Servant leadership focuses on the needs of others. These leaders help to nurture and grow their followers. It sometimes takes time for leaders to transition their focus from themselves to serving the needs of others. Complete the “Leader’s Self-Insight 6.2” self-assessment on page 180 in your textbook to determine how close you are to becoming a servant leader. Address the following in a two-page essay:
- Give a brief synopsis of your score and interpretation of the self-assessment. Make sure to describe your leadership characteristics, and explain how they align (or do not align if that is the case) to the four precepts presented in the Greenleaf model of servant leadership. [Unit Learning Outcome 2.1]
- Describe what you see as an area of strength and an area of improvement. Determine what characteristics you value the most. [Unit Learning Outcome 2.1]
- Put your leadership skills (your identified strengths and areas of improvement) into action. How can you apply what you have assessed in this unit to influence others and improve followers’ performance or outcomes? [Unit Learning Outcome 2.2]
Your response should be a minimum of two double-spaced pages, not counting the title and reference pages. Your essay should be formatted in accordance with APA style. Outside references are not required, but if you include them, they should also follow APA style.
MSL 6000, Psychological Foundations of Leadership 1
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
2. Assess influence tactics used by leaders.
2.1 Analyze servant leadership traits.
2.2 Determine how leadership skills can influence others and improve employee performance.
Course/Unit
Learning Outcomes
Learning Activity
2.1
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Unit VI Essay
2.2
Unit Lesson
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Unit VI Essay
In addition to a physical copy of the textbook, each unit contains the eTextbook version of the assigned
reading chapters. If preferred, click on Unit VI in the course navigation menu to access the online version of
the assigned chapters.
Chapter 5: Leadership Mind and Emotion, pp. 135–158
Chapter 6: Courage and Moral Leadership, pp. 167–187
Unit Lesson
Leaders have a myriad of tactics they can use to influence their followers. Some of these are more
emotional or mental methods that they use to affect the behavior of their followers; others are more
process-focused, which is a more systematic approach to motivation. Leaders will find that, in some
situations, one method works better than the other, and, at other times, they may find themselves leading
with both their head and their heart. Effective leaders will balance their use of hard tactics, such as
issuing direct orders with softer, more collaborative directions. It can be challenging to determine which
combination of methods will be most effective when trying to persuade followers to complete an objective
or comply with a request. This unit covers the personal side of leadership and the different tactics
leaders use to influence their followers. Emotional intelligence (EQ), ethical leadership, moral
development, and servant leadership are just a few of the leadership behaviors that will be covered.
In order for leaders to influence their followers and give them a sense of meaning and purpose, they must be
comfortable utilizing both emotional and rational leadership methods. Leaders are affected by the same
internal and external factors that affect businesses. For example, a company’s mission, communication,
organizational culture, structure, the economy, and social and political factors will have an effect on not only
the business but also on those who are in a leadership position with the organization. Leaders should be
mindful of changes in the internal and external environment and be alert to how these changes affect their
UNIT VI STUDY GUIDE
MSL 6000, Psychological Foundations of Leadership 2
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
followers and their ability to lead. Leaders need to be open and receptive to change as it occurs. Daft (2018)
shares four key areas relevant to expanding and developing a leader’s mind:
Some leaders and researchers have suggested that “emotion, more than cognitive ability, drives our thinking
and decision making” (Daft, 2018, p. 146). Leaders must understand that individuals have both positive and
negative emotions, each affecting the organization as well as the leader’s behavior. Emotional intelligence
(EQ) describes “A person’s abilities to perceive, identify, understand, and successfully manage emotions in
self and others” (Daft, 2018, p. 146). The components of EQ are listed below.
