Bethany College has adopted Servant-Leadership as one of its core values.  Bethany College believes leadership that is grounded in service liberates all who work and study at Bethany to be skilled, empathic listeners; to develop problem-solving skills; and to embrace the challenge of guiding others. As students, faculty and staff seek to be servants first, motivation for leadership grows out of a commitment to the common good.

Robert K. Greenleaf – The father of the modern philosophy of servant-leadership, in the early 70’s called for a more caring, serving type of leadership as an answer to what he considered to be a crisis in leadership, one that exists to this day.  My desire for this project is founded in Robert Greenleaf’s 1970 claim that a leadership crisis exists in the world mainly due to a lack of leadership development, especially at the university level.  I feel strongly that this leadership crisis continues today, and may be worse now than at any time in the recent past.

This project involves the revision of the current Bethany College first-year servant-leadership syllabus, including:

• Incorporating course competencies that are more reflective of contemporary writings regarding servant-leadership.

• The revision of current servant-leadership course content which will contribute to the overall understanding of the essence of servant-leadership.

• Reflections on the general field of leadership theory leading to a better understanding of the distinctiveness, as well as the strengths and limitations of Greenleaf's servant-leadership work.

• The development of assessment tools which will be used to evaluate the success of the course modifications.

To this end, the following 14 class sessions were modified to better focus on contemporary understandings of the philosophy of servant-leadership:

1. An Introduction to Servant-Leadership: To begin to develop an understanding of leaders and leadership as a basis for introducing the philosophy of servant-leadership.

   1. Outcomes:

      1. Students will articulate through dialogue their current understanding of leaders and leadership.

      2. Students will explore the various attributes or characteristics that are commonly associated with those who are thought of as leaders.

      3. Students will be introduced to the philosophy of servant leadership.

2. Historical Models of Leadership: To examine historical hierarchical leadership models and contrast those models with the philosophy of servant leadership. The student will explore power, authority, and influence in leadership roles, and begin to explore the core precepts that make servant leadership a recommended leadership style for all organizations.

   1. Outcomes:

      1. Students will articulate an understanding of historical leadership models.

      2. Students will be introduced to Robert K. Greenleaf and his philosophy of servant leadership.

      3. Students will be introduced to Greenleaf’s “Best Test for Servant Leadership.”

      4. Students will be introduced to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

      5. Students will be able to articulate the differences between “power” and “influence.”

3. The struggle with being a "servant" leader: To identify some of the mental obstacles that discourage us from serving, and identify ways in which we can overcome these obstacles in an effort to develop the self and enable others in an endeavor to create wholeness.

   1. Outcomes:

      1. The student will be able to articulate an understanding of the terms “servant” and “servitude.”

      2. The student will be able to articulate obstacles and resistance to serving.

      3. The student will be able to articulate personal values, their formation, and why they are important to overcome our resistance to service.

      4. The student will better understand the benefit of service to self, to others, and to society.

4. Personality Types & Servant Leadership: Exploring different personality types and ways of learning and seeing the world around us as a means for more effective service and leadership in society.

   1. Outcomes:

      1. The student will be able to articulate their own personality type and/or learning style.

      2. The student will be able to articulate their strengths and weaknesses based upon their learning style.

      3. The student will be introduced to a way of seeing the uniqueness in themselves and their fellow students.

      4. The student will be able to articulate why differences in learning style are critical to effective servant-leadership in the enhancement and development of self and others.

      5. The student will be introduced to the areas in which they need to improve based on their learning style.

5. Leadership, Organizational Frames & Transcendence: Our perception influences our ability to serve and to lead.  This session will focus on organizational frames of reference and the need to see and understand these frames individually as well as see them as just a part of the whole... to see many things at once as the whole.

   1. Outcomes:

      1. The student will develop an understanding of  Michael Carey's (2012) Five Frames.

      2. The student will be able to articulate an understanding of embeddedness within a private or partial truth.

      3. The student will be able to articulate how the embedded manager or leader may resort to control techniques created to keep others in line.

      4. The student will come to understand that effective leadership is possible only to the extent that we are able to move beyond, or transcend the parameters of a preferred framework, and how this helps leaders to better understand other’s points of view.

