By Leslie Johnson

​Online non-traditional students and faculty balancing school, work, and family often practice leadership through a keyboard. Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC), while commonly viewed as a pedagogical tool for student success, can also serve as a medium for intentional servant leadership. By documenting appreciation for others’ work, we become written witnesses to their impact, providing meaningful validation in an often-isolating digital environment. 

When I was invited to contribute to The WACademic, my brain immediately went to the technical: math-based writing, rubric development, and the logistics of the classroom. But the real topic found me while I was simply being a reader. While composing a reflective comment for a recent WACademic post (something I genuinely look forward to doing), it hit me – this was it! I realized my practice of intentional feedback was more than a courtesy; it was a form of servant leadership. By becoming a ”written witness” for my peer, I was applying a best practice that is often overlooked in digital spaces. 

Writing as a Ministry of Notice

Servant leadership prioritizes the growth and well-being of others through active listening, empathy, and recognition (Wheeler, 2012). By writing a follow-up email or posting a public comment, you move beyond passive consumption and into active noticing. You are providing the recipient with a highly coveted academic commodity: proof that their work was truly seen, understood, and appreciated. In doing so, you aren’t just acknowledging a task; you are affirming the person’s value within the scholarly community.

Decentralizing Authority Through Peer-to-Peer Praise

Traditional leadership is top-down (dean to faculty, faculty to student). Peer-to-peer “kudos” create a network of support that is more resilient than traditional hierarchies (Kezar & Holcombe, 2017). Servant leadership through writing democratizes this power. When a student sends a kudos email to a webinar presenter, or a faculty member praises a peer’s blog post, it flattens the hierarchy. It fosters a culture where expertise is recognized wherever it lives, reinforcing the idea that we are all part of a community of practice.

The Resonance + Result Framework

To make recognition meaningful rather than generic, use a WAC approach. Don’t just say “Great job!” Instead, identify one specific point that resonated and one takeaway you will implement. This form of reflective practice solidifies learning for both the author and the reader (Yancey, 1998). By adopting this approach, practitioners replace the weight of a to-do list with the reward of purposeful engagement, transforming every webinar or blog post into a dual opportunity for personal growth and peer support.

Creating Social Proof

For non-traditional students and faculty, well-articulated external validation is more than just a feel-good moment; it is tangible evidence for the quality of their work. It’s an academic currency of sorts that certifies their efforts and sustains their momentum (Gallagher, 2020). A specific LinkedIn comment or a detailed kudos email becomes a catalyst, transforming your written recognition into an act of servant leadership that fuels their future professional growth.

Combatting the Bystander Effect in Digital Spaces

In a digital world often measured by likes and comments, most people still consume content silently (Adjin-Tettey & Graham, 2023). Servant leaders take the initiative to break this bystander effect. By being the one to actually type the words, you model the behavior you want to see in a collaborative academic environment, turning a solitary digital experience into a communal one.

Write the Momentum into Existence

Leadership is often defined by what we do for others, but in a WAC-driven community, it is also defined by what we write for others. Breaking our digital silence does more than compliment; it provides the vital recognition that drives colleagues and students to persist.

Your challenge this week: Take five minutes to identify one webinar, article, or post that moved the needle for you. Don’t let your appreciation remain a silent thought. Use the Resonance + Result framework to send a kudos email or post a public comment. By putting your recognition into words, you cease to be a bystander and become a catalyst for a more connected, resilient, and supportive academic culture.

“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – John C. Maxwell (2007, p. 304)

References

Adjin-Tettey, T. D., & Graham, A. (2023). Lurking as a mode of listening in social media: Motivations-based typologies. Digital Transformation and Society, 2(1), 11-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/DTS-07-2022-0028. (Original work published 2022)

Gallagher, S. R. (2020). The future of university credentials: New developments at the intersection of higher education and hiring. Harvard Education Press.

Kezar, A. J., & Holcombe, E. M. (2017). Shared leadership in higher education: Important lessons from research and practice. American Council on Education.

Maxwell, J. C. (2007). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership: Follow them and people will follow you. Thomas Nelson. (Original work published 1998)

Wheeler, D. W. (2012). Servant leadership for higher education: Principles and practices. Jossey-Bass. (Original work published 2011)

Yancey, K. B. (1998). Reflection in the writing classroom. Utah State University Press.  https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1119&context=usupress_pubs

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About the Author: Leslie Johnson is the Assistant Department Chair of Mathematics for Purdue Global (PG). She has 20+ years of experience in higher education and holds an MS in Mathematics from Southeast Missouri State University.