Charismatic Service: A Leadership Philosophy

Charismatic Service: A Leadership Philosophy At the heart of any worthwhile leadership is a genuine concern for the well-being of those who are being led. Although this statement is true for any leadership style to be sustainably effective, it is particularly necessary for my personal philosophy when considering my values, beliefs and worldview. As a Reformed Christian and educational leader, the words of 1 Peter 4:10 express, very succinctly, the rule that characterizes my approach to leadership. Peter calls on people to, “use whatever gift [they] have received to serve others” (1 Peter 4:10 New International Version), in order to remain a faithful servant of God. There are two requirements in this verse. The first is to recognize the …show more content…
The servant leadership style requires a principal to take care of his or her teachers by meeting their needs and removing the obstacles that hinder them from being as effective as possible (Black, 2010, p. 439). Putting a high priority on having sufficient resources, appropriate professional development opportunities, and preventing teacher burnout by paying attention to mental and physical wellness can boost both the productivity and level of contentment of a school’s staff. The principal’s task, therefore, is to provide for the teachers needs in the classroom and to be aware of teacher wellness, with a preemptive strategy for assistance prior to burnout. The combination of the charismatic and servant styles of leadership has the potential to create a positive atmosphere where teachers, students and parents feel inspired, encouraged and supported, and a sense of high expectation and professional …show more content…
7). The servant leader would lead the way by hosting a club or coaching a team, while the charismatic leader would encourage teachers to get involved by recognizing and praising skills and abilities that they possess. Hosting events that the community can attend not only contributes to student development, but also creates opportunity for parental involvement in meaningful educational activity. One of the most profound moments in my career was when a father attended a parent/teacher conference specifically to thank me for my work as the director of a play in which his son took part. The son had been a very quiet and uninvolved individual who essentially, “came out of his shell”. From then on, that family was heavily involved in several drama productions at our school and I was thoroughly convinced of the incredible developmental value of extra-curricular activities in a