Self-awareness: understanding how your emotions affect others
Self-management: the ability to control one’s own emotions
Social awareness: an understanding of others
Relationship management: an understanding of how to connect and build healthy relationships with
others
Leaders use EQ as a means of motivation, growth, development, and expanding their own minds and hearts
through repetition and conscious usage. EQ is a vital trait in today’s leaders as they try to examine not only
the business situations but also the emotions of their followers. Leaders who can accurately read their
follower’s strengths and weaknesses will have a better chance at gaining emotional insights into what drives
and motivates their followers to act. Anger, sadness, relief, love, enjoyment, and even envy are all emotions
that a leader will have to contend with while leading people. Leaders must find a way to balance an emotional
connection with their followers while not allowing emotions to negatively affect their work.
Every day, leaders juggle multiple roles and are responsible for the ethical climate in their organization. With
the competitive pressures that leaders face, there is a constant flow of potential stumbling blocks that could
affect their ability to meet both short and long term goals. This type of climate often leads to intense scrutiny
and sometimes, even corruption as leaders feel the pressure to meet deadlines and objectives. It is important
to note that the leader’s ethical behavior is the primary driver that sets the tone for the organization.
Employees will likely follow the behavior exhibited by their leader, making it imperative that the leader is
mindful of his or her actions.
In addition to being ethical, leaders should act like moral leaders. Organizations should not assume their sole
goal is to make a profit; instead, there should be some focus on serving the general welfare of employees and
customers. Most organizations have a code of ethics that employees are expected to uphold. Whether or not
your organization has a code of ethics, here are a few behavioral traits that leaders can follow to build a moral
leadership environment:
• Interpreting and
analyzing events
as they occur
without relying on
predefined rules
Independent
Thinking
• Keeping an open
mind and looking
at each situation
from multiple
perspectives
Open-
Mindedness
• Seeing the big
picture and the
end results (not
just the individual
events)
Systems
Thinking
• Being committed
to the truth and
reality while
focusing on the
desired end
results
Personal
Mastery
Developing a leader’s mind
(Daft, 2018)
MSL 6000, Psychological Foundations of Leadership 3
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Moral leadership distinguishes “right from wrong and doing right, seeking the just, the honest, the good, and
the right conduct in achieving goals and fulfilling purpose” (Daft, 2018, p. 174). Individuals and leaders
typically know right from wrong, but how does one act upon their choice of acknowledgement? One answer to
this question is the level of moral development.
There are three levels of personal moral development:
preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. At the
preconventional level, “individuals are egocentric and
concerned with receiving external rewards and avoiding
punishments” (Daft, 2018, p. 175). At the conventional level,
“people learn to conform to the expectations of good
behavior as defined by colleagues, family, friends, and
society” (Daft, 2018, p. 175). Most leaders operate at this
level. At the postconventional level, often referred to as the
principled level, “leaders are guided by an internalized set of
principles universally recognized as just and right” (Daft,
2018, p. 176). Individuals will often disobey rules and violate
principles at this level. Regardless of the level, individuals
typically want leaders that are honest, that are trustworthy,
and that demonstrate the importance of serving others,
serving society, and providing stewardship.
Leaders are providing stewardship any time they are
actively working to forward the interest of their followers or
the organization for which they work. Stewardship focuses
on promoting well-being and focusing on generating a positive, happy work environment. The act of
stewardship by leaders in an organization can help ensure the employees are effective, are productive, and
have a sense of contentment. The four principles that provide the framework for stewardship, as outlined by
Daft (2018), are listed below:
Distinguish right from wrong.
Make sure your actions show honesty, fairness, and dignity.
Do not tolerate ethical violations.
Be humble.
Focus on the greater good.
Take responsibility and be accountable.
Encourage, support, and serve others.
Keep commitments, and lead by example.
How to act like a moral leader
(Daft, 2018)
Level 1:
Preconventional
Level 2:
Conventional
Level 3:
Postconventional
Levels of personal moral development
(Daft, 2018)
MSL 6000, Psychological Foundations of Leadership 4
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
1. A partnership mindset. The focus is on the joint responsibility of followers and leaders.
2. Assign decision-making power and the authority. Those closest to the work and the customers are all
focused on completing the work and having authority to do so.
