Ethical Leadership its Variations

Abstract Researchers have concentrated efforts to uncovering aspects and conceptions of ethical leadership models that could be used in contemporary organizations to not only ensure leadership effectiveness, but also enhance follower development and realization of organizational goals.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Ethical Leadership its Variations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this light, the present analysis contributes to our understanding of one such leadership model known as ethical leadership and its variations, which include servant, spiritual and authentic leadership. The careful and exhaustive comparisons done between these leadership theories and other conventional leadership models such as transformational and charismatic leadership give credence to the fact that leader emphasis on ethical dimensions of leadership generates beneficial personal and organizational outcomes. It has also been demonstrated that value-based leadership projected in servant, spiritual and authentic leadership is predicated on shared, robustly internalized values that are promoted and acted upon by the leader, but which goes a long way to ensure leadership effectiveness, positive organizational outcomes in terms of competencies development and productivity, and follower development. Research into the servant, spiritual and authentic leadership models have demonstrated some shared, common features as well as broad differences. Although these theories may represent a paradigm shift of leadership approaches into the future, more systematic and quantitative research is needed to harmonize the varying conceptions and other grey areas of the theories discussed comprehensively in this paper. Indeed, it has been noted that the popular appeal of these evolving leadership approaches is yet to translate into credible academic respectability. Introduction Despite sustained attention by scholars and practitioners to the wide discipline of leadership, discussions of ethical leadership in public, private and even nonprofit organizations still remains largely anecdotal and highly normative. However, as noted by Rubin, Doedorff Brown (2010), this is not to imply that the study of ethical leadership has been disregarded in its entirety.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To the contrary, scholars, driven by ethics scandals and subsequent demise of companies like Enron, World-Com, Lehman Brothers and Tyco (Millar, Delves Harris, 2010; Sendjaya et al, 2008), have concentrated efforts to uncovering aspects and conceptions of ethical leadership, contributing to rich, descriptive information on the field (Rubin et al, 2010). The present paper purposes to examine different conceptions of ethical leadership, including servant, spiritual and authentic theories, and to compar e and contrast them with the transformational and charismatic theories with a view to bring into light how these conceptions could be employed to occasion important organizational outcomes. Ethical Leadership: Background Definition Although practitioners and scholars are of the opinion that ethics is the core of leadership (Xiayong, Fen Jiannong, 2011), and while the fundamental importance of leadership – particularly top management – in promoting and sustaining ethical conduct in organizations has long been understood (Brown Mitchell, 2010), it is only in the past decade that ethical leadership has been methodically studied from a descriptive and predictive social scientific perspective (Millar et al, 2010). Earlier studies as noted by Brown Mitchell (2010) looked into the effects of leadership behaviors without developing formalized theoretical conceptions. However, it was not until early 2000s when Trevià ±o and colleagues cited in Brown Mitchell (2010) engage d in the first formal explorations focused on developing an all-encompassing definition of what ethical leadership entails. Their qualitative studies, as demonstrated by these authors, revealed that ethical leaders were best depicted along two interrelated continuums: moral person and moral manager. Later, Brown et al (2005) cited in Xiaoyong et al (2011) further illuminated the conceptualization to develop a formal definition of ethical leadership as â€Å"†¦the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such conduct to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision making† (p. 362). Below, this paper narrows its focus to critically examine three variants of ethical leadership, namely: servant leadership, spiritual leadership, and authentic leadership.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Ethical Leadership its Variations specifically fo r you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Servant Leadership Definition Conceptions Robinson (2009) cited in Waterman (2011) suggests that the phrase ‘servant leadership’ in its contemporary perspective â€Å"†¦was developed by Robert Greenleaf (1977), but the idea can be traced to antiquity and is associated with a range of religious beliefs† (p. 24). Due to modernization of societies, however, the concept of service has evolved from just representing the religious connotation of ‘service to others’ to a leadership approach based on not only showing care and concern for other people (Waterman, 2011), but also demonstrating the desire to build and develop them personally and professionally (Taylor et al, 2007). Holistically, therefore, servant leadership entails â€Å"†¦helping others to accomplish shared objectives by facilitating individual development, empowerment, and collective work that is consistent with the health and long-term welfare of followers† (Yukl, 2009, p. 420). From the systematic review of literature (e.g., Yukl, 2009; Taylor et al, 2007; Sendjaya et al, 2008), several conceptions of servant leadership have crystallized, namely: integrity; altruism; humility; empathy and healing; personal growth; fairness and justice, and; empowerment. Ebener O’Connell (2010) suggest that â€Å"†¦a servant leader begins by acting with integrity, creating supportive relationships, and helping others to grow† (p. 320). As demonstrated by Page Wong (2005), servant leadership is associated with such inner qualities as humility, integrity, fairness, altruism and a servant’s attitude, which are reinforced by the development of a highly moral and spiritual character. Effects of Servant Leadership Available literature demonstrates that organizations are increasingly searching for ethical and effective leadership that not only serve others, but invests in their deve lopment and executes a shared vision (Sendjaya et al, 2008; Page Wong, 2005). According to Ebener O’Connell (2010), â€Å"†¦servant leaders encourage people to go above and beyond their own immediate interests by performing organizational citizenship behaviors [which] are defined as altruistic, prosocial activities that have been shown to enhance organizational performance† (p. 315).