Reflection 5: Thursday, July 1st (Anna Marston, Council for Court Excellence)

Category: Theories in Action

After another week at CCE, I wanted to complete my fifth reflection on a theory that speaks directly to the nature of the work the organization does: servant leadership. As we learned in Leadership & the Humanities and Theories and Models of Leadership, servant leaders exude 10 main characteristics: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community (Spears, 2002). Instead of focusing on CCE’s staff, I want to point out the local advocates in DC that CCE works closely with. We work with local lawyers, members of the DC Council, the Mayor, policymakers, professors, community organizers, students, advocates, and much more. The work that CCE collaborates on with these local leaders includes policy reports, public testimony, local forums, and advocacy events. One example was CCE’s public forum hosted alongside the Office of the DC Auditor (ODCA) yesterday, entitled: “What if We Were in Charge?: Imagining a Future Without a Federalized Justice System in DC,” where one of the panelists (policy expert Chiquisha Robinson) actually mentioned the term servant leadership in her piece of the panel. Each of the panelists, alongside my Executive and Deputy Directors, was using this virtual roundtable to exhibit engagement with the community, commitment to the growth of DC’s justice-involved population, and empathy for those negatively impacted by the flawed justice system. Furthermore, the panelists constantly answered audience questions and focused their analyses on the future of the DC justice system. While I do not work extensively with these leaders, they are pivotal parts of the DC advocacy space and to CCE’s work. 

As much of our work is to testify to the DC Council and work closely with each of the Councilmembers, I would say that the one we see the most overlap with, Councilmember Charles Allen of Ward 6, exhibits servant leadership in some ways. I have been collaborating on a project for CCE and an advocacy group called “Unlock the Box DC to End Solitary Confinement,” conducting research on public opinion of solitary confinement in DC jails and prisons. From my research and extensive viewing of live hearings with Councilmember Allen, he clearly has a rapport with his constituents and establishes a sense of “legitimate power” in his leadership. The public opinion of Allen is generally pretty positive and it is clear he is committed to bringing community change in Ward 6. While, of course, politics can be bureaucratic at times, it is clear he is aware of the racial and social disparities in health, policing, and the justice system in DC, making these factors a priority in his leadership. All of the hearings I watched and interactions I’ve seen of him with my CCE co-workers exhibit his empathy to DC residents, conceptualization for a better DC, and self-awareness of his power.