healing

Healing is possibly one of our greatest contributions as servant leaders. First we need to start with our own individual healing of self, and from there we can move on to healing in our relationship with others. As Larry Spears states in The Power of Servant Leadership, “One of the greatest strengths of servant leadership is the potential for healing one’s self and one’s relationship to others.” In the reading you we will experience how forgiveness can be a catalyst for healing for both the victim and perpetrator. As servant leaders, we will learn to see the ways in which healing can occur to bring ourselves and others into a more whole version of who we are called to be.

Questions for Individual Reflection:

• In what areas of my own life and self do I need to experience healing today?

• Are there areas in my relationships where healing needs to occur today?

• In what areas of my organization can I contribute healing and restorative justice?

Questions for Mentoring Connection Discussion:

• Is there a situation where you have been unwilling to offer forgiveness? Describe that situation. Is the other willing to ask for forgiveness? How can healing/restoration come to this scenario?

• Is there a situation where you have been asking for forgiveness but the situation remains unresolved? What would some good next steps for you be?

• As a leader in your organization, what can you do to create a culture of healing and restoration? How can you model forgiveness and healing?

Questions for Group Discussion:

• In the reading, the new formed government of South Africa had to address issues of healing and restoration on a massive scale. What are somethings they did that allowed them to practically address these issues?

• Healing, Restoration, and Forgiveness are typically between individuals, however, how can an organization foster a culture that can be one of healing and restoration? What attributes does that organization need to have to see healing and restoration occur in individuals within the organization?

• As a servant leader, what are some ways you can encourage a hesitant individual to move towards forgiveness and healing? In what ways can you encourage someone to step into that?

After exploring this practice, here are outcomes we would like to see established in participants:

• Participants understand the role of forgiveness in healing, and how as servant leaders we are models for this practice.

• Participants define clear ways to establish a culture of healing and restoration both individually in relationships as well as in the organizations they lead.