Competitive Advantages
A. Visit the “Competitive Advantages” page of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership website and review the articles indicating ways that servant leadership helps organizations gain competitive advantage. Using that information along with the Topic Materials, discuss how servant leadership contributes to competitive advantage in contemporary organizations. Provide specific industry examples of companies that have thrived as servant leaders.
B. One of the challenges often faced by nonprofit organizations is financial viability. Consider how the service leadership model can make a nonprofit organization competitive in ways that are not profit driven. In your post, discuss whether or not the value the nonprofit provides to the community and the greater good is professionally appealing enough to make you want to explore as a career opportunity despite the fact that in many cases than the personal and financial gains offered by nonprofits may not match what is available in for-profit organizations.
RESOURCESElectronic Resource
- “Servant Leadership” – Serve to Be Great
Read “‘Servant Leadership’ – Serve to Be Great,” located on the Intellisource website (2015).
- 1 Little-Known Advantage Most Investors Miss
Read “1 Little-Known Advantage Most Investors Miss,” by Lomax, located on The Motley Fool website (2014).
- At Their Service
Read “At Their Service,” by Drake, located on the Smart CEO website (2013).
- DOs & DON’Ts of Servant Leadership
Read “DOs & DON’Ts of Servant Leadership,” located on the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center website (2015).
- Leadership Expert Simon Sinek on Putting Others First
View “Leadership Expert Simon Sinek on Putting Others First,” located on the YouTube website (2014).
- Servant Leadership Sustains Competitive US Manufacturing Advantage
Read “Servant Leadership Sustains Competitive US Manufacturing Advantage,” by Martin, located on the Industry Today website (2012).
- Servant Leadership: A Path to High Performance
Read “Servant Leadership: A Path to High Performance,” by Hess, from The Washington Post (2013).
Website
- America’s Worst Charities
The America’s Worst Charities website can be used to conduct research for the topic assignment.
- Charity Navigator
The Charity Navigator website can be used to conduct research for the topic assignment.
- Charity Watch
The Top Rated Charities page of the Charity Watch website can be used to conduct research for the topic assignment.
- Competitive Advantages
Review the Competitive Advantages page of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership website to locate servant leadership articles.
- TopNonprofits
The Top 100 Nonprofits on the Web page of the TopNonprofits website can be used to conduct research for the topic assignment.
Unit 3
A. Think about how your personal values correlate with the principles of servant leadership. How can you draw on values and servant leadership principles to better establish your followership to better serve those you lead professionally and personally?
B. Suppose you go to work for an organization that you discover does not align with your personal values. You are in a leadership role and you are not in a position to leave the job. How do you ethically represent the company without compromising your own beliefs? What is the deal breaker for you? How does ethically representing the company demonstrate your ability to be a servant leader?
RESOURCESElectronic Resource
- As a Servant Leader, You Can Change the World Commencement Address
Read “‘As a Servant Leader, You Can Change the World’ Commencement Address,” by George, located on the Bill George website (2013).
Other
- Individual and Corporate Servant Leaders
The “Individual and Corporate Servant Leaders” resource can be used as a reference for discussion questions throughout the course and for completion of some course assignments.
Unit 5A. Learn about current trends in servant leadership by conducting your own research and locating an article that illustrates how the principles of servant leadership are being employed in the workplace, as part of a volunteer or service effort, or in an individual’s personal life. In the Main Forum, post a short summary and a link to the article. Discuss what you learned from reading the article and whether or not you would consider applying servant leadership in a similar way.
B. The article “Why Isn’t Servant Leadership More Prevalent?” poses the question, “But if servant leadership is as effective as portrayed in recent research, why isn’t it more prevalent?” Using what you have learned about the principles of servant leadership and your own experiences, address this question. Use examples to support your hypotheses.
RESOURCESElectronic Resource
- Simon Sinek: Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe
View “Simon Sinek: Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe,” located on the TED website (2014).
Unit 6
A. Think about Greenleaf’s principles of servant leadership and what you have learned about the biblical foundation of servant leadership. Identify specific principles of servant leadership that, when employed effectively, can proliferate respect for multiculturalism and diversity within the organizations and communities they serve? Provide specific examples to illustrate your ideas.
B. Research an international servant leader or international servant leadership organization to examine the similarities and differences in the way servant leadership is executed in Western culture and Christianity when compared with other cultures and religions. Summarize the similarities and differences you discovered and discuss which principles of servant leadership you think are universal, regardless of religious and cultural differences. Provide examples to support your opinions.
RESOURCESElectronic Resource
- Effective Leadership Within a Multinational Environment
Read “Effective Leadership Within a Multinational Environment,” by Rentfrow, located on the Leadership Advance Online website (2007).
Unit 7
A. In the Topic Materials you read several examples of ways that servant leadership can be displayed through true volunteerism and acts of service to others. Research an historic or current servant leader who is a true volunteer in service to others. In what ways does the person inspire leadership while building his or her own character and integrity? How does this leader exemplify the moral obligation to lead through kindness, compassion, and justice?
B. Share the servant leadership volunteer opportunity you are completing. Discuss how you think this experience will help you develop your own character and give you experience in leading through exhibiting kindness, compassion, and justice.
RESOURCES- When Servant Becomes Leader: The Corazon C. Aquino Success Story as a Beacon for Business Leaders
Read “When Servant Becomes Leader: The Corazon C. Aquino Success Story as a Beacon for Business Leaders,” by Udani and Lorenzo-Molo, from Journal of Business Ethics (2013).
Unit 8
A. Now that you have participated in your servant leadership opportunity, discuss how the experience affected your understanding of how through serving others one actually leads. Support your ideas with specific examples from your volunteer experience.
B. Watch the video “Servant Leadership – Joe Schmitt.” Discuss why this is a good example of leadership through acts of service in terms of the way the actions of the leader demonstrate integrity and personal character building while also establishing followership and pushing others to grow professionally through emulating his actions. Discuss how this example embraces both Greenleaf’s principles of servant leadership and the call to service evident in Christianity.
RESOURCES
Electronic Resource
- Drew Dudley “Everyday Leadership” – TED Talks
View “Drew Dudley ‘Everyday Leadership’ – TED Talks,” located on the YouTube website (2013).
