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Leadership Style and Philosophy – Revised

Janell Gonsalves

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

EAD 536: Strategic Leadership and Management in the Principalship

Dr. Hudson

September 27, 2023

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Leadership Style and Philosophy – Revised

The underlying motivation of my life is deeply rooted in my faith in Jesus Christ. I

believe passionately in pursuing excellence in every area of my life, loving God and others

along the way. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all

your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is

like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (English Standard Version Bible, 2001,

Matthew 22:37-39). This commandment drives my life in every single aspect. Loving is an

essential part of living my faith, as is working hard and giving full effort to whatever my

hand finds to do. Colossians 3:23 states, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as

working for the Lord, not for human masters” (English Standard Version Bible, 2001). My

faith is what defines my personal values and beliefs, which in turn shapes my thinking,

decision-making, goal setting, and interactions with others.

I believe I possess a combination of leadership styles, but the servant leader model

aligns most closely to my personal convictions and moral code. The servant leadership model

stands alone in its very own “follower” focused class. As stated in the text, “servant

leadership makes altruism the central component of the leadership process. It is the only

leadership approach that frames the leadership process around the principle of caring for

others” (Northouse, 2019). This concept is similar to what Donald Kraybill discusses in his

book Upside Down Kingdom. Kraybill proposes that when Jesus came he flipped the world

upside down and everything that once was shown to have value, was reversed, e.g., the first

became last, enemies became loved, weak became strong, the poor, rich. Essentially, Kraybill

claims Jesus shifted the values that challenged the prevailed social order and ultimately

became the servant of men (Kraybill, 2003). In the article, The Essentials of Servant

Leadership: Principles in Practice, the act of a servant leader “lifts up others and actively

engages in growth and development of those being served, as well as their own” (2013). I
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hope to embody the servant leader mind set, as it connects to my core belief that we are to

work hard and love others.

According to Bernard Bass, a well-known scholar in the field of leadership studies,

transformational leadership requires higher moral development (Bass, 1999). It is concerned

with emotions, values, ethics, standards, and long-term goals, but its strength lies in the fact

that it includes deep consideration of followers’ motives, a strong desire to fulfil their needs,

and revolves around treating each person as a human being worthy of acceptance and respect

(Northouse, 2019). The higher moral calling of this particular leadership style closely aligns

to my core beliefs and values. This system, or way of leading, focuses on building others up

and leading with integrity and heart, which is how I strive to live daily

Acting with integrity requires a strong desire to do the “right thing”, paired with a

deep conviction to live as authentically as possible. I believe both servant and

transformational leadership styles focus on the “why” and lend themselves to creating ethical

workplace environments. Specifically, transformational leadership appeals to higher ideals

and moral values (NG & Sears, 2012), which in turn produces a culture of integrity and

fairness. I will strive to act with integrity and fairness because my core values and beliefs

demand I live what I believe. Essentially, I could not live in direct conflict to what I feel is

“right”. As an administrator, ensuring a school system of accountability for every student’s

academic and social success would be a top priority, as it is the most important objective of

the job. In order to act with fairness and integrity, I believe it is important to constantly self-

evaluate to determine areas that need improvement, actively listen and seek counsel/advice

from those in the field that have both experience and wisdom. I also think it is important to

maintain a growth mind set and be willing to adjust and change both professionally and

personally, as transformational leadership requires that leaders be aware of how their own
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behavior relates to the needs of their followers and the changing dynamics within their

organizations (Northouse, 2019).

As I continue in my educational leadership journey, I hope to always grow and be

willing to change in my quest to serve those I have the privilege to lead

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References

Bass, B. M. (1999). Two decades of research and development in Transformational

leadership. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 8(1), 9–32.

https://doi.org/10.1080/135943299398410

English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/

Kraybill, D. B. (2003). Upside-down kingdom. Herald Press.

Ng, E. S., & Sears, G. J. (2012). CEO leadership styles and the implementation of

organizational diversity practices: Moderating effects of social values and age. Journal

of Business Ethics, 105(1), 41-52. doi: 10.1007 /s1055 l-Ol 1-0933-7

Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). SAGE Publications.