The Servant By James C. Hunter Summary
909 Words
4 Pages
The Servant by James C. Hunter provides a foundation and an understanding of true leadership. Through the lives of John Daily and five other struggling leaders on a retreat, Hunter uses Brother Simeon to explain the principles of servant leadership, which causes John and the others to reflect deeply on their character, trust, and commitment. Creating and deepening the principles described by Brother Simeon will enhance one’s leadership perspective and will prove to be beneficial for a school principal. “Leadership is the skill of influencing people to work enthusiastically toward goals identified as being for the common good” (Hunter, 2012, p 28). To influence people, you must build authority, which is done when you identify and meet the
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In The Servant, the two components mentioned when discussing the dynamics of leadership are the task and the relationship. (2012, p. 40) Having a special connection and relationship with the faculty and staff must be accomplished before the principal can earn their respect and build authority or gain influence with them. In addition, to get the staff of a school on board and supporting his vision for the school, the school leader, or principal, must have established a solid and trusting relationship with them. Without relationships, one only has power and an unhealthy work environment. To sustain healthy relationships, a true leader must be honest and trustworthy. As Hunter stated, “Trust is the glue that holds relationships together” (2012, p 45). Sometimes being honest isn’t a pleasant thing to do, but it makes people liable for their work and actions. Relationships should be rooted in trust and nurtured along the way by providing praise, being an active listener, and using common courtesies. Furthermore, these actions assist a principal with identifying and meeting the needs of his faculty, which consequently defines servant leadership as getting things accomplished through the efforts of …show more content…
These qualities or traits are also referred to as behaviors, which are the various ways that one can choose to act or behave. Throughout life, many things affect one’s behavior and how one feels, but ultimately behavior is a choice. For a leader or principal, the choice is how to react. Hunter refers to love as a verb and how one acts toward others by meeting their needs, not their wants. (2012, p. 90) As a school principal, it is important to be respectful of others and to listen attentively when teachers have something to say. When reflecting on how to behave or what action to take, remember the Golden Rule- “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Similarly, Hunter references the Law of Harvest saying, “You reap what you sow” (2012, p. 85). In other words, if you do something for me, I will do something for you, which exemplifies how a servant leader meets the needs of those he serves and in turn builds authority. Teachers want to be acknowledged, rewarded, and feel valued by their principal. Putting this principle into action will create a healthy learning environment and a faculty focused on fulfilling the school vision. In the end, making the right choices as a leader requires a great deal of effort and
In The Servant, the two components mentioned when discussing the dynamics of leadership are the task and the relationship. (2012, p. 40) Having a special connection and relationship with the faculty and staff must be accomplished before the principal can earn their respect and build authority or gain influence with them. In addition, to get the staff of a school on board and supporting his vision for the school, the school leader, or principal, must have established a solid and trusting relationship with them. Without relationships, one only has power and an unhealthy work environment. To sustain healthy relationships, a true leader must be honest and trustworthy. As Hunter stated, “Trust is the glue that holds relationships together” (2012, p 45). Sometimes being honest isn’t a pleasant thing to do, but it makes people liable for their work and actions. Relationships should be rooted in trust and nurtured along the way by providing praise, being an active listener, and using common courtesies. Furthermore, these actions assist a principal with identifying and meeting the needs of his faculty, which consequently defines servant leadership as getting things accomplished through the efforts of …show more content…
These qualities or traits are also referred to as behaviors, which are the various ways that one can choose to act or behave. Throughout life, many things affect one’s behavior and how one feels, but ultimately behavior is a choice. For a leader or principal, the choice is how to react. Hunter refers to love as a verb and how one acts toward others by meeting their needs, not their wants. (2012, p. 90) As a school principal, it is important to be respectful of others and to listen attentively when teachers have something to say. When reflecting on how to behave or what action to take, remember the Golden Rule- “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Similarly, Hunter references the Law of Harvest saying, “You reap what you sow” (2012, p. 85). In other words, if you do something for me, I will do something for you, which exemplifies how a servant leader meets the needs of those he serves and in turn builds authority. Teachers want to be acknowledged, rewarded, and feel valued by their principal. Putting this principle into action will create a healthy learning environment and a faculty focused on fulfilling the school vision. In the end, making the right choices as a leader requires a great deal of effort and