Servant Leadership in Diverse Contexts with Regard to Religions and Cultures
The purpose of this assignment is to examine servant leadership practices with regard to religions and cultures other than those associated with Christianity.
While servant leadership is often associated with Christianity and the Bible, one could argue that it is compatible with most religions and philosophies and that it transcends cultures.
This assignment presents you with an opportunity to explore other cultures, philosophies, and religions and asks you to think critically about how servant leadership practices are apparent in other religions and cultures.
First, begin by selecting and examining one cultural context and one religious viewpoint outside of mainstream Christianity. Then in a 1,250 to 1,500 word essay, discuss the following:
Explain how the principles of servant leadership are evident in your chosen culture and religion?
Identify similarities and differences between servant leadership philosophies and the values from your selected cultural context and religious viewpoint.
Identify specific examples of servant leadership practices evident in your chosen culture and religion in your essay.
You are required to locate a total of four articles that address servant leadership in your chosen cultural context and religious viewpoint. Two of the articles should examine servant leadership from a different cultural perspective and two articles should examine servant leadership from a different religious perspective. The articles must be peer reviewed and have been published within the last 5 years. You must use and cite the articles within each content area in your paper to strengthen your claims.
Servant Leadership in Diverse Contexts
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Servant Leadership in Diverse Contexts
The second half of the twentieth century was characterized by various transformations in the way leaders managed organizations. Different leadership styles were introduced during this era, with servant leadership being chief among them. Coined by Robert Greenleaf in 1970, servant leadership is a leadership model where a leader is dedicated to serving others (Sachdeva & Prakash, 2017). It is now popular worldwide and complies with ethical principles through higher values and ideals. This approach represents a paradigm change in how followers perceive leaders and their role in an organization. Servant leadership is compatible with many world religions and cultures. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss instances where this model is apparent by reviewing the Indian cultural context and Islamic religion to understand how it manifests in contemporary society.
Principles of Servant Leadership evident in Islamic Religion and Indian Culture
Islam Religion
One of the primary principles of servant leadership is selflessness, which manifests in the Islamic religion. Islamic religion urges people to be selfless by helping the needy and sharing food. It instills selfless dealings in serving others. Prophet Muhammad’s taught the Muslim faithful to offer food and greetings of peace to the people known and those not known to them (Gonaim, 2016). The Quran also advises people to put the interest of others first. The teachings of Prophet Muhammad and the Quran demonstrate that Islamic religion calls for selflessness or service to others.
Another important principle of servant leadership is emotional healing. This leadership style emphasizes that leaders should show concern for the emotional well-being of others. Quran’s teachings and Prophet Muhammad’s lifestyle are the guidelines for the people. Quran states that Allah shall heal the believers’ breasts (Jabarkhail, 2020). Equally, regarding the Prophet Muhammad’s lifestyle, the Quran says, "O mankind! There hath come to you a direction from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts, and for those who believe guidance and Mercy" (Surah-Yunus 10:57). This guides Muslims to emotional healing and heart healing. Besides, God’s name in Islam is Al-Shafi, meaning the healer (Gonaim, 2016). This shows a significant connection between Islamic teachings and servant leadership.
Indian Culture
Indian culture also has evident principles of servant leadership. Altruism, evident through voluntary subordination, is one of the apparent principles in this culture (Mishra, 2019). It is the act of abandoning oneself for others' service and well-being. Mahatma Gandhi’s life has influenced this principle in Indian culture. In his era, Gandhi symbolized the people he was serving, unlike other leaders who would take advantage of the power to serve their interests (Mishra, 2019). Leaders preferred in Indian culture are those who demonstrate service to the people. Gandhi was an Indian leader who believed in servant leadership because he dedicated himself to serving others by putting the people's interests first. Also, the Indian community encourages serving one another for society's well-being. According to Mishra (2019), the sharing nature of Indians describes altruism, which is one of the principles of servant leadership.
Another principle is humility: - the leader’s ability to learn from others without feeling great or superior to the followers. Humility is among the key values that define Indian culture. Research comparing Indian and American culture found a 95% confidence interval on Indian humility. It shows that the Indian community and leaders foster humility (Mishra, 2019). An excellent case of a humble leader in Indian culture is Mahatma Gandhi, who never showed interest in influential posts. As the Indian National Congress leader, he paved the way for young leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru (Mishra, 2019). After independence, Gandhi never sought any government post. Instead, he decided to remain a humble servant sacrificing his life for the nation. He sets a perfect model for the Indian community and a role Indian leaders should emulate.
Similarities and Differences between Servant Leadership Philosophies and the Values from Indian Cultural Context and Islamic Viewpoint
Similarities
One of the similarities between servant leadership philosophies and values and the Islamic religion is that they aim to establish positive or healthy relationships. The selfless principle in the servant leadership style is meant for organizational leaders to improve the lives of others by caring for their needs (Jabarkhail, 2020). It promotes healthy communication, healthy discussions, and happiness which are pillars of positiv...