Risks associated with servant leadership

Forum - Managment Class

Forum #1:

I need a 400 word discussion board post (excluding references). This post should contain 1 internal reference (a reference to a textbook page) and 1 external reference (a reference to a business journal/magazine article and should be about the following:

1) In your opinion, are there any risks associated with servant leadership? List and briefly explain two risks.

2) Is it possible to practice servant leadership in a computer-mediated environment (e.g., in a virtual team)? Why or why not? Please explain.

Our textbook is: Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (Seventh ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.

Forum #2 (response to peer)

I need a 400 word discussion board post (excluding references) to my classmates post. This post should contain 1 internal reference (a reference to a textbook page) and 1 external reference (a reference to a business journal/magazine article. My classmate posted the following:

Northouse call servant leadership “a paradox that runs counter to common sense” (Northouse, 2016). I believe just as Northouse describes, servant leadership counters what we are taught to believe about leaders and defies the normal stigma of what leaders are expected to do. There are certain roles and characteristics assigned and associated to both leaders and followers. Risks come when defying the connotation associated with each role moves towards unconventional leadership styles. “Servant Leaders put followers first, empower them and help them develop their full capacities.” (Northouse, 2016)

Because servant leaderships “begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve” (Northouse, 2016) and focus less of institutional drive, many may perceive this attitude towards wanting to nurture employees as weak and unfocused. More aggressive leaders who care only of personal gain and status elevation may perceive servant style leaders as easy targets. There is risk in taking the time to ensure others needs are met before your own personal gains.

Another risk in using servant style leadership is that employees/followers may take ones kindness for weakness. Because many leaders lead fiercely and aggressively, making little concern for the feelings and needs of followers, some employees may not know how to appreciate the gestures of servant leaders. Some employees need leadership that guides, directs and regulates and may not know how to handle a leader who is nurturing and cares about building them instead of the wealth of the company first.

According to the article on Transformational versus Servant Leadership, “Servant leaders develop people, helping them to strive and flourish. Servant leaders provide vision, gain credibility and trust from followers, and influence others. (A. Gregory Stone, 2004). Ethics, trust, support and nurturing are common characteristics styles exhibited by servant leaders. I believe it would be quite difficult to convey these attributes to employees over a computer based environment. Take for instance our current online MBA courses. While we are able to witness the different leadership/teaching styles that our professors use and compare how they differ, we are not able to identify which of them seem to be more trusting, moral and willing to nurture our personal goals. Feelings are less substantiated in my opinion, via web based relationships versus person to person contact. Body language, eye contact and in personal communication are all ways that empathy, openness and investment can be shown and felt. The computer mediated environment is a less intimate version of communication.

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (Seventh ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.

A. Gregory Stone, R. F. (2004). Transformational versus servant leadership: a difference in leader focus. The Leadership and Organizational Development Journal,

Our textbook is: Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (Seventh ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.