My personal vision as a servant leader is to put others before myself.  It is important to be willing to do the things a leader is asking others to do  (Spears & Lawrence, 2004).  Working alongside of others, listening to their ideas, and caring about them as a person builds relationship and trust.  I believe it is important to not only build relationships with others, but to create an environment conducive to fostering relationships amongst others as well (Spears & Lawrence, 2004).

            Being honest about changes and policy is also important  (Spears & Lawrence, 2004).  My personal vision as a servant leader corresponds to leadership qualities of an instructional leader.  Continuing to learn and grow by reading, seeking reliable sources of information, and sharing what I have learned  is important to me as a way to inspire others to learn and grow as well ( Evans, Pulik, Bjorkman & Manning, 2012 ). One way I have begun my journey as a servant leader in the field is by creating a website for teachers. Through this website, I aim to provide teachers with information and resources regarding best teaching practices, sources for curriculum and activities, as well as changes in government policies and legislation.  While my site is a work in progress, I have shared it publicly.  I continue to research and add to the site as I can.  While it is not my desire to return to the classroom, I want to continue supporting teachers.  Time is limited and teachers are under a great deal of stress, so finding resources and new ideas may be something they desire to do, but cannot find the time (personal experience). My hope is my website will provide them with many resources in one place.  By adding links to open resources, I can facilitate the process for teachers without interrupting their time.

            At my future place of employment, wherever that may be, I believe it is valuable to see everyone at my workplace as a leader ( Evans et al., 2012) .  Through collaboration and opportunities to learn and try new responsibilities, workers can lead and teach one another ( Evans et al., 2012).  I hope to facilitate this by participating in company blogs, emails, and jabber. In the past, I have used humorous e-cards, pictures, or cartoons in the lunchroom to provide a lighter atmosphere during especially stressful times ( personal experience).  Listening to others and caring about them as individuals builds relationships between servant leaders and those they lead ( Evans et al., 2012). I often write a quick note of encouragement to an individual when I know they are experiencing a difficult time. Having relationships with fellow professionals will help me as a servant leader to influence and persuade my colleagues to a common vision ( Evans et al., 2012). Decisions about policies and practices can be more easily addressed and answered by maintaining a common vision ( Evans et al., 2012).

            As I learn more, I plan to continue updating my website for teachers and perhaps start a new one .

References

Evans, P., Pulik, V., Bjorkman, I., & Manning, C. (2012).  Transformational global leadership.                

  Retrieved from : CourseSmart.com

Spears, L. & Lawrence, M. 2004. The understanding and practice of servant-leadership. In Prac              

  ticing servant leadership: Succeeding through trust, bravery, and forgiveness. Retrieved               

from : http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/sl_proceedings/2005/spears_practice.pdf