Of the concepts covered in this course, the one that has resonated with me the most, by far, has been servant leadership. As I stated in the leadership tab, I believe wholeheartedly that leading is about helping and humility. These are two tenants that are foundational to servant leadership. According to Larry C. Spears in his article on Servant Leadership, there are 10 characteristics that make up a servant leader: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people and building community. These are valuable for any leader, but I feel they are especially so for a leader who is a social worker.
Another course concept that resonated with me on a significant level was the concept of a mood elevator. It is one that makes perfect sense but I had never heard it put that way before, and it is something I have already integrated into my life, both at work and at home. Sometimes a negative mood can feel overwhelming, and the idea of going up just a floor or two in the mood elevator and having that be notable and worthwhile progress is something I have shared with my clients with much success. It is also something that I keep in mind myself when I feel my mood lowering or even rising.