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Irving (2005) postulates that servant leadership behaviors are intrinsically correlated to the effectiveness of teams in the realization of shared objectives or goals. Extant research on leadership demonstrates that when team members acknowledge servant leadership, they are bound to appear as whole people and trustworthy professional co-leaders – fundamental ingredients in building effective teams (Ebener O’Connell, 2010). Greenleaf (1977) cited in Sendjaya et al (2008) was of the opinion that â€Å"†¦servant leadership is demonstrated whenever those served by servant leaders are positively transformed in multiple dimensions (e.g. emotionally, intellectually, socially, and spiritually) into servant leaders themselves† (p. 408). This transformation takes place collectively and repeatedly, and in turn, inspires positive changes in individuals, organizations and communities. Research on Servant Leadership Researchers and practitioners have reported a shift in the leadership paradigm for the 21st century (Taylor et al, 2007) from the traditional leadership approaches to an emerging leadership approach that appears more relevant and timely in the present context (Sendjaya et al, 2008). Greenleaf’s (1977) seminal work on servant leadership not only brought the construct to the public discourse in the mid 1970s (Irving, 2005), but also stimulated interest from other researchers who have continued to expand on the topic and to shed light on various conceptions that surround servant leadership (Yukl, 2009). According to Irving (2005), â€Å"†¦the work surrounding servant leadership from the early 1990s through 2003 focused on identifying themes that could help to operationalize the concept of servant leadership† (p. 2). To quote a few of these works, Graham (1991) cited in Irving (2005) stressed the inspirational and moral dimensions of servant leadership, while Buchen (1998) suggested that self-identity, capability for rec iprocity, relationship building, and obsession with the future were fundamental themes of servant leadership. Spears (1998) also cited in Irving (2005) â€Å"†¦emphasized the dimensions of listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment, and community building† (p. 2). Farling et al (1999) cited in Sendjaya et al (2008) argued for the importance of servant leaders to demonstrate vision, influence, service to others, integrity, and trust, while Laub (1999) cited in Irving (2005) put forward the concepts of valuing people, developing people, participating in building community, exhibiting authenticity, providing leadership, and sharing leadership as essential for servant leaders. Limitations of Servant Leadership It has been suggested that although the literature â€Å"†¦on servant leadership have increased in the past few years, there has still been limited research conducted in a systematic, quantitative man ner† (Taylor et al, 2007 p. 415). Indeed, the popular appeal of servant leadership as an evolving leadership approach has not translated into academic respectability, in large part due to the under-representation of the theory in major textbooks on management, leadership and organizational behavior. Due to the lack of a significant research base on servant leadership, Sendjaya et al (2008) postulate that the model is still been faced with vague psychometric properties, which are fundamentally important for further development and validation of the approach. It is also generally felt that many organizations that are perceived to practice servant leadership are hierarchical in nature and, consequently, the power distance between the servant leaders and their followers or other team members may not be conducive to the elements or themes of servant leadership discussed in this paper (Ebener O’Connell, 2010). Spiritual Leadership Definition Conceptions Fry (2003) argues th at â€Å"†¦the purpose of spiritual leadership is to create vision and value congruence across the strategic, empowered team, and individual levels and, ultimately, to foster higher levels of organizational commitment and productivity† (p. 693). Unlike classic organizational, administrative and leadership theories, spiritual leadership can be defined as encompassing the values, attitudes, and behaviors that are perceived as essential to fundamentally motivate people so that they are able to develop a sense of spiritual survival at work through calling and membership (Karadog, 2009). Extant research demonstrates that although the conceptions of spiritual leadership are many and varied (Carter, 2009), they revolve around the issues of spiritual beliefs (e.g., hope and faith in God); transcendence of self, manifesting in an active sense of calling or destiny; engagement in spiritual practices (e.g., praying, meditating, and reading scripture), and; conviction that an indivi dual’s activities have meaning and value beyond the immediate economic benefits or self-gratification (Ferguson Miliman, 2008). Consequently, this paper will utilize one construct proposed by Fry (2003) cited in Freeman (2011), which â€Å"†¦explains spirituality in leadership within an intrinsic motivation model that incorporates vision, altruistic love/faith; theories of workplace spirituality and spiritual survival; and the organizational outcomes of commitment and productivity† (p. 122). Research on Spiritual Leadership Fry Matherly (n.d.) are in agreement that â€Å"†¦issues regarding workplace spirituality have been receiving increased attention in the organizational sciences and the implications of workplace spirituality for leadership theory, research, and practice make this a fast growing area of new research and inquiry by scholars† (p. 3). Research has demonstrated that spiritual leadership not only lead to valuable personal results such a s enhanced positive human health and psychological happiness but that it also conveys improved employee satisfaction, loyalty and commitment while reducing instances of absenteeism and turnover (Carter, 2009). Indeed, Kaplan Norton (2004) cited in Fry Matherly (n.d.) argue that â€Å"†¦a high degree of workplace spirituality and spiritual leadership, as a driver of organizational commitment and productivity, is essential to optimizing organizational performance† (p. 3). Consequently, many research studies (e.g., Ferguson Miliman, 2008; Freeman, 2011; Fry Cohen, 2009; Fry Matherly, n.d.) conclude that spiritual leadership basically entails motivating and inspiring employees through a transcendent vision and a culture that is intrinsically grounded on altruistic values to produce a more inspired, satisfied, committed and productive workforce. Limitations of Spiritual Leadership Researchers have identified several major weaknesses that must be addressed for spiritual l eadership to gain acceptance within the scientific community as a newly emerging paradigm. Ferguson Miliman (2008) note that there exist a lack of accepted conceptual definition of what spirituality actually entails, while Fry Cohen (2008) note that there are inadequate measurement tools to evaluate the thematic conceptions of spirituality. Limited theoretical development and legal concerns have also been identified as genuine challenges for the development of a leadership paradigm that is rooted in spirituality (Fry Matherly, n.d.). Authentic Leadership Definition and Conceptions The term authenticity â€Å"†¦implies that one acts in accord with the true self, expressing oneself in ways that are consistent with inner thoughts and feelings† (Avolio Gardner, 2005, p. 320). The recognition of the self-referential nature of authenticity, therefore, is fundamental to comprehending the construct of authentic leadership. Avolio et al (2004) cited in Avolio Gardner (2005) describe authentic leaders as individuals who are profoundly conscious â€Å"†¦of how they think and behave and are perceived by others as being aware of their own and others’ values/moral perspectives, knowledge, and strengths; aware of the context in which they operate; and who are confident, hopeful, optimistic, resilient, and of high moral character† (p. 321). The related conception of authentic leadership is defined by academics as a process that draws from both positive psychological capabilities and a well matured organizational context, which results in both superior self-awareness and self-regulated positive behaviors and actions on the part of leaders and their followers (Avolio Garner, 2005), fostering positive modeling, self-development, and the attainment of sustainable and veritable performance (Rowe Guerrero, 2011; Blausten, 2009). Effects of Authentic Leadership The effects of authentic leadership are many and varied (Blausten, 2009), and include : development of positive psychological capital and positive moral perspective (Rowe Guerrero, 2011); development of leader and follower self-awareness in terms of values, cognitions, and emotions; development of leader and follower self-regulation in