This is a presentation that I gave during a training seminar for peer leaders and resident assistants.

1. Servant Leadership Jen Page ParaProfessional Training Fall 2008

2. What is servant leadership? Name some people who practice servant leadership.

3. What is it? The theory was produced by Robert Greenleaf in 1970. These leaders “are the means” for change, rather than the end of itself. Motivation is intrinsic, from a desire to help others These leaders have a future vision orientation It is an ongoing, life-long learning process

4. What do Servant Leaders DO? Devote themselves to serving the needs of the organization’s members. Focus on the needs of those they lead Develop their followers to bring out the best in themselves. Coach others and encourage self expression Facilitate personal growth in all who work with them Listen and build a sense of community

5. Characteristics of Servant Leadership Calling Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Growth Building Community

6. Calling Natural desire to help others Intrinsic motivation Impact other people’s lives This is an internalized characteristic, making it hard to teach or learn.

7. Listening Genuinely want to know about other people Learn multiple perspectives Gather people’s ideas and inputs This can be classified as the most foundational of all characteristics.

8. Empathy Walk in others’ shoes. Understanding the situations that others are in and how it affects that person Think about our “Helping Skills” section of Behind Closed Doors…

9. Healing Being the source of mental and emotional health in the midst of crisis This is all about creating an environment of support and well being

10. Awareness “6th sense” Actively searching for cues and information from the environment. Mentally tracking patterns and deviations. Seeing things beyond what’s on the surface

11. Persuasion Ask people to do something rather than force something on them Appeal to the rational side of their followers Know the “what’s in it for me” that everyone in the group wants to know

12. Conceptualization Future orientation Understands the “big picture” or vision of their organization Identifies with and believes strongly in the Mission Statement of the organization

13. Foresight This is tied in with awareness Observation of patterns and understanding of human behavior.

14. Stewardship Responsible for preparing an organization to better society Positive impact on those who will come after you Think about our service projects during training, and think of the service component to the RESPECT model.

15. Growth A servant leader wants to lead in a way that prepares each and every one of their followers to step up and into that leadership when the time comes Development activities, inservices

16. Building Community Community spirit: pride in their school, their organization, and their position. Outreach: bringing that sense of community to outside communities and other organizations. Think about when we encourage you to do building-wide programming, and take residents to campus activities.

17. Group Activity: How are YOU going to bring back some of these characteristics to your residents, your staff and campus wide this year?

18. What are you Passionate About? “Nothing much happens without a dream. For something really great to happen, it takes a great dream.” Robert Greenleaf Time loses its energy, meaning, and power unless it moves us towards our dreams. It’s easy to get “too busy” for our dreams, and when we do, a very special part of us dies.