Content area
Full Text
Abstract
Purpose - Building upon Pattersoris servant leadership theory, this study aims to present an instrument to measure the constructs of this working theory (identified as agapao love, humanity, altruism, vision, trust, service, and empowerment).
Design/methodology/approach - Specifically, the seven component concepts, as defined by Patterson, were used to build items for a servant leadership instrument. This study used DeVellis' "Guidelines in Scale Development" to develop an instrument for Patterson's new theory of servant leadership. The participants for the study consisted of a stratified sample taken from the study response data base. The surveys were created, and administered, using an online survey using surveysuite.
Findings - Three separate data collections were used for the development of this instrument reducing the 71-item scale to 42 items yielding five factors: empowerment, love, humility, trust, and vision.
Research limitations/implications - Recommend that future research include surveys at companies and organizations that advocate servant leadership concepts. Future research should include how each gender influences some of these items.
Practical implications - It is the intention that this instrument has the ability to predict or give measurement to the concepts of Patterson's theory of servant leadership so that a servant leader can measure his or her effectiveness as a servant leader.
Originality/value - According to the review of the literature, this is the first instrument to measure five factors on servant leadership.
Keywords Leadership, Factor analysis
Paper type Research paper
The renewed emphasis in the field of organizational leadership on assisting leaders to measure their effectiveness as servant leaders has resulted in focus on the roots of that effectiveness in the values of a servant leader (Dennis and Winston, 2003; Laub, 1999; Page and Wong, 2000; Patterson, 2003; Russell, 2000; Russell and Stone, 2002). Bennis (2002, p. 105) stresses that leaders must generate trust. Covey (2002, p. 29) posits that empowerment is the fruit of a leader's modeling, vision (values), and alignment. McGee-Cooper and Trammell (2002, p. 144) argue that understanding basic assumptions and background information on important issues empowers people to find deeper meaning in their jobs and to participate more fully in effective decision making. Finally, others (Fayol, 1949; Ciulla, 1998) emphasize that leaders must practice management that does not violate moral principles.
Focusing on values and...