The CASAGRA Transformative Leadership Model: Servant – Leader Formula & the

Nursing Faculty’s Transformative Leadership Behavior

The theory “CASAGRA Transformative Leadership” is a psycho spiritual model. It is coined after the name of
the investigator: Sr. CArolina S. AGRAvante

The model is a Three-Fold Transformation Leadership Concept rolled into one, comprising of the
following elements:

1. Servant-Leader Spirituality;
2. Self-Mastery expressed in a vibrant care complex;
3. Special Expertise level in the nursing field one is engaged in.

These elements rolled into one make-up the personality of the modern professional nurse who will challenge the
demands of these crucial times in society today.

The CASAGRA Transformative Leadership Theory is classified as a Practice Theory basing on the
characteristics of a Practice Theory stated by McEwen (2007), which are the following:
a. Complexity / Abstractness, Scope - Focuses on a narrow view of reality, simple and straightforward;
b. Generalizibility /Specificity - Linked to a special populations or an identified field of practice;
c. Characteristic of Scope – Single, concrete concept that is operationalized;
d. Characteristic of Proposition – Propositions defined;
e. Testability – Goals or outcomes defined and testable;
f. Source of Development – Derived from practice or deduced from middle range theory or grand theory.

PURPOSE

The present day demands in the nursing profession challenge nursing educators to revisit their basic
responsibility of educating professional nurses who are responsive to technological, educational and social
changes happening in the Philippines society today. The reopening of the doors of foreign market to Filipino
nurses, migration made easy, attractive salaries and benefits way beyond what hospitals can afford to give.

Nursing education is faced with a new concern that is globalization of nursing services for the international
market. Therefore a need to develop globalization of care with focus on developing caring nurses.
The formation of new nursing leaders is urgently needed; leaders with new vision who will venture new traits
and who have gone through new formation in order to serve the society as professional nurse.

Nurses need competent leaders with a dream of what nursing can be, whose basic stand is caring and service
who are competent in nursing, assertive of their own rights with the help profession.

MAIN PROPOSITIONS

- CASAGRA Transformative Leadership is a psycho-spiritual model, was an effective means for faculty to
become better teachers and servant-leaders.
- Care complex is a structure in the personality of the caregiver that is significantly related to the leadership
behavior.
- The CASAGRA servant-leadership formula is an effective modality in enhancing the nursing faculty’s
servant-leadership behavior.
- Vitality of Care Complex of the nursing faculty is directly related to leadership behavior.

CONCEPTS

Key Concepts

- The CASAGRA Transformative Leadership Model have concepts of leadership from a psycho-spiritual point
of view, designed to lead to radical change from apathy or indifference to a spiritual person.

- Servant-leader formula is the enrichment package prepared as intervention for the study which has three parts
that parallel the three concepts of the CASAGRA transformative leadership model, namely: the care complex
primer, a retreat-workshop on Servant-leadership, and a seminar-workshop on Transformative Teaching for
nursing faculty.

- Special expertise is the level of competence in the particular nursing area that the professional nurse is engaged
in workshop is the spiritual exercise organized in an ambience of prayer where the main theme is the
contemplation of Jesus Christ as a Servant-leader.

- Servant-leadership behavior refers to the perceived behavior of nursing faculty manifested through the ability
to model the servant leadership qualitiesto students, ability to bring out the best in students, competence in nursing
skills, commitment to the nursing profession, and sense of collegiality with the school, other health professionals,
and local community.

- Nursing leadership is the force within the nursing profession that sets the vision for its practitioners, lays down
the roles and functions, and influences the direction toward which the profession should go.
- Transformative teaching may also be termed Reflective teaching, an umbrella term covering ideas, such as
thoughtful instruction, teacher research, teacher narrative, and teacher empowerment.

- Care complex is the nucleus of care experiences in the personality of a nurse formed by a combination of
maternal care experiences, culture based-care practices indigenous to a race and people, and the professional
training on care acquired in a formal course of nursing.

Three-Fold Transformative Leader Concept

The Servant-Leadership Spirituality here is prescribed to run parallel to the generic elements of the
transformative leadership model.

This formula consists of a spiritual exercise, the determination of the vitality of the care complex
in the personality of an individual and finally a seminar workshop on transformative teaching.

The servant-leader formula prescription includes a spiritual retreat that goes through the process
of awareness, contemplation, story telling, reflection, and finally commitment to become servant-
leaders in the footsteps of Jesus.

The Self-Mastery consists of a vibrant care complex possessed to a certain degree by all who have
been through formal studies in a care giving profession such as nursing.

The Special-Expertise level is shown in a creative, caring, critical, contemplative and collegial
teaching of the nurse faculty who is directly involved with the formation of the nursing.
MEANING AND PARADIGM

Meaning of The Theory

Based on the study, the effect of the CASAGRA Leadership model using the servant leader model on the
leadership behavior of the nursing faculty, the care complex in the personality of the nursing faculty is highly
correlated to their leadership behavior. The care complex is necessary given as a stimulant in the performance of
the leadership activities. The leadership behavior of the faculty after going to the servant leadership formula was
significantly higher in the two-post test periods than during the pre-test. It improved the leadership behavior of
the nursing faculty in both groups.
The Paradigm of the Theory

The conceptual framework is logical because the variables are very well explained on how transformative-
leadership model be applicable through care complex, transformative teaching servant-leader spirituality, and
servant-leader behavior.

A person with dynamic care complex is the cornerstone of nursing leadership. According to care complex of
Agravante, caring personality rests on the possession of a care complex with in a person as an energy source of
caring.

The framework explains and predicts the continuous formation of nursing leadership behavior in nursing faculty
that will eventually affect their teaching function.

Servant-leadership formula runs parallel to the generic elements of the transformative-leadership model.
Transformative teaching is the guide that desired for the modern educative process designed to form the
millennium professional nurse.

Expertise is the practice of caring and proactive in face of challenges for the profession go hand-in-hand.
Education and practice bring this about.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

STRENGTHS

- It provided the task of the formation of the nurse leaders at the baccalaureate level so that the profession assured
the graduates possess the mind and heart of a nursing leader who is of the nursing profession.

- It can also be use in other educational settings not just on nursing profession.

WEAKNESSES/LIMITATIONS

- CASAGRA transformative leadership limits only on Roman Catholic and Christians nursing educators; it did
not consider other religion to this study. In the Philippines we have a variety of religion present. Every religion
has its own traditions and practices to be considered.

- According to the study, the control and study groups were selected from the same faculty in the two schools, it
is highly possible that experience could have been discussed casually in faculty room and in some way must
contaminated the intervention.
References

DeLeon,C. (2015) Carolina Agravante Theory (Online) Available at

http://www.documents.mx/CarolinaAgravante Accessed: September 12, 2016

Magallanes, V. (2009). Module 3: Nursing Theories at Work Part I: Reporting on the CASAGRA
Transformative Leadership Theory (Online) Available at http://documents.mx/documents/casagra-
theory.html Accessed: September 12, 2016