Servant leadership is characterized as style that seeks to empower followers instead of using power to dominate them. Establishing trust by being completely honest and open, keeping actions consistent with values, and showing trust in followers are other key areas indicative of the servant leader (Greenleaf,1977). Articulated by Greenleaf, servant leaders have been defined as a people that seek to inspire others into heroic acts of leadership, so that they may become moral agents in society. The servant leader has always maintained that he or she is simply the “guide on the side”, a facilitator pointing the way so that others may write their own tales of greatness and adventure.
The late martial artist Bruce Lee in his movie Enter the Dragon touched upon this theme. In the beginning sequence of his movie Bruce is training a young pupil and instructs the young learner that learning is “like a finger point a way to the moon”. Bruce notices his student intently focused upon his outstretched finger. Disappointed, Bruce raps the young pupil on the top of his head and admonishing says “don’t concentrate on the finger or you’ll miss all that heavenly glory”!
Much like the “outstretched finger”, the servant leader is merely pointing the way for others to follow. The servant leader is not the reason for the interaction, nor is the servant leader the center of attention. The servant is merely a guide, assisting others in realizing their own glory. It is the path of servant leadership that educators should tread.
Referenced scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4wNKR0s4UA
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