Servant-Leadership, Self-Reflection, and Self-Transcendence

Inequity in income, gender, and race persists in the United States while many people focus on themselves. Servant-leadership, based on Robert Greenleaf's idea that caring for others is the foundation of a good society, offers a path to self-awareness before engaging with the world. By understanding the conditions that shape thoughts, feelings, and actions, individuals can achieve self-transcendence and reorient their lives toward social justice. Balancing self-reflection and servant-leadership can help prioritize social equity over personal gain, increase participation in justice efforts, and create equitable opportunities for non-dominant groups. Further research into these concepts is needed.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Whether it be income, gender, or race inequity, the gap between the haves and have-nots in the United States continues to increase, yet most people remain only concerned with themselves (Singh, 2012). Even without intention, injustice can fester. Following Robert Greenleaf’s (1977/2002) premise that caring for others is the foundation of a good society, servant-leadership provides a vision for doing the necessary inner work to achieve self-awareness before engaging with the outer work of the world. When individuals better understand the conditions governing their thoughts, feelings, and actions, the potential exists to achieve self-transcendence, re-orienting their lives outward in the pursuit of social justice. Balancing the responsibility within self-reflection and servant-leadership, society stands to benefit by placing social equity ahead of personal gain, increasing participation in the fight for social justice, and creating equitable opportunities for non-dominant group community members. Discovering a meaningful approach to becoming sensitive to the concerns of others is a critical challenge facing humanity, one that requires conceptualizing a distinct and transformational future, one that further researching the combination of servant-leadership, self-reflection, and self-transcendence can help illuminate.