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nurturing servant leaders in religious education - Scholarly ...

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highlights one director’s belief and understand<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>servant</strong> <strong>leaders</strong>hip through the<br />

<strong>servant</strong>-first tendencies <strong>in</strong>herent <strong>in</strong> his spouse’s culture,<br />

I have an Island background, my wife from Tonga. The way she was raised she<br />

was taught to serve, to give, and as I th<strong>in</strong>k of her, from her background, and her<br />

culture, because there’s a hierarchy <strong>in</strong> Tonga. You’ve got the k<strong>in</strong>g at the top, and<br />

then the nobles, and then the commoners, is what they’re known as. And so, there<br />

are occasions throughout the year where the commoners know that they serve the<br />

nobles who serve the k<strong>in</strong>g. And because the k<strong>in</strong>g is all powerful, this is the<br />

tradition <strong>in</strong> Tonga, there’s that element that they have learned <strong>in</strong> that culture be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

born and raised there, to always serve. And so, because of her will<strong>in</strong>gness to, or<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g raised <strong>in</strong> that environment of service, as I th<strong>in</strong>k about it, she’s always been<br />

that way (DA).<br />

This example carries through the trend <strong>in</strong> participant answers that the <strong>servant</strong>-first<br />

attitude is paramount for be<strong>in</strong>g a true <strong>servant</strong> leader. Director A identified what he felt<br />

to be a po<strong>in</strong>t of orig<strong>in</strong> for his spouse’s <strong>servant</strong>-first tendencies. This may be helpful <strong>in</strong><br />

be<strong>in</strong>g able to nurture <strong>servant</strong> <strong>leaders</strong>, by encourag<strong>in</strong>g the strong, or developed sense<br />

of service that may already be a part of a person’s life.<br />

CES and relationship enhancement<br />

Role of CES<br />

Directors were asked to discuss their experience <strong>in</strong> the CES as it related to <strong>leaders</strong>hip.<br />

Each <strong>in</strong>dicated widely vary<strong>in</strong>g experiences, tenures and assignments given to them<br />

with<strong>in</strong> the CES, and their <strong>leaders</strong>hip experience was extensive. Each acknowledged<br />

that their <strong>leaders</strong>hip skills had been enhanced through serv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the CES. They<br />

<strong>in</strong>dicated that they were happy with the assignments they had received thus far <strong>in</strong> the<br />

CES, and that assignments had taught them valuable lessons about <strong>leaders</strong>hip. All<br />

three <strong>in</strong>dicated that they had undergone huge life changes <strong>in</strong> their careers with the<br />

CES. The overarch<strong>in</strong>g theme was where they served was not as important as how they<br />

served. Time <strong>in</strong> the CES was all counted as time serv<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>in</strong> whatever capacity the<br />

service was given.<br />

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