Being a Servant Leader, Essay Example

Introduction

Leadership is often defined as the process by which one or more individuals are able to influence the greater aspect of operations of a particular society. Individuals given the chance to stand as leaders are expected to create possible ways by which they would be able to stand as bridge between human expectations and the actual realization of the said assumptions. Most often than not, expected to provide better ways of gaining advancement in the society, leaders are often required to have particular skills that would make it easier for them to complete their tasks at a more competent status. Nevertheless, there is no single option of leadership that is required for everyone else to follow. As for a fact, every leader is expected to adapt a system of his own; a system of leadership that would work for the situation and the people he deals with and would actually have a great impact on how he puts up with such situations through the skills that he has as a leader and as a person.

It is also said that there is a leader in everyone else; this notes the idea that every person has the capacity to lead; however not everyone is expected to be a good leader. While leadership can be practiced and learned, the most important factors that make an individual a good leader should be innate and considerably grounded from the actual being of the person. For instance, a person who has long patience with others and has persistence when it comes to completing his own tasks would of course be expected to become a highly effective leader. On the other end, a person who has less control of his anger or his emotions might end up messing up the whole group than actually helping them to realize their best options of growth. Control and self-discipline are two among the most important aspects of good leadership; however, there are still other characteristics that make a person a good leader. In the discussion that follows, a person’s capacity to become servant leader shall be given attention to. Based on the personal being of the author of this writing, the different assumptive attitudes of the author shall be given attention to as they relate to the different assigned readings about good leadership.

What is a Leader?

To lead, to guide; these are the most common responsibilities of a leader. An institution or an organization is expected to have particular goals and missions. To reach those goals, the people in the said organization need to be lead by an individual who knows what those factors are and what values they represent for the whole organization, the people and the society that they serve. The chosen or assigned individual to take such responsibility is often able to attain particular requirements especially noted to have an impact on how the people perform alongside the whole organization as a team of unified individuals.

In relation to historical record, leaders are noted to have a common condition or attitude that allows them to be effective in giving guidance to other people [especially among groups]. These individuals are notably motivated and specifically driven by their desire to influence others. It is because of that drive that they are able to manifest a sense of authority among others. However, not all who are properly driven are able to gain the reputation of being entirely good leaders. As for a fact, many among the current leaders, although they are properly driven end up losing the real essence of true leadership therefore developing particular shortcomings that makes them less of a well-celebrated individual. Practically, a leader is a person who is able to balance his motivation with the desire to work for others as well as work with others to be able to come up with more efficient ways of directing an organization or the whole society towards a progressive stance of development.

Who is the Leader?

A good leader can be made, he need not necessarily be born a good leader. However, the attitudes that one develops as he grows older specifically defines his being as a good person thus enabling him to become a good leader later on. Learning from the family roots, gaining knowledge from culture and achieving particular lessons taught by life itself, a good leader is someone who is able to take both the good and bad and make them work for the best conditions that the world can thrive with. In short, a leader is a person who is willing to adjust himself, improve his capacities as well as develop his skills for the sake of providing others with a better option of living.

Personal Leadership Definition

In a personal context, the author of this material tries to develop particular attitudes that help in becoming a good servant leader. Being a leader specifically notes the capacity of one to guide others, however, when it comes to being a servant leader, the demarcation line lies on the capacity of a person to serve others fully while also affecting them or influencing them to work towards one specific goal. The idea of influence is dependent on how much positively motivated they become because of the one leading as he sets the proper example for them to follow rather than simply directing them with the tasks that they are expected to complete.

From the point of service, the author of this essay entails to create a distinct pattern that would provide him with the chance to personally develop a system that is specifically directed towards becoming a servant leader. Knowing what the group to be lead is expecting from the leader should be the base foundation of the individual’s system of leadership. This would allow for a better process of relationship development between the leader and the members of the group.

Among the strengths of the author that is still being planned to be improved includes the capability to respond to the needs of others through listening to their concerns as they talk about it and as they manage to present it as part of their daily routines. Being sensitive with their concerns at all times is a specific matter that makes the author of this essay an individual ready to serve others in relation to what they need and what they deserve as members of a particular group. Another strength of the author includes the capacity to adjust to what others want and what they actually deserve to receive. An example of this is that of the manner by which the author is willing to adjust to the situation of the others thus making it easier for them to also create adjustments on themselves to be able to meet up with the requirements of performing with the entire group as a united entity.

There are also some weaknesses that the author is noted for. One of which is that of the lack of control when it comes to directing the people according to the tasks that are supposed to be completed. Relatively, this weakness has a strong impact on how the entire group performs. Understandably, improving such manner of control would allow the author a better sense of understanding how the group would actually be able to adjust to the whole situation as needed especially when it comes to the aspect of managing the people and how they are supposed to perform according to requirements. In a way, gaining such control would also be a part of serving them and their needs as members of the group.

Conclusion

Learning along the way is a part of becoming a good leader. Most often than not, it could be realized that it is the willingness of an individual that becomes the core source of a person becoming a good leader. There are instances when changes needed to be given attention to should be considered accordingly. When it comes to making sense out of the different situations that a particular group encounters, a good leader is able to make a distinct indication on how the balance of dealing with the needs of the organization, the needs of the members of the group and the needs of the leader as well.

References:

Kouzes, JM. (2006). Christian Reflections on The Leadership Challenge. John Wiley and Sons Publishing.

Bess, T.L. & Harvey, R.J. (2001). “Bimodal score distributions and the MBTI: Fact or artifact?”. The Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San Diego 2001.

Covey, S. R. (1989). Organizing change: Upward Spiral. Free Press.

Nowack, K. (1996). Is the Myers Briggs Type Indicator the Right Tool to Use? Performance in Practice, American Society of Training and Development, Fall 1996, 6.