Goal 1.

To continue to align my own actions, thoughts, and professional practices with the twenty-one traits of servant leadership that Sipe and Frick (2009) described in The Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership: Practicing the Wisdom of Leading by Serving as “they serve to enrich and fortify the servant leader and those who surround him or her.”  I have only begun this journey and still struggle to practice servant leadership effectively and consistently.  Continuous practice will increase my abilities to serve and lead better.

Goal 2.

The second is to continue to introduce the philosophy to those in policing who may feel drawn to the pillars and traits of servant leadership.  I have met many police officers who practice servant leadership, but have no conscious understanding of the philosophy.  In my own experience, it is apparent that the philosophy provided me with a path towards greater development and leadership – and a foundation for better service to our community.  Introducing the philosophy to those who have a servant heart may create a better support system for them towards their own development.

Goal 3.

The final immediate goal is to continue to develop practices using Scharmer’s Theory U.  I would like for officers and community members to come together and use presencing, dialogue, strategy and foresight to collectively create a better future.  In developing better ways to seek and understand, we may find better ways to become resilient against distrust and dysfunction as servants.

Long-term.

In the long term, I would like to show that consistent application and practice of the servant leadership philosophy in policing can help create a better community response from officers.  In order to do this, however, it is important that we who practice servant leadership in policing help to develop other servant leaders.  System-wide change in policing may be difficult, but it is possible.  In four years of formal training in the philosophy of servant leadership, I have experienced positive change in my own life and within my workplace. It would dishonor those I learned from to not provide opportunities for development those servants who aspire to lead.  I believe I was given a great gift through this program and it is my goal to pass it on.

References