Servant Leadership in the Military

By Dr. James C. Turner and Dr. Chris Hamstra

Servant leadership in the military focuses on officers putting the needs of others above their own and seeing through the eyes of the people.

When servant-leadership is combined with the understanding of Duty, Honor, and Country, a new era of leadership can be discovered across all branches of the armed forces. Implementing an understanding of servant-leadership will retain qualified individuals that are dedicated to continued growth and service in each branch of the armed forces.

In this book, the authors highlight how servant leadership can improve officer retention. Learn how to:

• lead the way through creativity and innovation;
• encourage individuals to achieve their maximum potential;
• set the right leadership tone;
• build loyalty and engagement

The authors also explain what various experts, such as Robert Greenleaf of AT Gen. Douglas MacArthur; and Gen. David Petraeus have said about what it means to engage in servant leadership.

Other topics include how military junior officers can be successful leaders by taking care of their troops, why servant leadership should be viewed as an inverted pyramid with commanders at the bottom and troops at the top, and how servant leadership points us toward a common humanity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781532061981

Dr. James C. Turner

(Lt. Col.) James C. Turner, PhD, earned a master of arts degree and a doctor of management degree in organizational leadership. He has conducted presentations at the International Leadership Conference in Brussels, Belgium, and the Robert Greenleaf Servant Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and was promoted to lieutenant colonel, serving as the commander for three large security police organizations. He is a professor at a business university in Michigan. Chris Hamstra, PhD, is an associate professor of communication at the W.A. Lettinga campus of Davenport University. He earned a doctoral degree in organizational leadership with an emphasis on human resource development and lifelong learning from Regent University. He also attended Western Michigan University and Calvin College. He is a frequent speaker on communication and leadership and is widely published.

Book preview

Chapter One

Introduction

Among the rolling hills on the west bank of the Hudson River, in a meeting hall on the grounds of military history, General Douglas MacArthur marched to the podium at the West Point Military Academy and delivered a speech that took a place in history. General MacArthur accepted the Sylvanus Thayer Medal award for outstanding service to the country. As noted in the review of why he was awarded this prestigious honor it states: Throughout more than a half-century of active Army duty, Douglas MacArthur advanced his country’s welfare by his outstanding leadership, both in war and peace.

This speech consistently is ranked as one of the most popular and well-written speeches not only in the Unites States but around the world. Known simply now as the Duty, Honor, Country speech, many reviews of this address highlight the clarity of leadership voiced through the words, the storytelling that described the stench and honor of war time service, and the desire that the American soldier through service can enact peace in the United States and around the globe.

Duty, Honor, Country (General Douglas MacArthur)

For over 200 years the threads of Duty, Honor, Country weave together doctrine and action for those serving our country. These three time-honored ideals serve as a foundation for the character and objectives of those associated with the West Point Military Academy.

For MacArthur, these were not just words on a paper or a motto to be repeated in battle, they form the core virtues of life for himself and for the American soldier. The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training – sacrifice. This service to others, soldiers and citizens, points towards a common humanity.

Servant-leadership (Greenleaf)

Developing on a similar track another man stood behind a podium at Princeton University weaving together thoughts that formed the basis of servant-leadership. Stemming from the underlying thought that the natural leader is servant first, Robert Greenleaf connected the terms ‘Servant’ and ‘Leadership’ in the 1970’s. Tested through confrontation in the boardrooms of business and on the assembly line of industry, servant-leadership builds individuals and communities by pointing towards a common humanity.

The philosophy and practice of servant-leadership continues to grow and can impact every area of personal and professional life. The hyphen (-) often found in writing on servant-leadership intentionally connects Servant and Leadership. Both ideas: Servant and Leadership must be considered together. While often examined from an individual perspective, Servant-leadership provides additional opportunities for trustees, organizations, and communities (local and global).

This book challenges you to re-consider your leadership. Through weaving together threads from servant-leadership and the threads of Duty, Honor, and Country, we hope to provide an understanding of this new way of thinking and acting. We are not calling you to change your behavior, your style, or your fundamentals, or to reject the time-honored leadership of the past. We want something more. We are asking you to engage the challenge of Servant-leadership in the military. This book will identify why servant leadership in the military enhances organizational morale and camaraderie by setting a foundation for change to existing military leadership styles. The concept of servant leadership techniques is designed to complement traditional military leadership styles.

This book seeks to add the important thoughts and practices of servant-leadership to the traditional understanding of Duty, Honor, Country by sharing the stories and lived experiences of those who served. This includes stories of personal duty, in war and in peace, that are highlighted by those who have been awarded the Medal of Honor. For example: Gary Rose completing his DUTY as a soldier during the Vietnam War in 1970; the HONOR displayed by chaplains: George Fox, Alex Goode, Clarke Poling, and John Washington for their work in World War II on the troop transport Dorchester; and Edward Byers for his COUNTRY as a member during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM will be highlighted.

