Please read the following article and Summarize their key take-aways, and then reflect on whether the conditions of your organization support the practice of servant leadership. If so, explain how. If not, outline the barriers and what would need to change.

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Several existing theories and models (e.g., transformational, transactional, charismatic, authentic, and others) sufficiently support the rationale for the way leaders approach the task of leading (Northouse, 2004). Comparatively, most leadership theories and leadership models highlight the leaders role in getting followers to serve and support the organization willingly and participate actively in goal attainment activities. Yet none of these models illuminate the need for leaders to serve the followers. Nor do these theories and models address how leadership should work collectively with followers to achieve desired organizational results. The servant leadership philosophy addresses both the leaders and the followers roles, suggesting that meeting the needs of followers and encouraging the input of followers in the decision-making process will allow leaders to overcome the challenges faced by modern organizations. As such, the philosophy of servant leadership provides a different way of understanding the responsibility of leadership, and the servant leader assumes an attitude of service, acting as a steward over his or her area of responsibility (Greenleaf, 1977). Organizations benefit from understanding how leadership engages followers in day-to-day activities because the outcome of this act contributes to the organizations ability to be effective. But organizations must be willing to solicit constructive feedback from organizational members to assess the effectiveness of leadership practices and the impact of leadership approaches. A way that researchers can ascertain the level of servant F Journal of Business & Economics Research January, 2011 Volume 9, Number 1 50 leadership that is being practiced is by polling organizational members and gaining feedback. Servant-led organizations are identified through internal and external assessments; an organizations level of servant leadership practices are based upon the leaders demonstration of servant leadership characteristics. According to Spears (2004), the top three characteristics used to measure a leaders level of servant leadership practice are listening, empathy, and healing. Understanding the tools needed for effective leadership is important, and the servant leadership philosophy offers leaders the opportunity to not only understand the needs of the organization but also allows for the leaders to incorporate one of the most valuable tools necessary in making the organization effective: followers. Spears (2004) asserted that servant leadership has made an impact on leaders and managers, causing leaders to raise their standard practices toward developing and utilizing servant leadership characteristics. STUDY RELEVANCE In the 21st Century business environment, companies have found it necessary to transform from a business that simply earns a profit to a business that looks for ways to maintain a competitive advantage. Leaders are now not only tasked with strategizing to come up with profit-earning activities, but leaders are also tasked with strategizing to motivate and engage employees to give more back to the organization in order to achieve desired results (i.e., increased productivity, increased earnings, and so forth). Unfortunately, Klenke (2003) noted that productivity within the U.S. corporations has declined due to the use of strategic management decisions resulting in outsourcing, corporate mergers, and acquisitions and downsizing, as well as leadership misconduct. This assertion indicates that leaderships decision-making tools have negatively affected the work environment, creating a culture where organizational members are left with a void and displacement. Although past business practices have dictated that the focus of an organization is to realize a profit, researchers continue to assert the need for organizations to embrace models that emphasize a people-centered approach to management and leadership. Servant leadership is one such approach. Literature suggests that the servant leader is distinguishable through the care that is taken to ensure that other peoples highest priority needs are being served (Greenleaf et al., 2002). For example, instead of followers serving the needs of the leader, the leader ensures that the needs of the subordinates are met. Through training and skill building, empowered followers are developed and encouraged to creatively solve problems. The goal of the servant leader is to strengthen others and to encourage a collective approach to fulfilling organizational objectives. The philosophy of servant leadership is often compared to two other approaches to leadership: the transformational approach and the authentic approach. An excerpt derived from work by Avolio and Gardner (2005) helps researchers understand the attributes of the two approaches to leadership. For example, characteristics noted between the authentic and transformational leadership models and the servant leadership philosophy are as follows: integrity, trust, respect, and authenticity. Interestingly, the transformational approach emphasizes the ethical responsibility of the leader and calls attention to the need for leaders to communicate vision morally and ethically. The authentic leader is noted as having the ability to provide an unbiased comprehension of multiple points of view (or sides) of an issue while behaving in accordance with ones true self (Avolio & Gardner). Research also indicates that the common theme of the servant leader revolves more around the well-being of others. The two leadership models are referenced throughout the discussion in order to show how the leadership attributes compare and contrast to the attributes that contribute to the servant leadership philosophy. There are world-class organizations that have been identified as utilizing the principles and concepts outlined in the servant leadership philosophy. Branch (1999) asserted that companies such as Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Steak-n-Shake, Synovus, and TD Industries have modeled their management practices around the servant leadership