6. Human Development Theory & Leadership: Using human development theory as an additional theoretical framework, students will gain insights into different leadership styles and their relationship to human development theory.

   1. Outcomes:

      1. The student will be able to articulate an understanding of the progression of human psychological development based on Brian Hall’s (1994) developmental model.

      2. The student will be able to articulate how psychological development influences our leadership style and ability.

      3. The student will be able to articulate an understanding of their own current phase of development and why understanding one’s own phase of development, as well as others, is important to human relationships.

7. Applying Greenleaf's Best Test for Servant-Leadership I: Servant leadership is in many ways built on the influence that comes from service and sacrifice. Many of the characteristics of servant leadership are deliberate choices which are natural, or can be learned and practiced in our daily lives, refined and strengthened for the betterment of society.  This session placed students into an environment at a local grade school where the student was placed in a position to lead and to influence some of the most vulnerable members of society.

   1. Outcomes:

      1. The student will be able to articulate a basic understanding of Robert Greenleaf’s “Best Test for Servant Leadership.”

      2. The student will be able to articulate an understanding of the foundational elements for servant leadership.

      3. The student will be able to articulate a basic understanding of authority and influence versus power and control.

8. Applying Greenleaf's Best Test for Servant-Leadership II: A de-brief session which focused on the experience of leading and working with young children as well as the outcomes of the previous session.

9. Listening - The Foundation of Effective Leadership: Listening has been identified as the most frequently mentioned of all the characteristics associated with servant-leadership.  Listening is foundational to many, if not all servant-leadership characteristics.

   1. Outcomes:

      1. The student will be able to articulate an understanding of conscious, active and empathic listening skills in relationship to effective communication and leadership.

      2. The student will be able to describe listening skills and their components, including feedback.

      3. The student will be able to engage in and model conscious, active, empathic listening.

10. Leadership - Awareness & Foresight: Foresight has been referred to as the least explored area of servant leadership. Both awareness and foresight require us to keep an open mind, an open heart, and an open will. As servant leaders, it is imperative that we learn to recognize those things that block our ability to keep an open mind, heart, and will. The aim of this session is to identify the obstacles that prevent an open mind, heart and will in an attempt to create greater individual and organizational awareness and foster creative foresight.

    1. Outcomes:

       1. The student will demonstrate familiarity with the general theory, practices and processes of awareness and foresight.

       2. The student will articulate an understanding of the obstacles to awareness and foresight and how they might be overcome.

       3. The student will be able to apply awareness and foresight strategically to their personal journey.

11. Leadership, Forgiveness & Healing: As servant-leaders we are called to be the active presence of reconciliation in the world.  Forgiveness leads to healing for the self and for the other leading to wholeness.  The servant-leader is the first to ask for forgiveness, taking the first steps towards reconciliation.

    1. Outcomes:

       1. The student will gain initial understandings of what a servant-leadership oriented stance toward forgiveness and healing entails.

       2. The student will begin to form a deeper appreciation for forgivness as a life-giving process in the midst of past and current human atrocities and human suffering.

       3. The student will gain understandings of the nature of freedom and responsibility in the self, and the inherent calling this places on the individual within personal, social, and global systems.

12. Servant-Leadership and the Art of Persuasion: This session emphasizes the use of persuasion as a method of influencing others, rather than developmentally immature, power-based methods such as coercion, manipulation, and dominance.

    1. Outcomes:

       1. The student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the practice of ethical persuasion and persuasion techniques.

       2. The student will be able to contrast the practice of ethical persuasion with coercion and manipulation.

       3. The students will be introduced to a number of rhetorical appeals.

       4. Students will determine how rhetorical appeals are used in a statement.

       5. Students will determine the text that supports the identification of a particular rhetorical appeal.

13. Individual Student Presentations

14. Individual Student Presentations

For their finial presentation, each student was required to select one of two final servant-leadership project options.  These options included:

Option A: Group Training Session
*May be completed with 1 partner (and ONLY 1 partner).

