Coach Michele’s Group Coaching May 17, 2011

Today’s Topic Techniques – Servant Leadership Coach as Servant Leader, and Servant Leader as Coach!

Genesis of Today’s Topic Noticed a beautiful lion beside me in my dream last night This morning decided to talk about servant leadership tonight Later read about the Lion as the noble king: Lion teaches leadership amidst cooperation

Definition Servant leadership is a philosophy and practice of leadership, coined and defined by Robert Greenleaf and supported by many leadership and management writers such as James Autry, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Peter Block, Peter Senge, Max DePree, Scott Greenberg, Larry Spears, Margaret Wheatley, James C. Hunter, Kent Keith, Ken Jennings, Don Frick and others. Servant-leaders achieve results for their organizations by giving priority attention to the needs of their colleagues and those they serve. Servant-leaders are often seen as humble stewards of their organization's resources (human, financial and physical) (wikipedia)

More On Servant Leaders believe they have a higher calling. devote themselves to serving the needs of others. focus on meeting the needs of those they lead. inspire personal growth in themselves and others. listen and build a sense of community. treat others as they would like to be treated.

Initial Discussion Does the idea of having more servant leaders leading organizations in our society excite you? Why? Why would the concept and practice of servant leadership emerge at this time in our development?

Paradigm Shift… Greenleaf believed that institutions should serve people. He also felt that he was on the threshold of an important historical moment, of a paradigm shift in the collective American response to formal authority…

A Changing View of Power "A fresh critical look is being taken at the issues of power and authority, and people are beginning to learn, however haltingly, to relate to one another in less coercive and more creatively supporting ways. A new moral principle is emerging, which holds that the only authority deserving of one’s allegiance is that which is freely and knowingly granted by the led to the leader in response to, and in proportion to, the clearly evident servant stature of the leader. Those who choose to follow this principle will not casually accept the authority of existing institutions. Rather, they will freely respond only to individuals who are chosen as leaders because they are proven and trusted as servants. To the extent that this principle prevails in the future, the only truly viable institutions will be those that are predominantly servant led" Greenleaf[2]

10 Characteristics of a Servant Leader Listening (whole self, mind, body, spirit listening) Empathy Healing (healing of one’s self and others) Awareness (holistic awareness of self and environment) Persuasion (not coercion) Conceptualization (guided by a vision) Foresight Stewardship (obligation to help and serve others) Commitment to the growth of people Building community

Discussion – 10 Characteristics What do we think of these 10 characteristics? Do we see some similarities between the characteristics of a servant leader and of a coach (the coach as a whole, not necessarily the coach when coaching)?

A Spiritual Definition of Coaching From the book, Spiritual Growth by Sanaya Roman Chapter: Enlightenment Through Service “Shifting consciousness is an important aspect of your world service. You shift consciousness by empowering people. People make changes when they have new insights and perceptions. They make changes when someone reaches them at the deepest part of their being and touches them with love. True service comes…when you feel your equality, recognize the other person’s divinity and act in a way that empowers him or her.”

Final Discussion What do we think of the idea of coach as world server? How can we compare and contrast the servant leader and the coach? What are our take aways?

Next Session Next Session…Tuesday, May 24, 2011 Mastery