concepts and are considered as top places to work in America. Chick-fil-A also attested that its success is largely due to the manifestation of principles and characteristics of servant leadership practices (Conley et al., 2004). With these types of companies as examples, researchers have a basis for contending that the servant leadership philosophy is gaining validation (Washington, 2007). Journal of Business & Economics Research January, 2011 Volume 9, Number 1 51 As is the case with for-profit companies, profitability and the various factors of the business that affect the bottom line are of most concern; these factors usually gain the most attention. Additionally, with todays increased competition and technological advancements, businesses have become more focused on creating a lean environment through process automation and less focused on appreciating the individual and their contribution to accomplishing the organizational goal of earning a profit. Organizations have experienced significant changes since the new millennium, and it is expected that the realm of leadership has also transitioned to meet the changing needs of business. Literature supports the idea that leadership styles that once worked may no longer be applicable in this new era, as for-profit companies are investing large amounts of money in pursuit of the recipe for leadership success (Lynham & Chermack, 2006, p. 73). The servant leadership philosophy allows for a fresh way of approaching the task of leadership, dispelling the traditional top-down approach to leadership that excluded followers from the decision-making process. Through stewardship and service, servant leaders are able to shift the paradigm of leadership (Greenleaf, 1977). For-profit organizations benefit from understanding the possible barriers that prevent servant leadership practices; leadership that engages followers in day-to-day activities can dramatically affect the organizations ability to be effective. While much has been written about servant leadership, instruments used to measure servant leadership characteristics, and the practice of servant leadership, a review of literature revealed that little has been written about understanding the impact that identified barriers have on an organizational leaders ability to practice the philosophy of servant leadership. Previous studies indicated that understanding the impact that identified organizational barriers have on servant leadership practices would help leaders develop strategies to overcome these impediments and add to the body of existing knowledge. Review of the literature indicated that some leadership researchers recognize the importance of a leader incorporating the right leadership model that will allow for organizations to achieve desired results. Blanchard and Hodges (2003) asserted that a prerequisite for survival in todays organization is that leaders know the principles under which they operate. Additionally, understanding how to measure the success of a given leadership approach is critical; Sheep (2004) concluded that being able to answer the question of how to measure a system that meets the needs of the contemporary work situation is necessary to achieve organizational effectiveness. The literature noted that several variables contribute to the effectiveness of an organization (i.e., approaches to leadership, followership, and organizational culture). It is the same with the effectiveness of servant leadership. An organizational structure with elements (barriers) the do not support servant leadership principles will impede the efforts of servant-oriented leaders. Kupers (1998) supported this assertion and concluded that responsive servant leadership requires organizational changes concerning basic assumptions and structures. This study on the impact of organizational elements (barriers) to servant leadership practices may allow servant leaders in the for-profit work environment to be better equipped to handle the challenges faced within the modern-day organization. The realm of leadership has shifted over the years, and the evolution of business requires a broader perspective when analyzing which model best fits a given work environment. Servant leadership requires a partnership between leaders and followers. In the end, the recipe for a leaders success includes being able to connect with followers where they are now, being able to affirm their worth, and being able to build from there (Hultman, 2006). STUDY BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY This study also revealed the perceived organizational barriers (beliefs, symbols, norms, values, rules) that prevent the servant leadership practices, and gained insight into what impact these perceived barriers have on the leaders ability to practice servant leadership within their work environments. Studies previously performed by other researchers examined the practice of servant leadership within not-for-profit work environments (e.g., educational, service industry, and the like). Few studies address the practice of servant leadership within the forprofit work environment. Some studies that have previously been conducted include research that examined the practice of servant leadership in public education, servant leadership practices within the church, and the impact of servant leadership practices on congregational donations within the church. Journal of Business & Economics Research January, 2011 Volume 9, Number 1 52 Foster (2000) completed a phenomenological study that identified organizational elements (barriers) that impede the practice of servant leadership. In this study, 10 leaders were interviewed to gain their perspectives on what they perceived as organizational barriers that impeded their ability to practice servant leadership. These managers identified things such as the command-and-control leadership style, a non-trusting work environment, a paternalistic culture, and a lack of empowerment (Foster, pp. 335336) as elements that prevent effective practice of servant leadership. Foster concluded that although barriers do exist, there are solutions that, with effort, in organizations where servant leadership practices are being impeded, management would be able to conquer such elements. Servant leadership practices would prevail in an environment that fosters trust and inclusion, and dispels the command-and-control leadership style