How do Servant Leaders Cultivate Serving Values in Followers? Molding the Heart: How do Servant Leaders Cultivate Serving Values in Followers? “Because we have a mixed audience of micro and macro researchers, I will first lay out a broad overview of the constructs and research model and offer broad-level theoretical support. After taking a broad pass to acquaint you with the direction we will be going, I will delve into the specifics of the particular theoretical arguments underlying the more detailed research model.” Leadership  Culture Leadership is behavior directed toward followers to influence them toward a desired end. Organizational culture is the shared values, beliefs, and assumptions that guide employees about how to solve problems related to internal and external functioning (Schein, 2010). TELL A BRIEF STORY ABOUT WHY CULTURE WOULD MATTER SO MUCH TO A CEO Punctuated (and abbreviated) interactions. Culture serves as a social control mechanism to streamline employees’ behavior – clarify how to perceive, think, and feel, in relation to organizational functioning. Culture establishes behavioral expectations that enable peers to regulate each others’ behavior, producing greater consistency in how employees behave. Chad Hartnell The Greenleaf Servant Leadership Conference 2017

The Best Test “Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?” (Greenleaf, 1977: 13-14)

The Best Test “Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?” (Greenleaf, 1977: 13-14)

What is the difference between a servant and leadership? In the opening illustration from Hesse’s Journey to the East, Greenleaf observed of Leo: “Leadership was bestowed upon a man who was by nature a servant. [Leadership] was something given, or assumed, that could be taken away. His servant nature was the real man, not bestowed, not assumed, and not to be taken away.” (p. 8)

What is the difference between a servant and leadership? In the opening illustration from Hesse’s Journey to the East, Greenleaf observed of Leo: “Leadership was bestowed upon a man who was by nature a servant. [Leadership] was something given, or assumed, that could be taken away. His servant nature was the real man, not bestowed, not assumed, and not to be taken away.” (p. 8)

What is the difference between a servant and leadership? In the opening illustration from Hesse’s Journey to the East, Greenleaf observed of Leo: “Leadership was bestowed upon a man who was by nature a servant. [Leadership] was something given, or assumed, that could be taken away. His servant nature was the real man, not bestowed, not assumed, and not to be taken away.” (p. 8)

What is the difference between a servant and leadership? Servant = The Person Leadership = The Position Does servant leadership make followers more likely to become servants?

The challenge Cultural headwinds obviate the emergence of people growing as servants. Two sources: Emphasis of Higher Education Education frames how we make sense of the world around us through teaching abstract theories that describe how things how things should (normative) work and how they actually (descriptive) work. Critical thinking Criticism is rigorous Less attention to practical application “With education that is predominantly abstract and analytical it is no wonder that there is a preoccupation with criticism and that not much thought is give to ‘What can I do about it?’” (p.11)

Becoming a servant is counterintuitive The challenge U.S. national culture Culture accentuated by high levels of individualism and masculinity (Hofstede, 1990) Becoming a servant is counterintuitive Behavioral tensions Competition vs. Cooperation Criticism vs. Collaboration Self-interest vs. Collective interest Coercive leadership vs. Caring leadership Primacy of Financial stakeholders vs. All stakeholders (i.e., social responsibility) Demanding to be heard vs. desiring to hear and understand

…servant-leaders listen to the artists. The challenge A person’s natural response to the system in which we are deeply embedded is criticism and cynicism. These attitudes compel one of two behaviors: Avoidance – There’s nothing I can do. Destruction – An intolerance of imperfection “Criticism has its place, but as a total preoccupation it is sterile. In a time of crisis, like the leadership crisis we are now in, if too many potential builders [servants] are taken in by a complete absorption with dissecting the wrong and by a zeal for instant perfection, then the movement so many of us want to see will be set back. The danger, perhaps, is to hear the analyst too much and the artist too little.” (p. 11) …servant-leaders listen to the artists.

An Exemplar

“Selfless, servant leadership is about action and the bottom line is that what we say and what we believe will only be as effective as what we are also willing to do.” Dan Cathy

Cathy’s Motivation Passion to sell more chicken not because of profit but because of the good it enables the company to do for society. Primarily focused on helping the least privileged

What Dan Cathy does

What Dan Cathy does

What Dan Cathy does

Servant Leaders listen to the artists… Servant-leaders create in the midst of chaos. They embrace human dignity. They accept all people, including their imperfections. “Acceptance of the person…requires a tolerance of imperfection. Anybody could lead perfect people – if there were any. But there aren’t any perfect people. And the parents who try to raise perfect children are certain to raise neurotics” (p. 21) They are not satisfied with the status quo, but are compelled to action by a grander vision of what can be, what should be – for everyone’s benefit.

Servant Leaders listen to the artists… …Servant-leaders create in the midst of chaos. They are willing to sacrifice for their convictions. They create dangerously. They take responsibility to create a better society. Study’s research question: Are followers who are led by servant leaders more likely themselves to become servants?

A Cross-Level Model of Servant Leadership and Employee Serving Values Leader Benevolence Employee Prosocial Motivation Employee Serving Values Group-Level Individual-Level Time 1 Time 2 Time 3

Indicate how important these values are to you: Serving Values Indicate how important these values are to you: Love Servant’s heart Excellence Integrity Respect for individuals Team orientation People orientation Socially responsible

Benevolence Benevolence Demonstrating concern for the needs and welfare of others. Example: My leader… is concerned about my welfare is concerned about my needs and desires goes out of the way to help me looks out for what is important to me.

Prosocial Motivation Prosocial motives A employee’s desire to benefit others Example: Why are you motivated to do your work? To help others To have a positive impact on others

A Cross-Level Model of Servant Leadership and Employee Serving Values Leader Benevolence Employee Prosocial Motivation Employee Serving Values Group-Level Individual-Level Time 1 Time 2 Time 3

A Cross-Level Model of Servant Leadership and Employee Serving Values .22** Servant Leadership Leader Benevolence Employee Prosocial Motivation Employee Serving Values Group-Level Individual-Level Time 1 Time 2 Time 3 .60** .14* .09* .28** Sample of 362 employees within 140 workgroups.

Conclusions Employees’ values change. Servant leaders mold followers’ heart through benevolence and increasing their desire to help others. Servant leadership not only produces positive external outcomes for followers but also internal development (i.e, serving values).

Are there any examples of “affirmative builders of a better society…[who] seek their personal fulfillment by making the hard choices, and by undertaking the rigorous preparation that building a better society requires?” (p. 10)

“The servant-leader is servant first” “It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.” Greenleaf (1977:13)