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Full-Text Articles in Leadership Studies
Self-Transcendence: Servant-Leadership And The Doorway Of Life, Ryan Schmidt
Self-Transcendence: Servant-Leadership And The Doorway Of Life, Ryan Schmidt
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Robert Greenleaf speaks of his relationship to Robert Frost’s poem Directive as a symbol in understanding servant-leadership, offering meaning for others in their reconciliation of who and where they are on life’s inward journey. Reflecting on my personal journey, in searching for a higher purpose and identifying what needs changing, a closer examination into the learnings inspired by my family is exposing the limitations in my predisposed self-orientation approach to leadership and challenging my relationship to a life of meaning. My inward desire to become a better person is opening my heart towards an other-orientation approach to serving, and towards …
On The Scanlon Plan And Servant-Leadership, Paul W. Davis, Larry C. Spears
On The Scanlon Plan And Servant-Leadership, Paul W. Davis, Larry C. Spears
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
For 75 years, Joe Scanlon, the Scanlon Plan, and Scanlon-led companies had a robust run in the world of business, aided by the Scanlon Leadership Network. Over time, the number of Scanlon companies declined, and in 2013 the Scanlon Leadership Network, Foundation, and Consultancy ceased to exist. And for the past 53 years, servant-leadership has been growing in practice and influence around the world. This article in The International Journal of Servant-Leadership is adapted from a book that we created and published in 2008 titled, Scanlon EPIC Leadership, published by the Scanlon Foundation. Sections of the paper include an overview …
Would Jesus Build A Pyramid? Servant-Leadership And Corporate Social Responsibility, Jiying Song
Would Jesus Build A Pyramid? Servant-Leadership And Corporate Social Responsibility, Jiying Song
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
The purpose of this article is to examine corporate social responsibility (CSR) from a Christian perspective and to study Jesus’ leadership and speculate whether Jesus would have built a CSR pyramid. First, literature is reviewed in the areas of servant-leadership, how Jesus leads, and corporate social responsibility. Following is a discussion of faith integration perspectives and models, biblical and theological approaches, and whether Jesus would build a pyramid. This article ends with a conclusion.
Self-Forgiveness, Servant-Leadership, And Religious Volunteers In A Juvenile Incarceration Setting, Terri Jane Stewart
Self-Forgiveness, Servant-Leadership, And Religious Volunteers In A Juvenile Incarceration Setting, Terri Jane Stewart
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Engaging volunteers with religious backgrounds in a juvenile incarceration setting leads to encountering white saviorism (Raypole, 2021, para. 4) and white evangelicalism as expressed through the theology of these volunteers and their racial demographic. Additionally, white evangelicalism used the language and values of Christian nationalism (Boston, 2021). Servant-leadership is an antidote to white Christian nationalism and can balance the inequalities of relationships between volunteer and incarcerated youth. Specifically, self-forgiveness as a practice of servant-leadership and of incarcerated youth can lead to healing from white Christian nationalism and healing from a criminal background.
Servant-Leadership In The Military: An Investigation Of Servant-Leadership Among Technical Sergeants In The United States Air Force, Tracey M. Richardson, Matthew P. Earnhardt, Tori Morris, Steven M. Walker
Servant-Leadership In The Military: An Investigation Of Servant-Leadership Among Technical Sergeants In The United States Air Force, Tracey M. Richardson, Matthew P. Earnhardt, Tori Morris, Steven M. Walker
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Servant-Leadership, developed by Greenleaf (1970), is a leadership theory which prioritizes the follower. Greenleaf contended that putting others first as leaders could lead to a change in society. Patterson (2003) developed a model from Greenleaf’s theory which identified several attributes of the Servant-Leadership model including agapao love, humility, altruism, vision, trust, empowerment, and service. In the military, researchers have used Patterson’s construct to conclude that Servant-Leadership does exist in the military. Though some research involving Servant-Leadership and the military has been conducted, there is a dearth in the literature. In the United States Air Force, leadership development for Non-Commissioned Officers …
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Using Photovoice Methodology To Explore Perceptions Of Servant-Leadership During International Service-Learning, Wendy E. Walsh, Tracey E. Recigno
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Using Photovoice Methodology To Explore Perceptions Of Servant-Leadership During International Service-Learning, Wendy E. Walsh, Tracey E. Recigno
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Healthcare education programs are tasked to develop the leadership capacity of students in the preparation for them to become future healthcare providers who can holistically address the needs of complex communities and our society at large. Educational institutions often look to experiential learning opportunities where students can be active participants in the exploration of new leadership behaviors. In particular, service-learning experiences may help support the development of servant leadership qualities. These experiences and qualities both aid in the development of empathetic, inclusive practitioners and professions. A gap in literature exists on health profession students’ perceptions of these experiences and if …
Thoughts On Servant-Leadership In The Modern Era, Larry C. Spears
Thoughts On Servant-Leadership In The Modern Era, Larry C. Spears
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Compiled by Larry Spears
A Journey In Servant-Leadership, Larry C. Spears
A Journey In Servant-Leadership, Larry C. Spears
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Welcome to our 2023 edition of The International Journal of Servant-Leadership. I would like to offer my special thanks to all of our contributing authors in this journal. Each edition of IJSL contains a wonderful array of articles and papers, poetry and research, film reviews and reflections from around the world that demonstrate many remarkable journeys in servant-leadership.
