Servant Leadership Case Study

Improved Essays
In recent years, the sports world has become plagued with unethical and immoral scandals. A study conducted by Burton, Peachey, and Wells (2017) evaluates the role of servant leadership in creating and maintaining a more ethical climate within collegiate sports. With scandals such as Jerry Sandusky's sexual misconduct at Penn State, academic scandals in various schools, sexual misconduct at Baylor, Maimi and others, it leads one to realize the collegiate sports culture needs a drastic overhaul. Burton et al. (2017) propose that organizational climates that lead to unethical behavior among leaders, administrators, and coaches seem to be more the norm than the exception in
Sports organizations, and therefore needs an immediate cultural reform in the ranks of leadership. Burton et al. (2017) contend the answer is a movement from a transactional form of management into one of servant-based leadership. In fact, studies indicate that servant leadership has gained appeal as a result of the multiple positive outcomes associated with this style of leadership, most importantly it focuses on other-centered service (Neubert, Hunter, & Tolentino, 2016).
…show more content…
As Robbins and Judge (2016) indicate, servant leaders go beyond their self-interest focus and more toward developing the follower and creating opportunities for their personal growth. One could contend that servant leadership was first established by Jesus Christ himself, as not only His leadership style but further the leadership style in which He invites his followers to demonstrate. As Philippians 2 describes "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In The Program, the focus of the movie is the ESU football program working toward a winning season after two losing seasons. The team and the coach must win amid the culture and pressures of college life and the oftentimes unethical influence of the administration, alumni, and boosters. Indeed, in considering the movie, there are countless unethical decisions take place. One such unethical occurrence is that football players do not have to do well on the placement tests.…

    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    However, for over the last six decades, one the most influential authors for the terminology and study of servant leadership, is a man that goes by the name of Robert K. Greenleaf. In his studies, Robert K. Greenleaf describes servant leadership as a type of leader that serves others, rather than the followers serving the leader. Doing so will have the followers achieve and improve. As any leader, they are responsible for the followers and those that are not on the same level as others. The people served grow as individuals, becoming 'healthier, wiser, more autonomous and more likely themselves to become servants' (Greenleaf, 1977).…

    • 142 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Servant leadership crosses lines with Christianity and culture in many aspects. The expected behaviors represent a meaningful matching that servant leadership share with Christianity and culture. In other words, servant leadership, Christianity, and culture are predictable to have satisfactory results with their followers. Equally important is the unparalleled engagement of servant leadership that shares with church and culture leaders in guiding the outcomes of their leaders. In addition to implementing a distinctive module of leadership by utilizing the main principles that incorporate servant leadership with the religion and the culture (Scuderi,2014) Servant leadership has a solid relationship with religion and culture in terms of the…

    • 302 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The third athletic program and director that would be a good interview is a high school that is located in a rural setting. An athletic director who can build and maintain successful sporting programs in a setting with limited resources and a small pool of student-athletes to work with can be a valuable resource to glean strategy, motivation, and work ethic. A high school in a rural setting presents students who come from families in a lower socioeconomic class and many whom may have to work on farms before and after school while maintain their grades and training for the sports they participate in. The athletic director may be the football and track-n-field coach and teach a class or two along with his duties of running the athletic department.…

    • 1972 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The text, Servant Leadership, by Robert K. Greenleaf, is a fascinating book that outlines the aspects of a true leader. In relation to my summer internship at Fortress Bank, formerly known as First State Bank of Illinois, I took on the roll of a leader. More importantly, I took on the roll of a servant leader as I become a team player that was a vital cog in the running of the company. Throughout this essay, I will compare and relate the aforementioned text to my summer experience. I enjoyed the author’s dialogue regarding community as I felt that it was comparable to Fortress Bank’s recent rebranding.…

    • 2047 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    My interest in pursuing a career in intercollegiate athletics stems from having been a participant of the NCAA in a student-athlete capacity for the past five years. My experience as an athlete has driven me to want to become a part of the NCAA as an athletics administrator to be a positive role model to current and prospective student-athletes. My current position as a Graduate Assistant of Compliance in the Division of Athletics at Jackson State University has enabled me to do so by providing hands on training in the day-to-day operations of the coordination, implementation, and evaluation of the athletics compliance program. It has also been essential in serving as a stepping stone for my future endeavors.…