Duty, Honor, Country AND Servant-leadership

Duty - Since the beginning of the United States, on the grounds of West Point, some of the most influential moments and people were molded. During the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), British and Colonialists noted the strategic importance of the plateau rising from the river and hung chains across to the river to defend the birth of the new country. Men who served on both sides of the Civil War (1860-1864) in the United States learned strategies on the parade grounds. As fortifications and buildings were constructed the military academy grew to teach the best and brightest of the United States. Much like the parade grounds at West Point, each branch of military service instills in individuals the sense of duty on through their own basic training. A common element whether in New York, Colorado, or Maryland, at the core is an understanding that Duty is uncompromising service to others.

At the core servant-leadership is also service to others. The oft-quotes phrase from Greenleaf says:  …the great leader is seen as servant first, and that simple fact is the key to their greatness (Greenleaf, 1977) What is not quoted as often is that servant-leadership serves individuals, AND communities/organizations. Greenleaf articulated these points through two additional essays The Institution as Servant and Trustees as Servants.

Stories of duty are the most shared and most revered among those who serve our country. Simple stories during peacetime and dramatic stories during war have been passed on since the beginning of the military. Some of these stories are even canonized and made into movies so that soldiers and civilians both understand the scope of duty. A recent example from Hollywood is Hacksaw Ridge and the work of Desmond Doss. In 2017, Gary Rose was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life … during the Vietnam War. Rose not only did his duty and fought, laying down covering fire for this platoon, but also served those who were injured by providing quick life-sustaining medical care for multiple soldiers at multiple times during the fight.

In our personal and professional lives there is an important aspect of duty that is also seen that highlights the connection between duty and servant-leadership. The story had become legend at a campus of a mid-sized University. An instructor who was known for their caring personality and professional abilities in the classroom was surprisingly late for an evening class. As students grew concerned that the beloved professor was missing, one of them got a call on their cell phone from the instructor. The faculty member has been involved in a car accident an hour before class was scheduled to start, needing emergency services to help. The instructor called from the ambulance to check in. As the phone was put on speaker for all of the students to hear in the classroom, the instructor apologized for missing class and gave an alternative assignment for each student to complete in lieu of the evening class. While a similar story like this can be found in many organizations, the aspect to highlight is the duty from the instructor to still be available for the class and for the class to step up and complete the assignment as they returned the following week.

Honor – General Douglas MacArthur knew the hallowed grounds of West Point well because they served as pivotal points in his life. As a young man in 1903, he distinguished himself in the classroom and graduated top of his class. After World War I and honorable service on the battle field, he returned to West Point as Superintendent. MacArthur developed curriculum and teaching that modernized the armed forces for the 20th Century. During this time of service at West Point, he helped lead men that played pivotal roles in the future leadership of this country. After service in World War II and the Korean War, MacArthur continued to serve with honor and lead Presidents into the new era. Honor is service with others that provide a strong foundation.

Servant-leadership is not a flashy, formula driven style of leadership. There have been thousands of books written on that topic that only offer hollow answers. Servant-leadership is different because the concept rests on the foundation of Honor. This is practiced in a variety of ways and comes from the core of everyone. While this book offers some practical insight, most of the understanding developed in these pages come from the virtues and values developed over the course of a lifetime.

These actions and thoughts are gathered through the seemingly simple method of storytelling. It is through listening to and telling stories of servant-leadership that others grow and continue to develop in the personal and professional lives. During World War II, chaplains George Fox, Alex Goode, Clarke Poling, and John Washington provided servant-leadership on the troop transport Dorchester as it travelled from New York to Greenland. These four chaplains served with honor after the transport was fatally disabled by a German U-boat and sunk. The chaplains provided life-vests for the frightened soldiers in the minutes as the ship sunk, giving up their own life vests so that others could live.

Country – Near the end of his physical life in 1962, MacArthur completed his last public act of his distinguished military career and accepted the Thayer Award. This award is presented to an Outstanding citizen of the United States whose service and accomplishments in the national interest exemplify personal devotion … As MacArthur explained in his farewell address, They build your basic character. They mold you for your future roles as the custodians of the nation’s defense. Service to our Country is a foundation for patriotism.

Edward Byers provides an enduring example of the basic character of Country and servant-leadership as a member of the Hostage Rescue Force during an attempt in Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Chief Byers not only breached the target building, opening a hole for the rest of the team, but also engaged in hand-to-hand combat possibly saving the life of the hostage and several team members. These values of service to others are highlights of what is expected in the United States.

This book builds from the foundational principles of Duty, Honor, Country and the strong thread of service that is foundational in the military. This book highlights country but also adds an understanding of the communities and organizations that exist.

In some ways Robert Greenleaf, the founder of servant-leadership, is a contemporary of General Douglas MacArthur. Both men lived during the same era of rapid change and industrialization in the United States. While MacArthur led people on the battlefield, Greenleaf led people in business. Both men successfully led individuals to heights they never imagined.