The student(s) will create a guide for a 3-hour training on servant-leadership for a group of (imaginary) future employees or colleagues.  The training session may be one single, longer session; or 2-3 shorter sessions, however careful consideration should be given to the demands of each type of approach.  The student(s) must use one of two films: It’s a Wonderful Life or Hotel Rwanda as a part of their training program.  The student(s) should select a particular area or application of servant-leadership, with measurable outcomes (do not attempt an overview of the entire course).  The student may also use other resources from this course.  The student should provide a basic syllabus describing course outcomes, expectations, schedule, assignments, and required readings/materials.  Students must also provide the “session guides” for the training, as if you were preparing them for another person’s use in teaching.

The project proposal must include the following:

• Project Proposal (1 page worksheet): The student should complete the worksheet provided to identify the setting, trainee group, course layout, focus topic, and the film to be used in the training.

• Draft (3-4 pages): Most of the syllabus should be organized, and you should have a draft for guide each of the sessions (or a longer draft if you are using one long session).

• Written Materials (minimum 5 pages: 2 for the syllabus and approximately 1 per hour of training session): don’t forget to include any resources you use or assign (such as class handouts).

• Oral Presentation (5 minutes per person): Give an overview of your course layout and present at least one session guide (or an hour’s equivalent) in some detail.  Partners may share a 10-minute presentation together, but each partner should lead an equal amount of the presentation.

Option B: Self-directed Individual Practice
*May be partially completed as a group with up to 4 (and NO MORE) members

Student(s) will select one of the 10 characteristics of servant leadership and develop a daily practice which will followed for four weeks during the course in order to improve your awareness and exercise of this characteristic.  The daily practice must include a preparation phase, a practice phase, and a contemplation phase (including a written component).  Students may also include a weekly structure, including different practices for different days; and a seventh-day review of the preceding week.  Your practice must also include at least one accountability check-point: a weekly review with your group, or with an identified and approved college personnel member.  

The project proposal must include the following:

• A one-page worksheet wherein the student will identify and define the primary servant leadership trait for practice; individual personal goals; the structure of your proposed practice; and an accountability check-point.

• A project draft (3-4 pages) including daily and weekly reflections log to this point, including the two accountability check-ins you have completed so far.

• Written Materials (minimum 6 pages) in which the student introduces and defines the focus trait, practice, and accountability approach; summarizing what did and did not work well in the practice; and summarizing progress toward the goals initially identified.  How would you go on from here?  Your daily log and accountability log should be appended.

• Oral Presentation (5 minutes per person): Your presenation should introduce and define your focus trait, practice, and accountability approach; sharing the highlights of what went well (or poorly) in the actual practice; and summarizing progress toward the goals initially identified.  How would you go on from here?  Groups may share the presentation as applicable, but each person must speak about their personal practice experience.  Discuss the plan to present as a group with your instructor ahead of time for clearance.

In addition to the final project, students were required to create and submit three reflective essays, one essay after each four-class units.  The reflective essays required included:

• Unit One Review (Sessions 1-4) – Reflective Essay (350-400 words): The student should interview someone they identify as a leader, explain servant leadership to him/her, and find out what her/his experience is.  How does his/her view compare to the class readings, videos and discussions?  The student should summarize the interviewee’s views and react with their own views in a Leader Interview Paper.

• Unit Two Review (Sessions 5-8) – Reflective Essay (350-400 words): The student should write a Servant Leader Assessment Paper in which they describe how they understand themselves as a servant leader in training.  The student should draw on the information presented in the course and help to transition from subjective to objective.  The student should strive to write at least the summary section of their paper using the 3rd person rather than the 1st person.

• Unit Three Review (Sessions 9-12) – Reflective Essay (350-400 words): The student should write a film critique paper in which they choose a character from the film Something the Lord Made to critique from the perspective of servant-leadership.  For this assignment, the student should consider in particular the role of forgiveness and healing in servant-leadership.  How does the presence or absence of servant-leadership affect the drama of human life as illustrated in the storyline of the film?  How is reconciliation attempted?  Is healing possible? How has/does the presence or absence of servant-leadership affect the student's life, particularly with regard to forgiveness and healing?