Key Takeaways
- Definition: Servant leadership prioritizes the needs of others before your own. It’s a long-term leadership approach rather than a situational technique.
- Characteristics: Key traits include listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community.
- Impact: Servant leaders foster higher employee engagement and better relationships with team members and stakeholders.
Quote
“A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well, and to help those who are doing well to do even better.” — Jim Rohn
Example of Servant Leadership
Samit, a servant leader, consistently checks in with his team, helping them develop necessary skills for career advancement—even if it means they may eventually leave. By making decisions with the team’s best interests in mind and ensuring access to resources, he fosters a successful, engaged team with low turnover.
Definition of Servant Leadership
Coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970, “servant leadership” emphasizes serving others first. This approach leads to higher engagement, trust, and innovation within teams. However, it may face challenges in hierarchical, autocratic cultures where decision-making is centralized.
Note
Servant leadership focuses on the needs of others, not just their feelings. It is crucial to balance it with other leadership styles, such as Transformational Leadership.
How to Become a Servant Leader
Larry C. Spears identifies the following 10 characteristics of effective servant leaders:
- Listening: Commit to understanding others by giving full attention and providing feedback.
- Empathy: Understand others’ perspectives by valuing their viewpoints and maintaining an open mind.
- Healing: Support the emotional and physical well-being of team members by providing necessary resources and a healthy workplace.
- Self-Awareness: Reflect on your emotions and behavior, seek feedback, and manage how your actions affect others.
- Persuasion: Use persuasion rather than authority to encourage actions and build consensus among team members.
- Conceptualization: Look beyond daily tasks to envision the bigger picture, creating mission and vision statements that align with long-term objectives.
- Foresight: Anticipate future outcomes by learning from past experiences and understanding the implications of decisions.
- Stewardship: Take responsibility for your team’s performance and lead by example, demonstrating the values you wish to instill.
- Commitment to the Growth of People: Invest in the personal and professional development of your team through training and supportive projects.
- Building Community: Foster a sense of community by encouraging interaction among team members through social events and informal discussions.
Tip
Explore popular leadership styles to understand their advantages and disadvantages.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is servant leadership?
Servant leadership focuses on serving others first, emphasizing team well-being and growth, in contrast to traditional leadership, which often prioritizes authority. - Key characteristics of a servant leader?
Empathy, good listening, promotion of personal growth, trust-building, and prioritization of others’ needs. - How can organizations implement servant leadership?
Encourage open communication, empower employees, foster collaboration, and support personal development. - Benefits of servant leadership?
Higher employee satisfaction, increased engagement, stronger collaboration, and improved organizational performance.
