Name: Justin Goodwin

Date: June 21, 2013

Entry: B
Title: Connecting to the Nair text and servant leadership
Program Outcomes: Strategic & Instructional Leadership
Learning Goal: To lead by example with clear objectives based on strong moral values
Artifact: Through the Eyes of Leadership collage
It is a fair assumption that we have all joined the EDL Program with the goal of improving our
leadership skills. Drawing from the examples discussed in our course text, A higher standard of
leadership: Lessons from the life of Gandhi by Keshavan Nair, it is apparent that the most
effective and morally sound way to lead is by example. As a strong introvert it has always been
my mental model that good leaders are those with an abundance of charisma; however, through
our readings it is apparent that Mohandas Gandhi, an incredibly influential leader, has inspired
people worldwide more by what they do than what they say. He eliminated all unnecessary
distractions from his life in order better serve the needs of his people.
Intrigued, I began to conduct my own research and decided to use the information found for my
second portfolio artifact. Essentially, I have created a collage presenting the images of five wellknown servant leadersMohandas Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother
Teresa, and Jesus Christ. Through quiet labor driven by the values of love and truth, these
individuals truly raise the expectations of how to live and how to lead. These figures believed in
disposition over position, essentially seeking the betterment of life for those around them with no
interest in notoriety. Accordingly, I have cropped the photos to reveal only the eyes of each
subject and set them in black and whiteplain and simple, yet strong and pure. In conjunction
with the images, I have included some of the core values held by these leaders and some
statements about servant leadership in their own words.
Coincidently, my priest, Fr. Mike McDermott, introduced me to the idea of servant leadership
just prior to my EDL interview. In discussing Christ, he talked of the critical misconception that
leadership is about power, when in fact it is about service. As I was previously struggling to
come up with a stance on leadership for my writing sample, this incident struck me as a divine
message that I was on the right path. Being a relatively sensitive person, I often find myself in
situations of self-sacrifice; thus, this concept held great significance to me. I rushed home and
completed my philosophy centering it on this simple idea that was so completely new to me. Fast
forward several months, and I find myself encouraged by the realization that servant leadership
is at the heart of this class, the heart of my fellow cadre members, and the heart of educational
leadership.
Undoubtedly, these concepts have direct correlations to Strategic and Instructional Leadership.
Establishing a clear vision, based on values and ethics, is imperative when in guiding the
direction of a school. From this position, it is also necessary to encourage and promote the
methodology and professional growth of ones constituents. As a teacher, I greatly respect and
want to follow the direction of principals who practice what they preach and serve as a living
example of their beliefs. I know without a doubt, when the day comes, I want to lead in this way.
When this form of leadership is established in a school system, teachers, students, and members
of the surrounding community are equally inspired to be the change [they] wish to see in the
world.