Developing 21st Century Glocal Servant Leadership

Making Room for Leadership, Power, Space, and Influence is a marvelous book by MaryKate Morse, professor of leadership and spiritual formation at George Fox Evangelical Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Perhaps the major premise of this book is that we do not just lead with our voice and our decisions, but we lead as well with our bodies. In this book, the author in chapter eleven, Getting in the Sandbox, provides a list of specific and practical strategies for bringing presence into meetings and other social interactions.

• Where you sit matters in the office or boardroom. When you find yourself seated in a circle, try sitting across from the leader for good eye contact. If you are in a theatre seating arrangement, chose the second row.
• How you gesture matters. From learning how simple body positioning and hand gestures communicate both positive and negative connotations to the people in your group. [Be especially careful when group members include those from different countries and cultures from around the world.]
• How and when you speak matters. Be careful not to speak in an overly dramatic or emotional manner. Know when to use “I” and “we” appropriately in the course of speaking. [Know what appropriate praise/commendation in different cultures is where we praise the group collectively versus singling out one individual within the group.]
• Keeping personal boundaries matters. Know your role in the group. Have your personal boundaries and at the same time be respectful of others. [Do not invade another person’s personal space but be aware that personal space varies from one culture to another.]
• Being prepared matters. Here are the author’s tips for bringing items to the table for consideration.

Attempt as much as possible to seek input from everyone affected by the change/proposal you are presenting. Get advice from others beforehand who may have experience or a level of expertise relative to your proposal. Try not to sound critical, judgmental, or attacking in your presentation/proposal. Come prepared (2008, pp. 169-179).

While just scratching the surface of these five strategies within the context of this article, this subject area of leading with our bodies, not just our voice and decisions, may go unnoticed in our personal development if we are not careful, leaving us with a leadership deficit. The issue of personal space, how we use and abuse it is important and our author deals with this subject from the perspective of a female with a Ph.D., while operating in a predominantly male leadership society. It is an insightful book for both men and women to read as we seek to enhance our leadership knowledge and expertise.

MaryKate closes her book with this final thought, “I honestly believe that learning how to use power is a core competency, second only to an authentic walk with God that will have a catalytic impact on how we lead” (p. 206).