Integrating Servant Leadership into the Fabric of NAPCRG ======================================================== * Vivian R. Ramsden * Tom Vansaghi The values of NAPCRG have been built upon participatory processes. The document, “Responsible Research with Communities: Participatory Research in Primary Care,”1 together with the recommendations for NAPCRG, was adopted as organizational policy, by the NAPCRG Board of Directors and membership at the NAPCRG Annual Meeting on November 6, 1998, in Montreal. This document was amended in 2014 and published in 2017 entitled “Engaging with Communities, Engaging with Patients: Amendment to the NAPCRG 1998 Policy Statement on Ethical Research with Communities.”2 These policy statements offer considerable insights into integrating participatory processes into practice and its subsequent benefits. Building on these values and processes, servant leadership can be broadly defined as a desire by leaders to motivate, guide, offer hope and provide a caring experience by establishing a quality relationship with those with whom you work and/or volunteer.3 In addition to this, relational equity is: “something that is carefully cultivated and preserved by those who desire to influence others”; crucial for the retention of members over time; and the establishment of trust between members.4 Thus, servant leadership frequently uses authentic engagement/participatory processes that are broadly defined as “engaging in the development of a creative team with the team.”5 Qualities of servant leadership are often identified as: showing up; deep or compassionate listening; authentic engagement; reflective practice/humility which leads to service or a commitment to help others to meet their goals and overcome challenges.6 The model below (Figure 1) has been adapted given the nature of NAPCRG’s work which engages patient-partners/community members, health care clinicians, researchers and decision makers in research, education and practice in primary care. ![Figure 1.](http://www.annfammed.org/https://www.annfammed.org/content/annalsfm/22/3/262.2/F1.medium.gif) [Figure 1.](http://www.annfammed.org/content/22/3/262.2/F1) Figure 1. NAPCRG’s model of servant leadership. Autry7 indicated that the concepts of servant leadership were: * Caring for people and being a resource * Being present with people and building a community * Letting go of the “I phenomenon” and working with the “we phenomenon” * Creating a place in which people can engage in meaningful work * Being present and paying attention not only to the words but also to the person(s) In the constructs of servant leadership are found: ethical behaviors which are dedicated toward the growth and welfare of the peoples; and, concern for all members of the team.8 Thus, the characteristics of a leader as a servant are being: authentic; vulnerable; accepting/non-judgmental; present; and useful.7 Every leader must possess and demonstrate good management knowledge and skills.7 Given that authentic power comes from the people, the more power that is given away to others, the more that is available to facilitate moving the organization forward in a meaningful way.7 Over this past year, the Executive Committee which includes elected members (Past President, President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer), the Executive Director and Staff, have worked diligently to integrate servant leadership back into the fabric of NAPCRG. It is where we came from but seemed to have gotten lost over time. We encourage you to reflect upon your answers to the following two questions and consider what you could do to support the new endeavors in and with NAPCRG: ## Test of a Servant Leader Do people grow as a result of your efforts? Do they become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to help others?3 * © 2024 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc. ## References 1. 1.Macaulay ACCL, Freeman WL, Gibson N, McCabe ML, Robbins CM, Twohig PL. Responsible research with communities: participatory research in primary care. [https://www.napcrg.org/media/1271/1999pr.pdf](https://www.napcrg.org/media/1271/1999pr.pdf) 2. 2.Allen ML, Salsberg J, Knot M, et al. Engaging with communities, engaging with patients: amendment to the NAPCRG 1998 policy statement on ethical research with communities. Accessed on March 30, 2024. [www.napcrg.org/media/1270/2014pr.pdf](http://www.napcrg.org/media/1270/2014pr.pdf) 3. 3.Greenleaf RK, Spears LC. Servant leadership: A Journey Into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. Paulist Press; 2002. 4. 4.Andreas B, Wolinsky S, Upham K, et al. Relational Equity: Co-creating values and a protocol for engaging patients across the Canadian Primary Care Research Network presented at the 51st Annual Meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group, October 31, San Francisco, CA (Poster). Abstract – PS.1.82. Ann Fam Med. 2023;21(Supplement 3):5230. [https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.22.s1.5230](https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.22.s1.5230) [CrossRef](http://www.annfammed.org/lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1370/afm.22.s1.5230&link_type=DOI) 5. 5.1. Goodyear-Smith F, 2. Mash B Ramsden VR, Crowe J, Rabbitskin N, Rolfe D, Macaulay AC. Authentic engagement, co-creation and action research. In: How to do Primary Care Research. Goodyear-Smith F, Mash B, eds. CRC Taylor & Francis Group; 2019:47-56. 6. 6.Trastek VF, Hamilton NW, Niles EE. Leadership models in health care - a case for servant leadership. Mayo Clin Proc. 2014;89(3):374-381. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.10.012 [CrossRef](http://www.annfammed.org/lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.10.012&link_type=DOI) [PubMed](http://www.annfammed.org/lookup/external-ref?access_num=24486078&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fannalsfm%2F22%2F3%2F262.2.atom) 7. 7.Autry JA. The Servant Leader. Prima Publishing; 2001. 8. 8.Contee-Borders AK. A case study defining servant leadership in the workplace. Dissertation Abstracts International, UMI No. 3069348; 2003.