terms of internalized behavior, balanced processing, and authentic behavior (Avolio Gardner, 2005); development of leadership processes and behaviors such as positive modeling, personal and social identification, emotional contagion, self determination and positive social exchanges (Sendjaya et al, 2008); follower development, and; veritable and sustainable organizational performance (Rubin et al, 2010). It is also generally felt that authentic leadership institutes open, transparent, trusting and genuine relationships between the leaders and followers. Research on Authentic Leadership A number of scholars have undertaken research on authentic leadership. One of the pioneers of these studies was Bill George, who posited â€Å"†¦that being yourself; being the person you were created to be rather than developing an image or persona of a leader is the way to restore confidence in business organizations after Enron and Arthur Andersen† (Sparrowe, 2005, p. 420). When formulating their model of authentic leadership development, Luthans Avolio (2003) cited in Sparrowe (2005) argue that the kind of leadership that can reinstate confidence from the challenge of declining hope in organizational leaders and their associates is by engaging individuals who are true to themselves, and whose transparency and accountability in either public or private discourse positively transforms or develops the followers into leaders themselves. Limitations of Authentic Leadership While Walumbwa et al (2008) report that it is often difficult to measure some aspects of authentic leadership, Avolio Garner (2005) argue that more research is needed â€Å"†¦on the relationship between authentic leadership and the levels of s elf-awareness of leaders and followers† (p. 334). These authors also report a dearth in research relating to evaluating the direct consequence of the leader’s positive psychological capital on associates and their mediating outcomes on sustained organizational productivity and performance. Similarities Differences of Servant, Spiritual Authentic Approaches of Leadership Research into the three approaches of leadership has demonstrated some shared, common features of the approaches as well as broad differences. Among the similarities, Avolio Gardener (2005) argue that leaders in the three approaches must exhibit positive moral perspective and demonstrate self-awareness in terms of values, cognitions, and emotions. Similarly, all approaches advocate for self-determination, follower self-awareness and follower development (Sendjaya et al, 2008), not mentioning that they share a strong emphasis on the ethical dimension of leadership (Brown Mitchell, 2010). Sendjaya et a l (2008) argue that both the â€Å"†¦servant leadership and Fry’s (2003) spiritual leadership models appeal to virtuous leadership practices and intrinsic motivating factors to cultivate a sense of meaning, purpose, and interconnectedness in the workplace† (p. 404). These authors suggest that both leadership paradigms endeavor to facilitate a holistic, integrated workplace where people engage in significant, meaningful and intrinsically motivating work, and where leadership orientation finds its expression or meaning and purpose of life through service. Indeed, available literature demonstrates that the spiritual leadership’s conceptions of vision, altruistic love, and hope/faith (Fry Matherly, n.d.) are also embedded in the conceptions of servant leadership (Sendjaya et al, 2008; Freeman, 2011). Given the discussed similarities, it would be conceivable to assert that â€Å"†¦servant leadership is embedded in spiritual leadership in that servant lead ership is a manifestation of altruistic love in the action of pursuing transcendent vision and being driven to satisfy needs for calling and membership† (Sendjaya et al, 2008, p. 404). Conversely, it would be equally conceivable to argue that spiritual leadership is grounded on the motivational basis for servant leaders to engage followers in authentic and thoughtful ways that transform their behavioral orientation to be what they are competent of becoming (Freeman, 2011). Sendjaya et al (2008) posit that servant leaders have the capacity to lead authentically since their leadership originates from the ‘being’ as evidenced in their unswerving display of humility, integrity, accountability, security and vulnerability. It is important to note that the causal spiritual leadership model developed by Fry (2003) cited in Sendjaya et al (2008) â€Å"†¦identifies follower needs for spiritual survival as expressed through calling and membership as outcome variables, whereas calling and membership are inherent in servant leadership behaviors† (p. 405). Consequently, it can be argued that spirituality is one of the many facets of servant leadership, but there exist other equally fundamental facets such as self-sacrificial servant-hood behavior, empowerment, collective work, and moral values that are not evidently expressed in many spiritual leadership models (Sendjaya et al, 2008). It has been observed that a critical aspect of spiritual leadership is the need to be authentic, hence the relationship between spiritual leadership and authentic leadership. Spiritual leadership is also related to servant leadership in that it intrinsically focuses on â€Å"†¦serving others and emphasizing the development of people† (Ferguson Milliman, 2008, p. 448). Among the differences, Avolio Garner (2005) notes that internalized self regulation is demonstrated in both spiritual and authentic leadership, while authentic behavior is demonstrated in servant as well as authentic leadership, but not in spiritual leadership. Equally, it can be argued that spirituality is a significant source of motivation for servant leaders but is not highlighted in the authentic leadership model (Sendjaya et al, 2008). Personal and social identification on the part of the leader is present in authentic leadership but vaguely demonstrated in both servant and spiritual leadership. Equally, positive social exchange is clearly outlined as a conception of authentic leadership but not for spiritual and servant leadership (Avolio Gardner, 2005). The conception of follower self-awareness in terms of cognitions and emotions is clearly outlined in both authentic and spiritual leadership, but is not considered in the servant leadership. Lastly, it has been noted in the literature that the conception of relational transparency is carried with much weight in authentic leadership but not in the other two leadership approaches (Avolio Gardner, 2005) Comp aring the Approaches with Transformational Charismatic Theories Defining Transformational Leadership Burns (1978) cited in Sagnak (2010) defined transformational leadership as moral leadership, where â€Å"†¦leaders and followers further take each other’s motivation and morality to higher levels† (p. 1137). Bass (1985) also cited in Sagnak (2010) further advanced the transformational leadership approach to include the aspects of idealized influence (charisma) on the part of the leader, inspirational motivation, self-fulfillment, intellectual simulation, self-actualization, and personalized consideration. A transformational leader, according to Engelbrecht et al (2005), aims to fundamentally alter the values, beliefs and attitudes of followers. Defining Charismatic Leadership Weber (1947) cited in Fry (2003) defined charismatic leadership as any approach that demonstrates: strong desire to influence others; ability to act as a role model for the beliefs and values that followers need to adopt; ability to articulate ideological goals with moral overtones; ability to communicate high expectations and demonstrate confidence in followers’ abilities to meet and surpass these expectations; ability to arouse task-relevant motivation by tapping followers’ needs for esteem, power, and affiliation, and; ability to link the identity of followers (employees) to the collective identity of the organization. A Discussion of the