The Silent Fight, Carmen Dela Cruz
The Silent Fight, Carmen Dela Cruz
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Poem by Carmen dela Cruz
A Practitioner Approach To Modeling And Teaching Servant-Leadership, Rocky Wallace, Larry C. Spears
A Practitioner Approach To Modeling And Teaching Servant-Leadership, Rocky Wallace, Larry C. Spears
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Servant-leadership is increasingly being taught in colleges, universities, and elsewhere. Approaches to teaching vary, but often involve a combination of reading, writing, modeling and practicing it. As college professors, working primarily with graduate students, we have learned over the years that teaching servant-leadership includes a strong effort at modeling it for students. In this essay, we share our approaches in how we structure servant-leadership courses. Some elements include Community, Relevant Learning, Ethically-Driven, Coaching/Mentoring Focus, Humor, Growth over Product, and Mutual Respect of Intellectual Capital. The selection and structure of key learning materials is also a crucial aspect of teaching and …
Absolving Conflict Through Principles Of Servant-Leadership, Brandon Stoddard
Absolving Conflict Through Principles Of Servant-Leadership, Brandon Stoddard
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
This article explores the inevitable and unchecked conflicts that arise between people and how it can turn into unmanageable rage and harmed relationships. Both instigators and recipients of conflict are ultimately wounded by its accompanying outcomes. By sharing several examples from my life, including the threat of harm from a deadly weapon towards my three-year-old son by his uncle, I demonstrate the hurt caused by conflict and how principles of servant-leaders can help individuals restore positive associations. When faith is stronger than the bitterness and hostility that often plagues humanity, love offers a longer-term perspective thereby opening a way towards …
Servant-Leadership And The Christian Non-Profit Senior Leader: A Study On How Servant-Leadership Influences Growth, William Sharp
Servant-Leadership And The Christian Non-Profit Senior Leader: A Study On How Servant-Leadership Influences Growth, William Sharp
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
This study aimed to identify the relationship between senior leaders of Christian non-profit organizations that exhibit servant-leadership and the organizational growth of Christian non-profit organizations. This study focused on the servant-leadership style within Christian non-profit organizations, and the servant-leadership qualities are measured using the Servant-Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ). This quantitative study examined the relationship between senior leaders' servant-leadership and Christian non-profit organizations' growth. The study provides data from Christian non-profit organizations on their organizational growth in the categories of numerical growth, mentorship, and service opportunities in the last three years.
Servant-Leadership In Nursing Education, Kendrea Todt, Sarah Covington
Servant-Leadership In Nursing Education, Kendrea Todt, Sarah Covington
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Recent changes in healthcare policy including the sentinel paper from the Institutes of Medicine, now known as the National Academy of Medicine, 2010 report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health and the most recent, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity reports have demonstrated the changing role of nurses creating a growing need for nurse leaders. The healthcare industry is seeking to find a leadership style that will facilitate the goals of providing quality care in a collaborative environment. With its natural focus on service, the style of the servant-leader is one option. …
Poem After The First Principle And Foundation, Shann Ray
Poem After The First Principle And Foundation, Shann Ray
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
A poem by Shann Ray Ferch.