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Introduction Ben completed his undergraduate degree in Chemistry before coming to the University of Texas at Arlington to complete his premedical studies. Growing up in a strong Christian home, Ben quickly stepped into a leadership role with Chi Alpha, however, since getting married Ben relinquished his leadership role to focus on his marriage and academics. Although Ben has recently transferred to a local Bible college to pursue a Biblical studies degree, we have remained close and connect personally at least once a month. This motivational plan will focus on a coaching style relationship to address living up to his potential both as a student and a husband. Biblical Principles…

    • 1115 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Servant Leadership Theory

    • 944 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Fairholm, (1997) and Farling et al. (1999) concur that, “Servant leadership may increase organizational performance because the personal commitment to subordinates/followers may in turn increase support of organizational goals” (as cited in Winston & Fields, 2015, p. 416). Incorporating Servant leaders (SL) and principles of Servant Leadership Theory (SLT) can effectively enhance achieving the triple bottom-line (TBL). This brief article will address the importance of servant leaders (SL) and servant leadership theory (SLT) to an organizations ability to effectively improve the triple bottom-line (TBL) through sustainable…

    • 944 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Football Team Culture

    • 1819 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Everyone knows that football players enjoy playing football, but what most people do not know is the reasons why. A football team is like a family you have when you are away from your family. When you need someone to lean on there is a coach, a player or even an academic advisor around to help you through your hard times. For my essay I will talk about my family, the James Madison Football team as well as our values and beliefs that shapes the culture of this organization .The football team here at James Madison University has been built on a rich tradition of excellence and has a culture like no other.…

    • 1819 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What is the biggest problem in high school sports and why? One of the biggest problems we have with high school sports currently is coaches who fail to respect the kids and the sport. Ultimately they are ignoring the massive impact they have on athletes’ lives and they lives that surround that sports team. Sadly there are many coaches who do not belong working with children but they some how get the job and seem to never leave it.…

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Transformational leadership and servant leadership have similarities (Yukl, 2002). Followers will feel greater trust for their leaders, greater admiration and loyalty to the community and greater levels of motivation to do well those things they are expected to do. As such, I want to teach police officers to be dedicated toward the growth and welfare of people. I want to teach police officers to motivate, guide, offer hope, and provide a caring experience by establishing a quality relationship with followers and subordinates (Choudhary et.al., 2012). Servant leaders have unselfish services towards followers high priority needs and they have unselfish regard, simplicity, and consciousness (Choudhary et.al., 2012).…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Sports Code Of Ethics

    • 2271 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Code of Ethics Code of ethics in business was first introduced back in the 1960’s as there were concerns in moral behavior of those entering their organization (DeSensi, 2010). A code of ethics are the suggested course of behavior or conduct that businesses, institutions in government and education, sporting teams, athletic organizations, religious groups, physicians, those that practice law and many other professional organizations, follow to ensure the integrity of the organization (DeSensi, 2010). Courses in ethics has now become part of the established curriculum for many professions today as the leaders within them have deemed the importance of properly training leaders and employees in ethical behavior (DeSensi, 2010). Furthermore,…

    • 2271 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    This leadership is very people oriented, meaning that someone who has this leadership skill will focus on others needs over their own. This leadership makes me think of being selfless and how when someone is completely selfless they care about others before themselves. I don’t know if I’ve ever found a manager that has a servant leader still but I know that in the world there are leaders that have this leadership. This leadership is strong in many different aspects and will help managers better understand their employees.…

    • 1736 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Often times when asked what sportsmanship is many respond that it is the acceptance and acknowledgement of rules placed before them at a sporting event. However sportsmanship is more than abiding by the rules of a particular game, sport, or event, it is learning to apply the discipline achieved by following those rules in the real world. When one does something unsportsmanlike he shows no respect for the game being played, his teammates, and the opposing player’s coaches and fans. Many coaches share the philosophy of making their players into good citizens. They focus on molding their players into respectable people and preparing their athletes for the life each one of them has ahead of them.…

    • 1010 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    To value the role ethics plays in athletics as sports managers, coaches, or players each must understand the difference between “Winning at All Costs” and being “A Good Sport”. The distinction can be made between the two of them with being a good sport utilizing ethics in contrast to bending rules to gain an advantage to win a competition. Any person who has watched an athletic event has seen someone in soccer fake an injury. Another illustration with the implementation of video review is watching a football player poke another in the eye or even worse step on them deliberately. While some participants may cross an ethical boundary organization and coaches are not exempt from making ethical decisions.…

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays