Radical Servant Leadership
According to Letizia, servant leadership is based on Robert Greenleaf's book "Servants as Leaders" (1970), where he advocates that leaders should hold followers' (and people's) physical and psychological well-being as the first priority in their minds and their actions. Other qualities are empathy, social and emotional awareness, commitment, and community building (Letizia, 2014, p.183).
On the other hand, radical servant leadership stems from Critical Theory, as spoused by Adorno and the School of Frankfurt. It also draws from Marcuse's and Foucault's views on schooling, education, leadership, and Capitalistic thought control. Thus, radical servant leadership goes a step beyond: it aims for social transformation and equality in the light of the Neoliberal assault on education and society as a whole:
"Radical servant leaders must possess all the attributes of servant leaders. Yet they must possess other attributes as well. The key to radical servant leadership is for radical servant leaders not only make the welfare of their followers the number one priority, but to make justice regarding their followers, and society in general, the number one priority" (Letizia, 2014, p.184).
In the context of this social (and political) confrontation within the academia and the classroom in particular, teachers emerge as new leaders, independently of their actual positions. Thus, some teachers may act as radical servant leaders while not holding leadership positions, and some actual leaders (managers, directors) in the academic world may become followers of these "emergent leaders":
"Most likely a radical servant leader would be a teacher or professor. In that case, high school and college students would be the immediate followers. The needs and welfare of these students would be the leader’s first priority. Each must be viewed as a citizen, a creative individual that has potential to contribute to the republic and it is the educator’s task to cultivate this potential. In the widest sense, the radical servant leader must think ahead to all of his or her potential students and really all students in general. The radical servant leader would work to establish justice for these students, both in the present and in the future. The leader would also work to develop a sense of justice in these students so some of them could potentially become radical servant leaders and fight for their followers if they assume a position of leadership" (Letizia, 2014, p. 185).
Furthermore, in the light of false truths or "simulacra" created by Neoliberalism, radical servant leaders should strive for the creation of truth and its disemination based on praxis (theory put into action):
"Not a truth to be imposed in a fascist manner, but rather a truth to be created and recreated by the leader and the followers. This continual recreation and dissemination is praxis. This truth is how leaders and followers come to know the world and the processes that drive their complex realities. Truth is not waiting to be discovered, rather truth is an action, it is it is how people come to know, interpret and change their world" (Letizia, 2014, p. 185).
Following Critical Theory, leaders (teachers) and students should question and de-construct the simulacra created and imposed by the Neoliberal dominant discourse. Such dialectical process requires the analysis and synthesis of information in this century. The implications for teachers, students, and doctoral students as well become transcendental, as no academic activity could be held as "apolitical" and must take a stance regarding the injustice of society. This goes as far as turning writing into a political tool:
"Giroux (2014) criticizes many in academia for allowing students to undertake pedantic but “safe” dissertation topics which offend no one but do not actually produce any scholarship worth of value. A thesis cannot just be a pedantic exercise but recast as civic exercise. Writing is communication, and must become a method to present information to a variety of audiences. Scholarly writing, in a vast array of disciplines, can become a way for citizens to act civically by helping them to evaluate existing information and create new information and interpretations both in those disciplines and in an interdisciplinary context" (Letizia, 2014, p. 191).
In the present times, where the dominant discourse in the name of political correctness, democracy, freedom and tolerance becomes in fact its opposite, as George Orwell warned us in his dystopian novel "Nineteen Eighty-four" is radical servant leadership realistic, or even sane? How many leaders are willing to rise their voices and confront Neoliberal policies, managers, and put in danger their own work stability for the sake of social justice? In our times, where information technologies and social networks are used for spying and political control and monitoring, can revolutionary positions open their way into the light? Today, when Capitalism claims to be more triumphant and true than ever, while dragging humanity into an ecological and social suicide, is there hope for positive change?
There is hope, let's not forget. Fighting for justice, equality and denouncing hypocrisy become urgent tasks for the present and future generations if we want to prevent social implosion. As an "emergent leader", although not claiming to be a radical servant leader (not yet, at least), I consider myself an agent of revolutionary change for the improvement of society. Raising my voice against injustice and the dominant voices of the commercial media, for example, is an endeavor I have pursued for many years as an independent editor, non-commercial musician and composer, and producer of an educational podcast. I can now add my role as a teacher and doctoral student to this list.
I believe in society's well-being, human values, and hope for the future. I believe myself a committet leader for change. I believe in humanity.
Comments
Post a Comment