What Does Leadership Expect From Me? Interpreting Leadership Through Meaning, Love, And Power, Courtney Yezerski
What Does Leadership Expect From Me? Interpreting Leadership Through Meaning, Love, And Power, Courtney Yezerski
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
This essay aims to make the case that our dominant concepts of leadership are constraining, thus prohibiting us from meeting the higher meanings residing within leadership, namely love. Blinded by our “existential frustration” (Frankl, 2014, p. 71), we have existed within conceptual notions of leadership that contend for mediocrity and production rather than beauty, goodness, and love (hooks, 2001). The origins of leadership implore humanity to a new paradigm that seeks beauty, even where none is intended (Bolz-Weber, 2022), and takes others along. By examining the etymology of leadership and applying Viktor Frankl's (2006) concept of will to meaning as …
Leaning Away To Lean In: Aspirations Of Servant-Leadership Through The Tenets Of Giving Things Up, Listening, And Silence, Evan Wildstein
Leaning Away To Lean In: Aspirations Of Servant-Leadership Through The Tenets Of Giving Things Up, Listening, And Silence, Evan Wildstein
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Frick (2011) inspires reflection when he notes, “We tend to believe that we must do something to solve a problem.” This is a powerful notion seen through the lens of modern life. Organizational life, especially, is full of action. Whether or not certain actions should be taken is largely a consideration of oughtness, though many believe as Frick suggests — that we feel we must do something. This belief has limitations, which we are wont to learn if we are receptive, irrespective of where we might be in our lives. While this may seem counterintuitive, leaning away from action to …
A Journey In Servant-Leadership, Larry C. Spears
A Journey In Servant-Leadership, Larry C. Spears
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Larry C. Spears explores servant-leadership, his own journey in servant-leadership, and the powerful significance of Philip Mathew's 2021 book Finding Leo.
The Follower As Servant, Jeffrey L. Mcclellan
The Follower As Servant, Jeffrey L. Mcclellan
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word leader? I imagine it conjures images of power and influence. Some think of wealth and status. Some think of specific individuals who represent leadership to them. Often leaders are thought of in very positive ways. Some might even say mythical ways (Bennis, 1999). Everyone wants to be thought of as a leader. In fact, research suggests most people do think of themselves as leaders (Laurent, 1978). Parents want their children to be leaders, not followers. Indeed, when someone says that one is a follower, it is …
Reaching Servant-Leadership Through The Journey Of Forgiveness, Kathryn Acorda Harlan
Reaching Servant-Leadership Through The Journey Of Forgiveness, Kathryn Acorda Harlan
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
I was introduced to the true magnitude of forgiveness through a leadership course at Gonzaga University in the early summer of 2021. The basic definition and meaning of forgiveness was evident. However, understanding the value of forgiveness, as a recipient and giver was a new endeavor. We are introduced to forgiveness as early as preschool. However, to truly understand, recognize and practice forgiveness is a lifelong lesson and journey. Forgiveness is a process. Since this course at Gonzaga University, I have continued to research forgiveness and how it relates to human interaction, our physical and emotional health and how it …
Tracing The Nine Servant-Leadership Anthologies From 1995 To The Present, Larry C. Spears, Shann Ray Ferch, Jiying Jenny Song, Philip Mathew
Tracing The Nine Servant-Leadership Anthologies From 1995 To The Present, Larry C. Spears, Shann Ray Ferch, Jiying Jenny Song, Philip Mathew
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
In this article, Shann Ferch, Jiying Song, Philip Mathew, and Larry C. Spears share some thoughts and reflections on the series of nine servant-leadership anthologies on which they have had direct involvement to-date; and, to provide some background on how each book came to be published.
The Relationship Between Servant-Leadership And Employee Resilience, Aaron D. Wilkinson, Mark Rennaker
The Relationship Between Servant-Leadership And Employee Resilience, Aaron D. Wilkinson, Mark Rennaker
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Liu et al. (2019) wrote, “resilience has become increasingly important for individuals, organizations and society to flourish in the uncertain, risky, turbulent and ambiguous world we live in today.” Resilience enhances the functioning of individuals, teams, and organizations (Britt et al., 2016). Workplace stressors lead to outcomes antithetical to resilience, such as burnout (Lee & Ashforth, 1996), poor physical and mental health (Beasley et al., 2003; Holden et al., 2010), absenteeism (Väänänen et al., 2003), intention to turnover (Chiu et al., 2009; Deery et al., 2010), anxiety, and depression (Melchior et al., 2007). In contrast, Robertson et al.’s (2015) review …
Next Generation Leadership: The Rise Of The Robot Servant-Leaders?, Jan G. Langhof, Stefan Güldenberg
Next Generation Leadership: The Rise Of The Robot Servant-Leaders?, Jan G. Langhof, Stefan Güldenberg
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
People have always dreamed of a selfless servant, a machine that serves humans (Domaine, 2008; Mayor, 2020), a helper who frees people from heavy labor. This dream has inspired the common notion and understanding of the role which robots take in our society: The robot is humans’ servant. The origin of the English word robot lies in the Czech word robota, which can be translated as “servitude” or “compulsory labor”, describing the compulsory service in the context of a feudal system (Launius & McCurdy, 2012). Technological change progressed rapidly in the last few decades (Avadikyan et al., 2016). We have …
Love In Basketball: Transforming Inappropriate Power In Men's College Basketball Coaching Through A Servant-Led Response And Companionate Love, Adam Gierlach
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
In the summer of 2003, the Baylor University’s men’s basketball program was ripped apart when student-athlete Carlton Dotson murdered his teammate and roommate, Patrick Dennehy. While the details surrounding the events are still unknown, the abhorrent tale, which weaves a tapestry of drug use, gun violence, and unstable behavior, was held as an example of the moral decay of big-money college sports. And it remains the only known case of a student-athlete killing a teammate in the history of U.S. intercollegiate athletics (Wise, 2008). The story fails to simply end with tragic violence; investigations revealed deception, lies, manipulation, and an …
I Love Fred Moten, Shann Ray
I Love Fred Moten, Shann Ray
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
A poem by Shann Ray Ferch.