Similarities Differences Leadership scholars have often asserted that servant leadership is somewhat similar to transformational leadership in that â€Å"†¦both approaches encourage leaders and followers to raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality† (Sendjaya et al, 2008, p. 403). However, these authors note that servant leaders are theoretically different from Bass’s (1985) transformational leaders in that not only are servant leaders more likely than transformational leaders to exhibit the natural inclination to serve disadvantaged and marginalized people, but the outcomes of enhanced motivation and commitment demonstrated by transformational leaders â€Å"†¦may not necessarily benefit followers as there is nothing in the transformational leadership model that says that leaders should serve followers for the good of followers† (p. 403). However, it should be noted that as is the case with servant leadership, the transformational leadership model outlined by Burns (1978) cited in Sendjaya et al (2008) required leaders to lead the followers for their own ultimate good. While the role of servant leaders may be seen in the light of serving followers; that of a transformational leader may be perceived in the light of encouraging followers to pursue organizational goals and objectives (Sendjaya et al, 2008). Another distinction closely related to this is that while transformational leadership deals primarily with ‘performance beyond expectatio ns’, servant leadership is fundamentally concerned with entrenching the followers’ holistic moral and ethical development (Taylor et al, 2005). Whetstone (2002) observes that whereas a transformational leader may be instrumental and manipulative in nature, a servant leader is bound to be manipulated by the followers. Taylor et al (2007) suggest that although servant leadership may be perceived as an extension of transformational leadership, it ends up valuing people and treating them as ends rather than means while many transformational theories treats people as means to achieve organizational objectives. However, the authors note that the followers’ emotional attachment to the leader in servant leadership, along with the motivational arousal of followers as an outcome of the leader’s behavior and actions, is fundamentally considered a consequence of transformational leadership. Carter (2009) argues that spiritual leadership shares some convergent element s with transformational leadership in that it is not only linked to social responsibility, integrity and stability, but it shapes the values, beliefs and practices of followers, and provides overall meaning to their own existence. Some central components of both spiritual and transformational leadership theories, according to Sagnak (2010), include the commitment of the manager to a higher cause or purpose and the articulation of meaningful values on a deeper level to organizational members. Additionally, Avolio Gardner (2005) posit that the conception of follower development is a focal component in servant, spiritual, and authentic leadership but is vaguely outlined in transformational and charismatic leadership models. As observed by Avolio Gardner (2005), transformational and authentic leadership are related in that authenticity serves as a moral compass by which the objectives and intentions of transformational leaders can be holistically determined. However, these authors not e that although authentic leadership can encompass all the other leadership approaches (e.g., transformational, charismatic, servant, and spiritual), it may not be charismatic to the extent demonstrated by transformational leadership as authentic leaders must work hard and lead with purpose, meaning and values to build lasting relationship with followers. To the contrary, Sagnak (2010) observes that transformational leaders â€Å"†¦may be charismatic in their opinion of the followers and thereby inspire them; they meet emotional needs of each employee and/or provide intellectual simulation† (p. 1137). This distinction demonstrates that being an authentic leader does not automatically imply that the leader is transformational. Brown Mitchell (2010) posit that â€Å"†¦transformational and charismatic leadership have been studied extensively and the cumulative findings suggest that [they] are positively associated with important ethics-related outcomes such as follow er’s perceptions of trust in fairness of their leader and organizational citizenship behaviors† (p. 586). This therefore implies that these leadership approaches projects similar elements with servant, spiritual and authentic leadership in terms of followers’ trust and organizational citizenship behaviors. Internalized self regulation and personal and social identification are focal components shared by authentic, spiritual, transformational, and charismatic leadership approaches, but are largely absent in servant leadership (Avolio Gardner, 2005). Conclusion This analysis contributes to our understanding of ethical leadership and its different variations, namely servant, spiritual and authentic leadership. The careful comparisons between these leadership theories and other conventional leadership models such as transformational and charismatic leadership give credence to the fact that leader emphasis on ethical dimensions of leadership generates beneficial pers onal and organizational outcomes. It has also been demonstrated that value-based leadership projected in servant, spiritual and authentic leadership is predicated on shared, robustly internalized values that are promoted and acted upon by the leader, but which goes a long way to ensure leadership effectiveness, positive organizational outcomes in terms of competencies development and productivity, and follower development (Fry, 2003). The task, therefore, is for the management of contemporary organizations to select a leadership approach that will articulate a better vision of a better future. Reference List Avolio, B.J., Gardner, W.L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(1), 315-338. Blausten, P. (2009). Can authentic leadership survive the downturn? Business Strategy Review, 20(1), 84-87. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Brown, M.E., Mitchell, M.S. (2010). Ethical and unethical leadership: Exploring new avenues for future research. Business Ethics Quarterly, 20(4), 585-616. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Carter, J. (2009). Transformational leadership and pastoral leader effectiveness. Pastoral Psychology, 58(3), 261-271. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Ebener, D.R., O’Connell, D.J. (2010). How might servant leadership work? Nonprofit Management Leadership, 20(3), 315-335. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Engelbresht, A.S., Van Aswegen, A.S., Theron, C.C. (2005). The effect of ethical values on transformational leadership and ethical climate in organizations. South African Journal of Business Management, 36(2), 19-26. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Ferguson, J., Miliman, J. (2008). Creating effective core organizational values: A spiritual leadership approach. International Journal of Public Administration, 31(4), 439-459. Freeman, G.T. (2011). Spirituality and servant leadersh ip: A Conceptual model and research proposal. Emerging Leadership Journeys, 4(1), 120-140. Fry, L., Cohen, M. (2009). Spiritual leadership as a paradigm for organizational transformation and recovery from extended work hours cultures. Journal of Business Ethics, 84(2), 265-278. Fry, L.W., Matherly, L.L. (n.d.). Spiritual leadership and organizational performance: An exploratory study. Retrieved from https://www.tarleton.edu/home/. Irving, J.A. (2005). Servant leadership and the effectiveness of teams. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Regent University. Retrieved from http://people.bethel.edu/~irvjus/PDF/Irving,Justin-RegentUniversity_final.pdf. Karadog, E. (2009). Spiritual leadership and organizational culture: A study of structural equation modeling. Educational Sciences: Theory Practice, 9(3), 1391-1405. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Millar, C.J.M., Delves, R., Harris, P. (2010). Ethical and unethical leadership: Double vision? Journal of Public Affairs, 10(3), 109-120. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Rowe, G., Guerrero, L. (2011). Cases in leadership. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. Rubin, R.S., Diedorff, E.C., Brown, M.E. (2010). Do ethical leaders get ahead? Exploring ethical leadership and promotability. Business Ethics Quarterly, 20(2), 215-236. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Sagnak, M. (2010). The relationship between transformational school leadership and ethical climate. Educational Sciences: Theory Practice, 10(2), 1135-1152. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Sendjaya, S., Sarros, J.C., Santora, J.C. (2008). Defining and measuring servant leadership behavior in organizations. Journal of Management Studies, 45(2), 402-424. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Sparrowe, R.T. (2005). Authentic leadership and the narrative self. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(1), 419-439. Taylor, T., Martin, B.N., Hutchinson, S., Jinks, M. (2007). Examination of leadership practices of principles identified as servant leaders. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 10(4), 401-419. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Walumbwa, F., Avolio, B., Gardner, W., Wernsing, T., Peterson, S. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), 89-126. Waterman, H. (2011). Principles of servant leadership and how they can enhance practice. Nursing Management, 17(9), 24-36. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Whetstone, J.T. (2002). Personalism and moral leadership: The servant leader with a transforming vision. Business Ethics: A European Review, 11(4), 385-392. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Xiaoyong, X., Fen, Y., Jiannong, S. (2011). Ethical leadership and leaders’ personalities. Social Behavior Personality: An International Journal, 39(3), 361-268. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Yukl, G.A. (2009). Leaders hip in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. This research paper on Ethical Leadership its Variations was written and submitted by user Kallie Riggs to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

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Reflections On Biodiversity essays Since the time of Adam and Eve, mankind has changed. We no longer see, interact, or depend on nature the same way as we did thousands of years ago. Yet, we are still very much connected to the earth. Mankind continues to be engaged in natures challenge to survive. Our relationship with nature is stronger everyday as our understanding of the world expands. Our human lives are built around the inevitable laws and affects of nature. And so, while our perspectives and functions in nature have dramatically changed, mankind remains intimately and inseparably attached to the rest of creation. Mankind has excelled at natures game of survival of the fittest. We have learned not only to adapt and to endure the whims of nature, but we have found ways to manipulate nature itself to ensure the welfare of our race. We have learned to take, to exploit and to pollute nature and its resources so that we may more easily survive. It is because of this that we have risen above all of natures other creations. We are alienated from the rest of creation only in the fact that we have mastered natures law of survival, allowing us to take the fate of our existence into our own hands. The skills that we have developed to better our chances of survival in nature can be but a logical step in natural evolution. Mankind has reached the apex of this step ahead of any other species; consequently we have lost the physical need to follow the flow of the rest of nature. Adam and Eve were distanced from a land of paradise, where there was no need to fight for survival, a land where all was provided f or. The segregation of mankind from the rest of creation cannot compare to the segregation of Adam and Eve from Eden because unlike Eden, nature is not a paradise. In the harsh real world of nature, we must compete to fulfill our needs in order to survive. The harshness of nature has driven mankind to rise above the rest of creation in order to ensur...

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Introduction and Setting - Research Paper Example The movie or film series Star Wars is not at all an exception. Created by George Lucas on May 25th, 1977, the film was released by the 20th Century Fox to become a global phenomenon. The events that take place in Star Wars do so in a fictional galaxy, with the actors being humanoids or alien creatures and the area of residence and operation being the Galactic Empire. Force is among the prominent elements in the movie and acts as an all-present energy that knits the galaxy together, and can be tapped by those with the ability to do so. Through the force, the characters in Star Wars are able to realize the effecting of clairvoyance, mind control, telekinesis and precognition, among other supernatural activities. This force is seen to be amoral, in the sensed that while it can be used for good ends, it harbors a dark side that can instill hatred, malice and aggression when pursued. As far as the main characters are concerned and how they use the force, there are Jedi and Sith who use th e force for good (to save the universe) and evil (to own and control the universe), respectively. There are several ways in which Star Wars is heavily laden with mythological, spiritual and religious symbols, as has been previously mentioned and shall be divulged upon forthwith. Analyzing Mythological, Spiritual and religious Symbolism in Star Wars’ Synopsis The manner in which symbolism plays out in Star Wars is so fundamental that it does not just merely fortuitously correlate with some remote aspects and characters of the movie, but it also forms a complex weave which threads the entire trilogy together to form a complete and colorful synopsis. Specifically, in Star Wars, Luke Skywalker is compelled to fight the temptations emanating from the Dark Side, as a way of succoring humanity from the enslaving grip of the evil emperor, Dark Vader, together with other evil actors such as Java the Hutt. At the same time, there abound Biblical and spiritual mysteries littered through out the plot in Star Wars. This brings about a heavy sense of parallelism between the trilogy and Biblical accounts. In Star Wars, Darth Vader extends an olive branch to Luke Skywalker to the effect that upon accepting this olive branch, Skywalker would get to co-rule the galaxy with Vader, his father. This is seen in the Empire Strikes Back. This clearly brings to mind, the scriptural narration that is found in the Gospel of St. Matthew where standing on an exceedingly high mountain with Jesus, showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, the glory therein and offered to hand them to Jesus, should Jesus have paid him homage. This brings about the spiritual value of the importance of having the virtue of having focus and spiritual piety that will help one discriminate short-term conveniences for long-term good. Just as Christ forsakes the offertories being extended to him to do carry out a divine purpose of saving the world and its fullness from the devil’s, sin’s and d eath’s enslaving grip, so does Skywalker who refuses the overtures of Dark Vader, in order to save the universe from falling to slavery. The same idea is repeated in Jedi resisting the use of the Force in a negative manner as does Sith. Biblical or Mythological Imagery The quotations and

Physical and cultural aspect of the city of Islamic origins which are Essay

