Table of Contents
Serviam Leadership Academy provides resources, such as the book, articles, and videos below, for those interested in learning more about how to become an effective leader or how to develop effective leaders in their program.
"Serviam! The Three Pillars of Student Leadership: Leading, Teaching, Conducting"
By David Montgomery
Serviam, the Latin word for “I will serve,” represents what it means to be a servant leader: to serve and empower others. And in bands across the country, student leaders are the heartbeat of their programs, critical to the group’s success and the guardians of its culture.
Using the three pillars of leading, teaching, and conducting, Serviam! takes a close look at the qualities of effective leadership, giving student leaders the tools to succeed in band and beyond. Students will learn how to:
– Cultivate the heart of a servant leader
– Build character
– Elicit the best from others
– Create a culture of excellence
– Build trust and relationships
– Communicate effectively
– Listen well
– Solve problems and resolve conflict
In addition to building the qualities of a servant leader, students will learn the practical skills needed to effectively teach, rehearse, and conduct an ensemble. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter also offer a point of departure and can be customized for the specific needs of any program.
Designed for students to read independently or together with their teacher, Serviam! is a comprehensive guide for developing positive, effective student leaders who elicit the best from their peers and encourage a culture of excellence.
Serviam! is available through GIA Publications. Click the following link to order:
Student leaders are vital assets in teaching and administering a busy band program. They assist with an array of activities and often serve as front-line points of contact with all other students. As such, they are directly involved in the teaching, learning, and success of students in the program.
This article distills the range of responsibilities facing student leaders into three pillars: leadership, teaching, and conducting. Each section discusses the significance of the pillar and offers ways to grow and develop the skills in each area. Serviam Leadership Videos
Start with “why.” The first step of any endeavor is to identify your motivations for pursuing it. The same is true for leadership. Dr. Montgomery discusses the importance of being able to answer the question of “why do you want to be a leader?”
In this video Dr. Montgomery discusses the importance of being a great example in becoming a leader.
There are generally two broad categories of leadership styles: power and servant. In this video Dr. Montgomery compares the two styles and makes the case for becoming a servant-leader.
Even though no two people are the same and no two leaders are the same, good leaders share some common characteristics. Based on research and experience, Dr. Montgomery discusses the qualities of a good leader. Although not an exhaustive list, this is a good starting point in building these qualities into your own leadership.
Building trust with others is a critical aspect of leadership. Dr. Montgomery discusses some key ideas on how to create relationships and build trust with those you lead.
Effectiveness in leadership is really about two things: knowledge and communication. Aspiring leaders need to do all they can to build their knowledge base of the technical areas in which the lead, and work to communicate in a way that elicits the best from everyone around them. Dr. Montgomery describes the importance of these two skills in this video.
Student leaders are involved in numerous aspects of a program. One of their most important responsibilities is serving as a teacher to other members of the ensemble. This can be an overwhelming experience for young leaders. In this video Dr. Montgomery offers three strategies for becoming an effective teacher.
Dr. David Montgomery
Serviam Leadership Academy is directed by Dr. David Montgomery, Associate Professor of Music at Baylor University. Read more about his experience on the Faculty page.