Examining the characteristics and virtues associated with servant leadership in public relations
Examining the characteristics and virtues associated with servant leadership in public relations
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to understand the extent to which servant leadership and ethics of care are being practiced by public relations leaders. This study provides in-depth insights on how public relations leaders define and practice servant leadership. The study involved in-depth interviews with 21 public relations leaders working in a variety of organizational settings in the United States. We found evidence of an “other oriented approach” to leadership that involved prioritizing the needs and concerns of employees and a genuine concern for the wellbeing of others. The findings are consistent with characteristics associated with both servant leadership and ethics of care. The public relations leaders were able to provide specific examples of how these perspectives affected their decision-making. The leaders also discussed specific examples of how they demonstrate that they care about their employees.
Related Research
-
Social Identity Signaling in Public Relations: Job Pursuit Intention among Students with Marginalized Racial and Ethnic Identities and Queer IdentitiesSolyee Kim (Forthcoming). “Social Identity Signaling in Public Relations: Job Pursuit Intention among Students with Marginalized Racial and Ethnic Identities and Queer Identities,” Journal of Public Relations Research. Special Issue on DEI
-
Digital Crisis Communication Theory: Current Landscapes and Future TrajectoriesBrooke Liu, Yan Jin, and Lucinda Austin (2023). “Digital Crisis Communication Theory: Current Landscapes and Future Trajectories.” In Public Relations Theory III: In the Age of Publics (Eds. Carl Botan and Erich Sommerfeldt). […]