Physical and cultural aspect of the city of Islamic origins which are still present in the contemporary Arab city - Essay Example This was towards enabling greater responsiveness and functionality, vital in meeting the cultural and socio-economic needs of the Umma. Islam’s ascent to dominance as a world religion was influenced by its penetration of different regions of the globe i.e. Europe, Asia and Africa. This resulted in an overwhelming and irreversible impact on these regions’ urban development. As Saoud (2002) alludes, Islam as an urban religion was based on the community’s commitment to religious values, beliefs and practices relating to both authority and organization, and emphasizing more on social gathering/ togetherness. This was as opposed to the encouragement of human dispersal and nomadic lifestyle, which were characteristics of early Islamic life. As a result, early Muslim centers and towns were erected with the core responsibility of preaching Islam (Saoud, 2002). The essence of Islam as an urban religion was to sprout out of this ideal, as the religion was best adhered to in communal gatherings, as opposed to personal prayer and devotion. Historically, early centers served primarily as places of worship i.e. those of the Maghreb, Rabat and Tunis. Their role was that of – a Citadel of Faith – as Fischel (1956) eludes, dedicated to receiving and providing habitat for new converts. Also critical to this role, was the concept of such cities being referred to as Dar-El-Hijra, places where Muslims came to practice the Islamic way of life. It is through this critical avenue that Islam was spread throughout North Africa, and subsequently the whole of the region in addition to southern Europe. Thus, religious role was a key aspect of the emergence of such thriving towns and cities. This prestigious role of the towns and cities, as religious centers, was replaced by political motives during the 9th Century AD. The turbulence of this era resulted in the breakaway of such regions, from the traditional link to the main Caliphate,

Intelligence Led-Policing Essay Example for Free

Intelligence Led-Policing Essay The police institution has undergone major changes aimed at rebuilding its public. These changes date back to aggressive cops to the modern day police whose are guided by the rule of law (Ratcliffe, 2003, p 3). Introduced in the late 20th century, community policing focused on restoration of police legitimacy through community participation. It aimed at re-connecting the police institution to the public (Ratcliffe, 2003, p 4). Various researches indicate that it failed to provide measurable results. Consequently other models including problem oriented policing, Compstat and most recently, intelligence based policing (ILP) have emerged. Problem oriented policing involves use of statistical trends in identification of areas of interest. Compstat on the other hand focuses on empowerment of middle level officers to rapidly respond to crime. Basically it involves crime mapping, viewing and discussion. The most recent, ILP is an initiative at making the police smarter. It is founded on the use of criminal intelligence by the police in fighting crime (Ratcliffe, 2003, p 6). Emerging as a rare and unique initiative that attempts at understanding criminal environments and thus predict its occurrence and trends, the initiative is increasingly gaining popularity. Unlike the other models, ILP does not favor the popular reactive and investigate approaches in fighting crime but rather focuses on early identification hence prevention (Ratcliffe, 2003, p 6). It ensures that police actions are based on intelligence rather than intuition. ILP emerges as an alternative in organizational restructuring towards crime eradication. It is a result of changing crime faces and the transnational crime emergence alongside globalization, electronic financial transactions and internet in addition to police demand gap and failures of the existing policing models (Ratcliffe, 2003, p 6). The major similarity of this model to the previous models is the cause. Each aims to reduce crime marginal through either prevention or reactionary techniques. However, the approaches the take differ enormously. While the earlier models focused on either reacting to crime or cause identification, this model focuses on understanding the crime and the criminal mind as the basis for criminal fight.

The Patriot Act Essay -- USA Terrorism Surveillance Wire Tapping

The Patriot Act In the wake of September 11, many things happened very quickly. Along with the beginning of a 'war' against terrorism, an act was passed to help prevent future terrorism in the USA. The name of this is the USA Patriot Act. The act legalizes many surveillance techniques that were once prohibited. The act has been passed without debate, and the new privileges given to our government have not been thoroughly examined. The law enforcers of our country are now capable of monitoring the citizens in ways most people are not aware of. Some of the surveillance laws are self-terminating after four years, but many of the more important laws are permanent. What will these new surveillance laws be used for after the war on terrorism is over? Lee Tien, the Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney, suggests that the new rights can be used to put America into a 'police state'. There is a need for checks and balances in the USA Patriot Act to protect the American citizens. There are two hundred ninety pages in the USA Patriot Act; many of these pages are discussing subjects that change the rights of American citizens forever. The act was passed in a little over a month, which suggest that few, if any, congressmen thoroughly read this detailed act. In times of crisis, history has proved that United States citizens willingly compromise their right of privacy without considering the consequences. Many people have openly accepted this act without knowing what it is, most people have never even heard of the USA Patriot Act. The USAPA (USA Patriot Act) has not gone under the scrutiny that any normal act would have, yet this could be more important than any other act to date. The USAPA allows national or domestic law enforces (from the NSA, FBI, and CIA all the way down to the local police) to tap your computer or voice mail with a simple search warrant issued by a judge. Only one out of ten thousand of these search warrants requests are rejected. The law enf orcers are also allowed to tap electronic devices without telling the victim about the warrant or that they are being monitored. Also, the CIA and other foreign agencies are allowed to share information with the domestic law enforcement. This means that agencies that were once not allowed to intervene in the affairs of the USA can do so without punishment. These are few of the many la... ...dly, there should be a report on if the information acquired is used in court. This is a check on the usefulness of the information gathered by the law enforcers, and a way to monitor the proper use of the search warrant. Fourthly, a check on how the information attained is to be shared with other law based government agencies. It is a way to protect the privacy of the victim, so people do not needlessly read private documents. Finally, the public should be aware of the success or failure of the system. The people should be informed if their loss of privacy has done what it is intended to, which is to protect the country. These checks and balances of the USA Patriot Act are needed if the men and women of the USA want to feel safe. Thus, the USAPA must have many checks as well as balances if the people of the United States are to be happy with it. Until then, people remain concerned that Congress has passed such extensive declines in the right of Americans to be liberated from dominating government observation. But having done so, it is essential that Congress where feasible, shares with the American nation basic information about how these wide new powers are being used.