Leadership And Paradox: The Role Of Servant-Leadership In Recognizing, Accepting, And Responding To Paradox, Jeffrey L. Mcclellan
Leadership And Paradox: The Role Of Servant-Leadership In Recognizing, Accepting, And Responding To Paradox, Jeffrey L. Mcclellan
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
As much as we would like to live in a world that is logical, straightforward, and simple, this is not the world in which we live. The world we inhabit is full of inconsistency, irony, and paradox. Improvement requires change, but the security needed to navigate change is rooted in stability. Diversity is both a powerful force for creativity and community and a source of tremendous myopia and conflict. We engage in in-depth strategic planning knowing that much of what we do to navigate our world once our plans are set involves deviating from those plans; and yet, the existence …
Servant-Leaders As Co-Laborers: A Field Philosophy Model, Jae Webb
Servant-Leaders As Co-Laborers: A Field Philosophy Model, Jae Webb
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
In 2013, Professor R. Edward Freeman joked about his father’s sarcastic witticism in response to his choice of career. The joke is not that philosophy is a feckless art, but rather that its modern practice has been relegated to the realm of theory, with incredibly salient subject matter but a practice that is seemingly ineffectual in the everyday world. Justice is one such area of interest for philosophers; however, abstract theoretical or philosophical justice, especially in relation to environmental resources and in consideration of environmental relationships, is increasingly meaningless for contemporary society. Environmental injustice is lived and experienced, it is …
Leading From Within The Shadow Of Doubt: A Servant-Leader's Approach To Conceptualization And Foresight, Michael T. Von Behren
Leading From Within The Shadow Of Doubt: A Servant-Leader's Approach To Conceptualization And Foresight, Michael T. Von Behren
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
The fifty-four mile march from Selma to Montgomery through rural Alabama holds sacred space both geographically as well as on the list of the most iconic moments of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Thanks to the ongoing public service of Rep. John Lewis, who as a young man aided in organizing that march, the route is now a National Historic Trail offering interpretive centers and recreation areas for those seeking to learn from the trail blazing leaders of this country’s struggle for equity (National Park Service, 2020). Two marches bookend the trail’s history. The first, better known …
The Servant-Leader On The Battlefield: Themes Of Home, Ambition, Ethics, And Death In The Film 1917, Joe Walsh
The Servant-Leader On The Battlefield: Themes Of Home, Ambition, Ethics, And Death In The Film 1917, Joe Walsh
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Film provides a unique medium in which the audience can be engaged through many senses, asking viewers to participate in the storytelling beyond a passive consumption of the artform (Barsam & Monahan, 2016). As art acts as a reflection of reality and the human connection to the great unanswered questions, studying film is a powerful case-study device for leadership scholars and practitioners. “No well-made film is unable to teach us something about leadership because leadership is about conflict, choices, and integrity” (Carey, 2005). Leadership studies often looks at military structures and other perilous situations for leadership lessons in success or …
A Personal Remembrance Of Robert K. Greenleaf, Larry C. Spears
A Personal Remembrance Of Robert K. Greenleaf, Larry C. Spears
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Larry C. Spears shares a personal remembrance of Robert K. Greenleaf. An earlier version of this remembrance was published in “The Servant-Leader” newsletter (1990). It later appeared as a chapter in Fortuitous Encounters by Paul Davis and Larry Spears (2013).
Servants Of The Times: Process-Relation And Complexity In Servant First Leadership, Michael T. Von Behren
Servants Of The Times: Process-Relation And Complexity In Servant First Leadership, Michael T. Von Behren
International Journal of Servant-Leadership
A bus seat in the first Colored row, an unusual flood of White commuters, a testy bus driver, a recently minted young minister, and a U.S. court order for desegregation, none of these are static items. Each is a happening in itself. Each is the product of a precipitating flood of moments leading up to an event or more than an event, a protracted event that history has dubbed the Montgomery Bus Boycott. On the other side of the 381-day ordeal Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as the nationally recognized leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC) (Williams, 1996/2009). …