant Leadership (cont.) • Less concerned with pep talks & more concerned with creating a place where people can do good work, can find meaning in their work, and can bring their spirits to work. • Leadership, like life, is largely a matter of paying attention. • Leadership requires love. - James Autry

14. Being Counter-Cultural • To the world, servant leaders may seen naïve…and stand alone without support of their culture. • The most effective leaders do not seek power, wealth, or fame – the seek to make a difference in the lives of others, they are often given power, wealth, and fame…which they treat as tools for helping others. -Robert Greenleaf

15. Power Model vs. Service Model • How would you define the power model of leadership? • How would you define the service model of leadership? • Make 2 columns (headings “Power” & “Service). List words in each that describe each model. Which words are the same for both columns? What are different?

16. Power Model vs. Service Model (cont.) • To what end does Power-oriented leader use power? To what end does a servant-leader use power? • Which model of leadership have you used most often? Why?

17. Questions for Reflection & Discussion • How do you serve others in your family, your school, your organization, or your community? • Name servant-leaders you know from history, literature, or real life today. What makes them servant- leaders?