3. Rewards are tied to contributions. Formal positions are not as important as the actual contributions of
individuals. Everyone is focused on the end results, regardless of the process it took to get there.
4. Teams build the organization. The focus is on the employees as part of a team, not just one person.
Core work teams create the goals and focus of the organization (p. 178).
Servant leadership takes things one step further: “Servant leaders transcend self-interest to serve the needs
of others, help others grow and develop, and provide opportunity for others to gain materially and emotionally”
(Daft, 2015, p. 178). Servant leaders are selfless and place the needs of the team and organization above
their own personal interests. This involves placing an importance on service, listening to others, being
trustworthy, and helping others become whole. According to Daft (2018), “the servant leader’s top priority is
service to employees, customers, shareholders, and the general public” (p. 179). Examples of some of the
most famous servant leaders include Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and Brittany
Merrill Underwood (the CEO of Akola Jewelry). Servant leadership is not really a leadership style but a
lifestyle. Servant leaders focus on other people’s needs and not on their own feelings; this transcends their
professional and their personal lives. Servant leaders embrace the opinions of others and create a culture of
trust. These leaders want to teach others to lead and aim to provide opportunities for their followers to grow
as people and as professionals. Review the Leader’s Self-Insight 6.2 in your textbook to determine your
servant leadership orientation. This information will assist you as you prepare your unit assignment this week.
As you evaluate your servant leadership skills, think about your ability to listen to what others have to say and
empathize with their situation. Consider your general awareness of your own behavior and your ability to
persuade others. Servant leaders typically look at problems from a conceptual standpoint and have the
foresight to understand how past behavior can influence future activities. The following are a list of some of
the four basic concepts of servant leadership presented in the Greenleaf model in your text.
Service over self-interest: Servant leaders focus on service and the overall needs of the company and
its employees over their own self-interest.
Listen actively and authentically: Servant leaders listen attentively, reiterating what the other person is
saying and feeling, confirming that what was heard was understood correctly.
Seen as honest and trustworthy: Servant leaders build trust in others by being honest and delivering
on their promises. In other words, they need to walk the walk—not just talk the talk.
Create a positive impact in the world: Servant leaders care about their followers and focus on
stewardship and supporting and nurturing the uniqueness and potential in every follower (Daft, 2018).
Reflection is a powerful tool. We can often reflect back on a situation or process and take the time to evaluate
the level of success of the outcome. Most times, leaders do not have the luxury of reflection. They have to
think on their feet and make a decision or use a tactic that might not be fully studied or evaluated. Sometimes,
the decision has a positive outcome. Other times, it might not work out as expected. We all can reflect back
on some of the most successful leaders who used a tactic that was not successful for them in a specific
situation. The demands on both leaders and followers are constantly changing. Leaders are the face of an
organization, and their behavior is influenced by and affects the overall focus of an organization. Leaders who
operate as moral and ethical stewards for their companies can build an ethical organization. Sometimes, the
objectives of the organization and the leader are at cross-purposes, and it takes courage along with mental
and moral strength of a leader to balance the two. As you study the content for this unit, think about what
governs your choices and your level of moral development. Consider the assumptions that impact your ability
to lead and how you can further refine and develop your leadership foundations.
Reference
Daft, R. L. (with Lane, P. G.). (2018). The leadership experience (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
MSL 6000, Psychological Foundations of Leadership 5
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You are not required to
submit these to your instructor but are encouraged to keep a copy for your personal files. If you have
questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information.
Apply the Concepts: Take the Self-Assessment!
How important is emotional intelligence to you? Some researchers indicate that over half of an employee’s job
performance is dependent on his or her emotional intelligence. What are specific areas that you can improve
on in this area? What are some best practices that will help you reach your goals? To take the Chapter 5 and
6 Self-Assessments, click on Unit VI in the course navigation menu, and then click on Nongraded Learning
Activities.
- Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VI
Reading Assignment
Unit Lesson
Influence Tactics Used by Leaders
Learning Activities (Nongraded)
Apply the Concepts: Take the Self-Assessment!