Episode 05: Servant leadership through the lens of sports and how it can apply to you
December 2022
The purpose of the Michigan Athletics Leadership Development Team is to empower Wolverines to:
- Lead Self to Live with Purpose
- Lead Others to Solve Problems Collectively
- Lead Positive Culture to Serve, Empower, and Inspire Others.
In this episode, hear from our podcast host, and current UMICH student-athlete, Gabby Wilson, and guests Coach Mike Hart, and former student-athlete, Danielle Rauch, for a conversation on servant leadership — What is it? Why is it important in teams? And, How can we lead through service?
Episode Competencies
Feedback, Vision, Facilitation, Action
Episode Resources
Reflection Questions:
- What did you think of the definitions of leadership from Danielle and Coach Hart? Do you agree or disagree? How do you define leadership?
- Gabby read a quote from the book, “The Captain Class – A New Theory of Leadership” by Sam Walker:
“When it comes to competition, most people believe that the leader of a team is the person who does something spectacular when the chips are down. The leader is the one who takes the buzzer-beating shot. A team member who performs acts of humility off the field, or who assists others in making these decisive plays, is, by definition, a supporting player. The captains in this book suggest we’ve got the picture backward. The great captains lowered themselves in relation to the group whenever possible in order to earn the moral authority to drive them forward in tough moments. The person at the back, feeding the ball to others, may look like a servant—but that person is actually creating dependency. The easiest way to lead, it turns out, is to serve.”
- On your teams, whether or not athletic, how does this quote resonate with you in your experiences?
- Mike said you need to be a good follower before you can be a good leader. Who are some good followers that you influence and how can you help them become a leader? In what ways are you a follower and how can you challenge yourself to grow into a leader?
- How have you seen servant leadership influence your teams/groups/organizations, if at all? What can you do to increase it in your circles?
- Danielle spoke about the importance of competing with gratefulness. What are you grateful for and how do/can you pay that forward?
- How do/can you go outside of your comfort zone to learn from others different than yourself?
- Finally, Coach Hart said you have to have virtue to be a good leader. What causes do you care most about that you can have a positive impact on through service?
Speaker Bio
Gabryel “Gabby” Wilson
Senior Captain on the Women’s Gymnastics team
Gabby is a senior captain on the Women’s Gymnastics team, majoring in English. She excels in the classroom and in the gym, having been a major contributor to multiple team Big Ten Conference championships, winning the individual floor title in 2021, and contributing to a team National Championship in 2021. She has achieved a score of a perfect 10 three times in her collegiate career thus far, twice in the floor exercise and once in the vault.
Hailing from Ypsilanti, Michigan, Gabby is passionate about helping the local community, especially her peers. She has an Instagram video series called “One Minute Monday” where through self-reflection and personal experience, she helps her followers think about their personal development and how to navigate the world around them. Her tagline is “What is good.”
Mike Hart
Michigan Football RB Coach
Mike Hart is in his second season as the running backs coach for Michigan Football. In his two seasons, Michigan has won the B1G East, including back-to-back wins over rival, Ohio State. In 2021, he was a part of Michigan’s first playoff appearance in the modern CFP (College Football Playoff) format. Prior to coming to Michigan, Hart spent 4 seasons coaching at Indiana, and also coached at Syracuse, Western Michigan, and Eastern Michigan between 2011-2016. Hart has great success developing his student-athletes, coaching players such as, Blake Corum, Hassain Haskins, and Stevie Scott.
As a player, Hart was a four-year starter at Michigan from 2004-2007. He is Michigan’s all-time leader in rushing yards. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2008 NFL Draft where he played for three seasons. He graduated from Michigan in 2009 with a degree in General Studies.
Hart is from Syracuse, New York. As a child, he experienced firsthand the power that positive mentorship can make in someone’s life, and thus has always coached his players to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Danielle Rauch
Michigan Graduate
Danielle Rauch is a 2021 graduate of the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, with a degree in Applied Exercise Science. She earned four varsity letters while at Michigan, playing on the Women’s Basketball team. She served as a team captain her senior year, and helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight for the first time in program history.
After graduating from Michigan, Danielle is serving in her first year as Graduate Assistant for the Clemson University Women’s Basketball program. She plans to pursue a career in coaching.
Danielle is from Syracuse, New York. She cares deeply about helping those around her and continuously leverages her platform to add value to the lives of others through community engagement.
