Question

TOPIC —- LEADERSHIP
Conduct a multi-source review of the literature on servant leadership. Use high-level synthesis thinking to respond to the following questions:

# Is it possible to lead and serve at the same time? Do you think followers would respect a leader who is serving them? Please justify your answers.
# Review the 10 characteristics of a servant leader (see the link in your Resource section). Do you think it is possible for anyone to have all these characteristics? Do you think a servant leader has to be a moral leader? Explain your responses.
#How does servant leadership theory compare or contrast with trait theory? 

PLEASE RESPOND TO THE ITEMIZED QUESTIONS ABOVE CITING SOURCES ALSO

Answer

Leadership types and influences

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1. Is it possible to lead and serve at the same time? Do you think followers would respect a leader who is serving them?

It is not possible for a leader to lead and serve at the same time. Followers can easily refuse to respect the authority of a leader who seems preoccupied with serving rather than leading. According to Spears (2010), some of the characteristics of a servant-leader include listening, empathy, stewardship, and foresight. McGee-Cooper &Looper (2001) argue that these characteristics show that the servant-leader spends too much demonstrating that he cares for his followers. This may indicate that such a leader spares too little time or no time at all for the exercise of authority. According to Yukl (2002), there is nothing wrong with the exercise of authority by a leader as long as that is a leader is using legitimate authority. Thus, a leader who is slightly more emphatic on leading rather than serving is likely to be more effective in terms of efforts to assert the legitimacy and integrity of the leadership position.

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• Review the 10 characteristics of a servant leader (see the link in your Resource section). Do you think it is possible for anyone to have all these characteristics? Do you think a servant leader has to be a moral leader? Explain your responses.

I do not think that a leader can possess all the characteristics that Spears (2010) outlines in his article. For example, a leader may be hard put to portray his listening skills to a follower who is not keen on reciprocating the gesture by listening to the leader when the leader’s turn to speak comes. The same thing applies to the other characteristics of a servant-leader, including empathy, persuasion, healing, stewardship, and efforts towards building community. In other words, not every follower understands things from the perspective of the moral compass. I think it is wrong for a leader to be nothing else but a moral leader. Rather than adopting the moral perspective alone, the leader should also embrace aspects of transactional leadership, whereby compliance is promoted through a system of rewards and punishments (Wofford & Goodwin, 1994). 

• How does servant leadership theory compare or contrast with trait theory? 

Servant leadership emphasizes characteristics that entail serving followers while trait theory identifies the personality traits that an individual should possess in order to become an effective leader. Whereas servant leadership is about nurturing certain qualities as a leader, trait theory is about determining whether or not an individual possesses certain personality traits. The servant leadership theory more or less provides a normative framework while the trait theory offers a checklist for determining who is a leader and who is not.

In trait theory, those individuals who do not possess certain personality traits are assumed to make ineffective leaders (Colbert et al., 2012). Some of the leadership traits identified in trait theory include leadership motivation, self-confidence, and emotional maturity(Colbert et al., 2012). However, both theories are similar in terms of some of the leadership characteristics they identify. For example, both of them emphasize the importance of honesty, awareness, and understanding.

References

Colbert, A., Judge, T. Choia, D., & Wang, G. (2012). Assessing the trait theory of leadership using self and observer ratings of personality: The mediating role of contributions to group success. The Leadership Quarterly, 23(4), 670–685.

McGee-Cooper, A. &Looper, G. (2001). The Essentials of Servant Leadership: Principles in Practice. Dallas, TX: Ann McGee-Cooper & Associates, Inc.

Spears, L. (2010). Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders. The Journal of Virtues & Leadership, 1(1), 25-30.

Wofford, J. & Goodwin, V. (1994). A cognitive interpretation of transactional and transformational leadership theories. The Leadership Quarterly,5(2), 161–186.

Yukl, G. (2001). Leadership in Organizations. Boston, MA: Prentice-Hall.