Let your life speak Essay

Questions for Reflection During which moments/activities do you feel most alive? What are your feelings about someone doing the right thing for the wrong reason? In what ways do you hear from God? What kinds of things most drain you? Stress you? What activities give you the space to reflect on what is going on inside you? How often do you do them? Consider the aphorism â€Å"Your greatest strength can also be your greatest weakness.† What is the connection between your strengths and your limits? Suggested Activity Pray through St. Ignatius’ Prayer of Examen. See www.marshill.org/groups/hc/ Select the link titled Prayer of Examen in the Practices section. Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 2-Now I Become Myself Quotes to think about â€Å"What a long time it can take to become the person one has always been. How often in the process we mask ourselves in faces that are not our own† [p. 9]. â€Å"We ourselves, driven by fear, too often betray true self to gain the approval of others† [p. 12]. â€Å"But inspected through the lens of paradox, my desire to become an aviator and an advertiser contain clues to the core of true self†¦clues, by definition, are coded and must be deciphered† [p. 13]. â€Å"If you seek vocation without understanding the material you are working with, what you build with your life will be ungainly and may well put lives in peril, your own and some of those around you† [p. 16]. â€Å"In the tradition of pilgrimage†¦hardships are seen not as accidental but as integral to the journey itself† [p. 18]. â€Å"I saw that as an organizer I had never stopped being a teacher-I was simply teaching in a classroom without walls. Make me a cleric or a CEO, a poet or a politico, and teaching is what I will do† [p. 21]. â€Å"People like me are raised to live autonomously, not interdependently. I had been trained to compete and win, and I had developed a taste for the prizes† [p. 22]. â€Å"Because I could not acknowledge my fear, I had to disguise it as the white horse of judgment and self-righteousness† [p. 28]. â€Å"Self care is never a selfish act-it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on the earth to offer to others† [p. 30]. â€Å"They decide no longer to act on the outside in a way that contradicts some truth about themselves that they hold deeply on the inside† [p. 32]. â€Å"Some journeys are direct, and some are circuitous; some are heroic, and some are fearful and muddled. But every journey, honestly undertaken, stands a chance of taking us toward the place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need† [p. 36]. Questions for reflection What role does gaining the approval of others play in how you live your life? As Palmer recalls his childhood, he is able to uncover clues to his true self. Parents, siblings, and even spouses are great sources of information to find out what you were like when you were younger. What were your childhood fascinations? Were you an artist? Were you building forts in the woods? What sorts of things held your attention? Are there connections between the things that fascinated you then and the life that you want to live now? Half-truths go hand in hand with fear. In our fear, it is much easier to look at another person, institution, or situation and point out shortcomings than it is to look at our own. Fear may motivate us to do the right thing for the wrong reasons. What are some of the fears that â€Å"trigger† you to lash out at others? Palmer says that â€Å"self care is good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift that I was placed on earth to offer others.† He goes on to say that a lack of self care hurts not only the individual but others as well. What does â€Å"self care† look like for you? What restores you? What are the things in your life that make your soul tired? Who are the Martin Luther King Jr.’s, the Rosa Parks’, and Gandhis: of your life? Who are the people that you admire so much that you seek to model aspects of your life after them? Why these people? Learning who you are doesn’t simply mean learning your strengths but also your limitations. â€Å"Who are you?† is a very broad and difficult question to answer. I may not be able to tell you â€Å"who I am,† but I’ve got a list of stories to tell you who I am not! Finish the sentence â€Å"I could never_____ it’s just not me.† Suggested Activity Palmer says that â€Å"clues are coded and must be deciphered.† Turn a blank sheet of paper on its side and draw a straight line from the left side to the right side. The line will serve as a chronological timeline of your life from birth until now. Place significant experiences and events that have shaped who you are today on the timeline. Examples: family of origin, deaths, births, school and work experiences, relationships, spiritual journey, great moments of joy, or great moments of sadness. Take time to share with one another about what is on your timeline and why it is significant. Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 3-When Way Closes Quotes to think about â€Å"There is as much guidance in what does not and cannot happen in my life as there is in what can and does-maybe more† [p. 39]. â€Å"If you are like me and don’t readily admit your limits, embarrassment may be the only way to get your attention† [p. 42]. â€Å"As Americans†¦we resist the very idea of limits, regarding limits of all sorts as temporary and regrettable impositions on our lives†¦We refuse to take no for an answer† [p. 42]. â€Å"When I consistently refuse to take no for an answer, I miss the vital clues to my identity that arise when way closes-and I am more likely both to exceed my limits and to do harm to others in the process† [p. 43]. â€Å"There are some roles and relationships in which we thrive and others in which we wither and die† [p. 44]. â€Å"It took me a long time to understand that although everyone needs to be loved, I cannot be the source of that gift to everyone who asks me for it† [p. 48]. â€Å"When I give something I do not possess, I give a false and dangerous gift, a gift that looks like love but is, in reality, loveless-a gift given more from my need to prove myself than from the other’s need to be cared for† [p. 48]. â€Å"Our strongest gifts are usually those we are barely aware of possessing. They are a part of our God given nature, with us from the moment we drew first breath, and we are no more conscious of having them than we are of breathing† [p. 52]. â€Å"Limitations and liabilities are the flip side of our gifts†¦a particular weakness is the inevitable trade-off for a particular strength. We will become better teachers not by trying to fill the potholes in our souls but by knowing them so well that we can avoid falling into them† [p. 52]. â€Å"If we are to live our lives fully and well, we must learn to embrace the opposites, to live in a creative tension between our limits and our potentials. We must honor our limitations in ways that do not distort our nature, and we must trust and use our gifts in ways that fulfill the potentials God gave us† [p. 55]. Questions for reflection Can you identify a moment in your life when God used a â€Å"closed door† instead of an â€Å"open door† to guide your life in the direction it needed to go? Discuss your experience.  Palmer says that embarrassment is sometimes the only way we become aware of our limitations. Identify and discuss an embarrassing moment that helped you become aware of your limitations. How does humor get used to avoid dealing with our shortcomings? In American culture, weaknesses and limitations are often viewed as things that need to be turned into strengths. Palmer seems to argue that in trying to turn our weaknesses into strengths we become something that we are not and end up living outside of ourselves. How does the idea that weaknesses should be identified and honored rather than turned into strengths strike you? If our strongest gifts are usually the ones that we are most unaware of, what types  of things do people tell you are your strengths that you feel unaware of? Suggested Activity Identify and write down two recent moments in your life. 1. A moment when things went so well that you felt confident that you were born to do whatever you were doing at the time. 2. A moment when something went so poorly that you never wanted to repeat the experience again. Break into groups of two or three people and share these moments. In the groups, begin by helping one another see the strengths that made the great moment possible. After doing that, reflect with one another about the moment that went poorly. Instead of offering critiques, think about the strengths discussed in the first moment. Knowing that our strengths and weaknesses are often opposites, help each other identify if there is a connection between the strength of the first moment and the weakness of the second moment. How are they two sides of the same coin? When everyone has finished gather back together as one group and discuss what you discovered. Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 4: All the Way Down *Before your discussion of chapter 4, it is very important to lay a framework for your discussion. Anytime people are discussing their brokenness, it must be done in a place of safety and confidentiality. Ask the group to be attentive to not try to â€Å"fix† one another as you interact. If you sense this beginning to happen, remind everyone that you are not trying to fix one another but to help one another hear. Also, be sure to communicate how important it is that what is discussed remains confidential. Quotes to think about â€Å"I had no choice but to write about my own deepest wound†¦I rarely spoke to him about my own darkness; even in his gracious presence, I felt too ashamed† [p. 57]. â€Å"Second, depression demands that we reject simplistic answers, both  Ã¢â‚¬Å"religious† and â€Å"scientific,† and learn to embrace mystery, something our culture resists† [p. 60]. â€Å"I do not like to speak ungratefully of my visitors. They all meant well, and they were among the few who did not avoid me altogether† [p. 61]. â€Å"Depression is the ultimate state of disconnection, not just between people but between one’s mind and one’s feelings. To be reminded of that disconnection only deepened my despair† [p. 62]. â€Å"I heard nothing beyond their opening words, because I knew they were peddling a falsehood: no one can fully experience another person’s mystery† [p. 62]. â€Å"One of the hardest things we must do sometimes is to be present to another person’s pain without trying to â€Å"fix† it, to simply stand respectfully at the edge of that person’s mystery and misery† [p. 63]. â€Å"Functional atheism-saying pious words about God’s presence in our lives but believing, on the contrary, that nothing good is going to happen unless we make it happen† [p. 64].  Ã¢â‚¬Å"First, I had been trained as an intellectual not only to think-an activity I greatly value-but also to live largely in my head†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [p. 67]. â€Å"I had to be forced underground before I could understand that the way to God is not up but down† [p. 69].  Ã¢â‚¬Å"One of the most painful discoveries I made in the midst of the dark woods of depression was that a part of me wanted to stay depressed. As long as I clung to this living death, life became easier; little was expected of me, certainly not serving others† [p. 71]. Questions for reflection Identifying our wounds is a critical part of the inward journey. Think back to the timeline you drew in the Chapter 2 activity. What are the wounds you have suffered? In what ways does shame cause you to hide who you are from others? Discuss the following statement: Sometimes not having answers to some of life’s questions can be comforting. Do you agree? Why or why not? Do you feel it is important to â€Å"show up† when others experience hardship or tragedy? Why or why not? Discuss Palmer’s suggestion that no one can fully experience another person’s mystery and misery. How is the phrase â€Å"I know exactly how you feel† a positive statement between two people? How is it a negative statement? How do you see â€Å"functional atheism† in the world around you? In your life? What does â€Å"the way to God is down† mean to you? Palmer says â€Å"part of me wanted to stay depressed.† Why do you think we hold onto our pain despite the fact that we want it to stop? Suggested Activity Have someone read Job 2:9-13. What can we learn about how Job’s friends respond in these few verses? Read Job 4:8 and then Job 13:5. What is Eliphaz suggesting about Job in 4:8? What can be learned from Job’s response in 13:5? Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 5-Leading from Within Quotes to think about â€Å"I lead by word and deed simply because I am here doing what I do. If you are also here, doing what you do, then you also exercise leadership of some sort† [p. 74]. â€Å"Why must we go in and down? Because as we do so, we will meet the darkness that we carry within ourselves-the ultimate shadows that we project onto other people. If we do not understand that the enemy is within, we will find a thousand ways of making someone â€Å"out there† into the enemy, becoming leaders who oppress rather than liberate others† [p. 80]. â€Å"But why would anybody want to take a journey of that sort, with its multiple difficulties and dangers? Everything in us cries out against it-which is why we externalize everything. It is so much easier to deal with the external world, to spend our lives manipulating materials and institutions and other people instead of dealing with our own souls† [p. 82]. â€Å"Why would anyone want to embark on the daunting inner journey about which Annie Dillard writes? Because there is no way out of one’s inner life, so one had better get into it. On the inward and downward spiritual journey, the only way out is in and through† [p. 85]. â€Å"But extroversion sometimes develops as a way to cope with self-doubt: we plunge into external activity to prove that we are worthy-or simply to evade the question† [p. 86]. â€Å"the knowledge that identity does not depend on the role w e play or the power it gives us over others. It depends only on the simple fact that we are children of God, valued in and for ourselves† [p. 87]. â€Å"A few people found ways to be present to me without violating my soul’s integrity. Because they were not driven by their own fears, the fears that lead us either to â€Å"fix† or abandon each other†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [p. 93]. Questions for reflection Palmer suggests that anyone who is alive is a leader. He broadens the typical definition of leadership to include things like family dynamics and relationships. Discuss your thoughts on this.  What monsters do you need to â€Å"ride all the way down?† What might that look like?  What activities have you been part of in order to prove your worth or value? Palmer finishes the chapter by saying that it is possible for communities to be with one another in a way that is safe and honoring. What do you think makes communities feel unsafe? We are meant to support and journey with one another. What alternatives are there for journeying together beyond â€Å"fixing or abandoning?† Suggested Activity  Read Matthew 15:2,10, and 11.  Have someone wrap an empty box as you would a birthday or Christmas gift. Decorate the exterior with ribbons, bows, and other gift decorations. Set the gift in the middle of the room and ask people to make observations about the wrapping: What can we tell about the person who wrapped the box based on the wrapping? After several minutes of observation, have someone open the  gift to reveal the empty box. Jesus observes that the Pharisees are so concerned with the exterior that they neglect what is inside. How is this true in our lives? Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 6-There Is a Season Quotes to think about â€Å"Animated by the imagination, one of the most vital powers we possess, our metaphors often become reality, transmuting themselves from language into the living of our lives† [p. 96]. â€Å"We do not believe that we â€Å"grow† our lives-we believe that we â€Å"make† them† [p. 97]. â€Å"We are here not only to transform the world but also to be transformed† [p. 97]. â€Å"In my own experience of autumn, I am rarely aware that seeds are being planted† [p. 98]. â€Å"In retrospect, I can see in my own life what I could not see at the time-how the job I lost helped me find work I needed to do, how the â€Å"road closed† sign turned me toward terrain I needed to travel, how losses that felt irredeemable forced me to discern meanings I needed to know† [p. 99]. â€Å"There is in all visible things†¦a hidden wholeness† [p. 99]. â€Å"Until we enter boldly into the fears we most want to avoid, those fears will dominate our lives† [p. 103]. â€Å"If you receive a gift, you keep it alive not by clinging to it but by passing it along†¦If we want to save our lives, we cannot cling to them but must spend them with abandon† [p. 105]. â€Å"Authentic abundance does not lie in secured stockpiles of food or cash or influence or affection but in belonging to a community where we can give those goods to others who need them-and receive them from others when we are in need† [p. 108]. â€Å"Community doesn’t just create abundance-community is abundance. If we could learn that equation from the world of nature, the human world might be transformed† [p. 108]. Questions for reflection  What season do you feel that you are currently in? Why? In your mind, what is the weirdest most obscure animal in all of God’s good creation? Why do you suppose God is so detailed and extravagant with his creation? What things contribute to the loss of imagination? In what ways do you â€Å"make your life† rather than listen for what God desires to make of your life? God asks that his people join him in redeeming and restoring the world. How are you joining God to redeem and restore the world? Remember that God is about details and extravagance. We can sometimes feel that the way we join God is small and insignificant compared to the way others do. But it isn’t. God created you to be a gift to Him and to the world and you have something to offer. What is it? How is this process transforming you? The way of Jesus, which is the way of the cross, compels us to use our freedom and abundance for the benefit of others. What does it look like for you to live for the benefit of others? What does it look like for your community? Suggested Activity After discussing what it might look like for your community to live for the benefit of others, finish by holding hands in a circle and reciting the Lord’s Prayer. [Matthew 6:9-13].