The purpose of this book addresses the question on WHY Servant-leadership is important in the military. Over the years, Greenleaf observed two extremes of leaders. These extremes exist in any industry and even in the military of the United States. The spectrum Greenleaf highlights are leaders who are in for themselves (leader first), and leaders who were in it for others (servant first). Greenleaf concludes that when looking for effective leadership over time, the most effective leaders were those who were in it for others. Servant-leaders in Greenleaf’s context of business and industry give high priority to meeting the needs of their colleagues, customers, business partners, investors, and communities. In the military, servant-leaders allow for participative decision-making. The techniques of servant-leadership enhance organizational morale and retention among junior military officers. Traditional leadership styles of the past are not effective. Military leaders should focus their attention on millennials and the future generation of leaders. Servant-leadership enhances the individual person and can ultimately enhance each branch of the military.

Foundations of Servant-leadership and Storytelling

Servant-leadership as outlined by Robert Greenleaf is cultivated from Hermann Hesse’s story Journey to the East. In this story a group of men sponsored by an esteemed Order, engage on an epic journey with Leo as the central character. Leo completes the simple chores but sustains the group with his attitude. Greenleaf (1977) points out He is a person of extraordinary presence. Leo disappears, and the group falls apart. It is only years later that the curtain is pulled back. The reader finally understands that Leo was not only the servant of the group during their journey but also the leader of the Order. The actual story is:

Robert Greenleaf’s Leo Story

A group of men on a mythical journey, probably also Hesse’s own journey. The central figure of this story is Leo who accompanies the party as the servant who does their menial chores, but who also sustains them with spirit and his song. He is an individual with enormous presence and all goes well until Leo disappears. Then the group falls into disarray and the journey is abandoned and they cannot make it without the servant Leo. (Greenleaf, 1970, p.19).

There are two pivotal areas to consider from Greenleaf as we consider servant-leadership in the military through the Leo story: deep seated-values and the impact of interaction. The first area to consider is the deep-seated value of servant-leadership. Greenleaf says, "Leo was actually the leader all the time, but he was servant first because that was what he was, deep down inside." Being a servant first can bring leadership life-stories to the surface for others. For example, a colleague of the author works as a manger in a health care facility. In his faith community, he was asked to serve on a committee to explore next steps in their growing church. A local property was available, and everyone knew the price was significant. As the spokesperson for the group, my friend asked the developer to donate the property. Working through this year-long process my friend commented:

"[I was] simply pleased in the role that I had in the church and with that committee … I did not have it all figured out or how it would work out, my job was to make myself available. To have some courage and live in that scary moment and take those steps of faith."

There is a strong connection within servant-leadership where individuals seek to serve first. Their leadership life-stories display an availability and willingness to serve other people and within their institutions and communities. A second area to consider is the important of interaction, tucked in a few statements near the end of Greenleaf’s essay Servant as Leader. The narrator is given two transparent figures which are joined together. The material of the two are slowly mixing together eventually to form one. Connecting Leadership and Communication. The important person does not wake up one day and decide they are a servant leader. True servant leader qualities are learned much earlier in life. Everyone grows up in different parts of the globe with different lived experiences. No two people have the same opportunities with life’s lessons. However, I believe there are fundamental comparisons which create servant leaders. Perhaps it is the method one is raised, and the values taught early on. My story directly impacted my life as a military servant leader. My story is:

Dr. Turner’s Story

Raising Siblings

I was raised in the 1960s as the oldest of three brothers and two sisters in Riverside, California. Growing up for me was very difficult because I had to raise my younger brothers and sisters (is was truly a different time where the oldest sibling was expected to be responsible for others) while my father worked seven days a week. My mother was not able to care for us for a very long time, leaving me totally responsible for the rearing of my brothers and sisters. Caring for them was extremely difficult because I did not know how to cook or change diapers, forcing me to learn very quickly. At that very young age, I didn’t realize it, but I was being groomed from a higher calling to be a servant leader. I simply did not know what was in my future; I was being taught how to put the needs of others above my own. Cooking meals and being responsible for household chores instilled in me the vales of hard work. Approximately five years later, I began to play sports and held many leadership titles. Although a very good athlete, it became a huge detriment to me because I did not graduate high school with my peers. My high school had an open campus (students could go off campus during lunch) and I thought that because of my athletic ability, I did not have to attend the mandatory government class needed to graduate. My father, coaches, and teachers all tried to support me in the principal’s office but to no avail. The best decision in my entire life was to fail me in the class and feel the weight on my shoulders for no living up to my responsibility as an adult. Unfortunately, I sat in the bleachers watching my friends walk during the commencement ceremony with tears running down my eyes. Jim’s story I felt like a complete failure and the one thing that hurt the most was letting my farther down." This life’s lesson taught me that anything worthwhile is worth working for and nothing is free. At the start of the Fall semester, I passed the course, and played college football the freshman year. Fortunately, our first game was a home game which made it much easier when the head football coach told me to leave and immediately go to the hospital where my father was lying on the bed in a coma. Seeing him there, helpless and the would on my shoulders was gut wrenching but I knew I needed to be the servant leader I was raised to be. At the young age of nineteen my father had a heart attack and I was