This paper provides a review of literature on studies focused on servant leadership. It also highlights different methods used in these studies as well as the limitations in empirical research.

Introduction

The crisis in leadership today has merited the reevaluation of creative concepts of leadership. In several fields including in higher education, there has been a growing emphasis to adopt the kind of leadership that produces not only organizational results but aims at making the society a better place. The servant leadership concept pioneered by Robert K. Greenleaf – which reflects a style of leadership characterized by giving service to the people you lead and to society at large – has been taught in many higher educational institutions (Beazly & Beggs, 2002). However, how this kind of leadership is perpetuated in actual practice remains “mythical” as suggested by some authors (Eicher-Catt, 2005). This leadership is considered mythical in the sense that there is insufficient empirical basis to validate the existence of servant leadership, and the question, Who exactly is a servant leader? (Youngs, 2003).

Spears (2006) endeavored to answer this question theoretically by identifying ten character traits that may be found in a servant leader: (a) listening, (b) healing (c) empathy, (d) persuasion, (e) awareness, (f) foresight, (g) conceptualization, (h) commitment to the growth of people, (i) stewardship, and (j) building community. Nevertheless, the existence of servant leadership has been considered empirically weak because of the dearth of research studies that examined how servant leadership is concretized in the real-world setting, especially as it relates to leading in organizations operating for profit. Based on these premises, this study considers it imperative to examine and validate the practice of servant leadership as exemplified by a leader in a proprietary higher educational institution.

Statement of the Problem

Despite the many articles and papers written on servant leadership, not enough empirical work has been done to establish its existence (Long, 2008). A substantial amount of literature has already been devoted to discussing servant leadership as a concept following the publication of Robert Greenleaf’s 1970 seminal work “The Servant as Leader” (Greenleaf Center, 2009). This paper maintains however that literature is lacking particularly on how servant leadership is exemplified and utilized within an actual leadership setting and how it impacts superiors, subordinates, and peers in the context of organizational goals and performance. The key intention of this study is to describe leadership not only with clearer definitions or constructs, but through meaningful narrative (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). The aim is to give empirical support to the concept of servant leadership by discovering how it is lived and experienced in the real life circumstance of a prominent leader in higher education.

The analysis of this study focuses on the Ten-Trait Servant Leadership Model developed by Spears (2006) which was presented in an effort to distinguish servant leadership from other prominent leadership styles. As outlined earlier, these traits include: (a) listening, (b) healing (c) empathy, (d) persuasion, (e) awareness, (f) foresight, (g) conceptualization, (h) commitment to the growth of people, (i) stewardship, and (j) building community (Spears, 2006).

Purpose of the Study

The goal of this study is to illustrate servant leadership as applied in the context of the proprietary higher educational institution. Many middle level colleges and university campuses across the United States are or have at one time tried to implement, a servant-like form of leadership (Beazley & Beggs, 2002). However, there are still many questions regarding the applicability of the concept of leadership: how best it can be taught in colleges, and how best it can be fostered and practiced both inside the institutions and also in other fields. The interest of this study is to provide evidence that servant leadership exists in a manner that is “understandable and experientially credible, both to the people you are studying and to others” (Maxwell, 2005, p. 24). The research question asks how servant leadership traits are exemplified by the servant leader. In order to do so, the life experiences of Dr. Jim Otten, a highly-regarded leader in proprietary higher education will be explored. The first reason being Dr. Otten’s status as a prominent and respected leader in proprietary higher education. The second reason is that proprietary higher education, like the rest of corporate America, is experiencing a leadership crisis since many of its leaders are motivated by self-interest and the drive to improve company profit margins regardless of the consequences.

A central objective of this study is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of servant leadership by examining the experiences and practices of Dr. Otten. According to Crippen (2005), the need for educational leaders to practice servant leadership has never been greater. The growing trend toward democratization in higher education also suggests the redefinition of the educational leader’s role in the context of the education system’s role in molding the prosperous and moral society. Although servant leadership has been taught and practiced in educational institutions for some time now, it is surprising that there seems to be many grey areas surrounding the whole system, especially on the practical aspect. Specifically, a mystery seems to exist within the interplay of teaching and applying servant leadership in higher education. This paper intends to unveil such mystery by conducting an interpretive biographical research on the life and leadership of Dr. Jim Otten.

Research Questions

This study aims to examine evidence that supports the practice of servant leadership behaviors in the professional life of Dr. Otten. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the dearth of empirical literature on the phenomenon of servant leadership and in consequence, inform how the practice of servant leadership today can be incorporated in profit-driven proprietary higher education institutions. The overarching question for this study is:

What is the evidence that the following ten characteristics (behaviors) of servant leadership: (a) listening, (b) healing (c) empathy, (d) persuasion, (e) awareness, (f) foresight, (g) conceptualization, (h) commitment to the growth of people, (i) stewardship, and (j) building community, exemplify the professional life of Dr. Jim Otten?

This central question is divided into sub-questions, to wit:

Q1. How do superiors, associates and subordinates view Dr. Otten?

Q2. What organizational practices and experiences in working with or for Dr. Otten demonstrate the practice of servant leadership from the perspective of subordinates and colleagues?

Definition of Key Terms

This section provides definitions of unique terms and constructs that will be used in the ensuing discussion of the study.

Leader. A leader is defined as a person who commands, guides, directs, and influences others (American Heritage Dictionary, 2006).

Leadership. The term leadership refers to a “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task” (Chemers, 2002, p. 14).

Servant Leadership. Servant leadership is a leadership style and philosophy characterized by choosing to serve first and from there, lead so that capability and service expands among persons or organizations (Greenleaf Center, 2009).

Servant Leader. A servant leader is an individual who practices servant leadership and possesses ten characteristics which include “listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community” (Spears, 2006, p. 11).

Listening. Listening is the leadership trait defined as “to listen receptively to what is being said (and not said)… coupled with regular periods of reflection” (Spears, 2002, p. 4). Listening is a tool for problem solving and a means of developing emotional connections and communication with followers.

Empathy. This trait refers to “the action of under