Servant_and_Transformational_Leadership

Mentoring and Coaching in the Workplace: Using Servant and Transformational Leadership Tianna Holmes Bellevue University Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce and servant and transformational leadership. I want to show what these two types of leadership are and how they work in the workplace. I also plan to overview ways that managers can go about using these different types of leadership values. I want to show how using these leadership styles will differ in terms of mentoring and coaching among employees, staff and managers. History Transformational and servant leadership are rooted in the study of charismatic leadership. An early conceptual model of "charismatic leadership" has been closely linked with the work of Max Weber, who described the leader as a charismatic person who exercised power through followers' identification with and belief in the leader's personality. Both transformational and servant leadership are both inspirational and moral. Transformational leadership is defined as having four conceptually distinct elements: charismatic leadership/idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (Bass, 1996). Servant leadership has six distinct components: valuing people, developing people, building community, displaying authenticity, providing leadership, sharing leadership (Kuzmenko, 2004). Two questions are addressed in this analysis. The first asks the extent to which the specified leader behaviors overlap in the two models. The second question examines the extent to which each model may be appropriate for clearly distinct contexts. Leaders come in many varieties and each typically has its own style and personality. What works to motivate one type of employee is usually different for the next employee. Successful managers know when to change their management styles, as well as what works for each particular situation. The different management styles affect the workplace and employees in their own unique way. Servant Leadership To create a servant workforce, you must put into practice guiding principles or 'habits' that encourages sensitivity, integrity, and a sense of community within your organization. Be an Active Listener In the words of Steven Covey, "you must first seek to understand, then to be understood." Problems, whether they are coworker disputes or handling a large spurt of production delays or downsizing your workforce, all require a degree of listening first to what employees need to understand how to effectively deal with and solve the underlying problem. Traditionally, leaders have been valued for their communication skills and decision-making abilities. Servant-leaders must reinforce these important skills by making a deep commitment to actively listening to others. Servant-leaders seek to identify and clarify the will of a group. They seek to listen receptively to what is being and said (and not said) among others. By listening with intent, followers feel understood and valued, even under pressure, the servant leader demonstrates a sense of empathy and compassion by taking the time to understand what one's body, spirit, and mind are communicating. Be Empathic Do people believe that you will understand what is happening in their lives and how it affects them' Servant leaders can "walk in others' shoes" and recognize the unique value of each employee. They understand and empathize with others' circumstances and problems. Leaders who are empathetic have earned confidence from others by understanding whatever situation is being faced. This characteristic is a skill that comes more naturally to some than others, but it is pertinent for all who aspire to be a servant leader. Establish Trust Establishing trust is an essential part of being a servant leader. Leaders who display sincerity, integrity, and candor in all their actions will inspire trust from followers. In the age of corporate scandals, a CEO's integrity has been tainted and employees feel less inclined to instinctively trust their leaders, making honesty an even more crucial part of a leader's character. For the servant leader, honesty is vital and the ability to establish trust with others fosters a greater sense of openness and truthfulness with followers so that they feel a higher sense of commitment and purpose to the organization they serve. Be Persuasive Servant-leaders rely on persuasion, rather than positional authority in making decisions. Servant-leaders seek to convince others, rather than coerce compliance. This particular habit offers one of the clearest distinctions between the traditional authoritarian model and that of servant-leadership. The servant-leader is effective at building consensus within groups and demonstrates a greater trust among those who work for them. Transformational Leadership When an organization undergoes a dramatic change, such as replacing the executive level staff, transformational leaders can motivate the workforce. A transformational leader is often a passionate visionary who exudes charisma. The transformational leadership style is rare and naturally inspires others to follow. It can affect the organization by creating new ways to engage employees and solve old problems. Because transformational leadership covers a wide range of aspects within leadership, there are no specific steps for a manager to follow. Becoming an effective transformational leader is a process. This means that conscious effort must be made to adopt a transformational style. Understanding the basics of transformational leadership and the four I's can help a manager apply this approach. According to Northouse (2001), a transformational leader has the following qualities: * empowers followers to do what is best for the organization; * is a strong role model with high values; * listens to all viewpoints to develop a spirit of cooperation; * creates a vision, using people in the organization; * acts as a change agent within the organization by setting an example of how to initiate and implement change; * helps the organization by helping others contribute to the organization Transformational leadership is a vital role for effective managers because leader effectiveness determines the success level of the organization. According to Hesselbein and Cohen (1999, p. 263), organizations that take the time to teach leadership are far ahead of the competition. By becoming familiar with the transformational leadership approach and combining the four I's, managers can become effective leaders in the business world. Transformational leadership can be applied in one-on-one or group situations. Using this approach, the manager (leader) and the associates (followers) are “transformed” to enhance job performance and help the organization be more productive and successful. Conclusion So, whether you manage a team at work, captain a sports team, or lead a major corporation, which approach is best' Consciously, or subconsciously, you'll probably use some of the leadership styles in this paper at some point. Understanding these styles and their impact can help you develop your own, personal leadership style – and help you become a more effective leader. With this in mind, there are many different frameworks that have shaped our current understanding of leadership, and many of these have their place, just as long as they're used appropriately. References Bass B. M., Avolio B. J. (Eds.). (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Hesselbein, Frances, and Paul M. Cohen. (1999). Leader to Leader. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Kuzmenko, Tatiana N. (2004) Transformational and servant leadership: content and contextual comparisons. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies Northouse, Peter G. (2001). Leadership Theory and Practice, second edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.