servant leadership
Published on Nov 19, 2015
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servant leadership
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The servant-leader is servant first... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions...The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.
The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?
What is servant leadership?
Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world.
While servant leadership is a timeless concept, the phrase “servant leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970.
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Who is a servant leader?
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Ten characteristics of
a servant leader…
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Listening
Cultivates a culture of trust by reinforcing the skills of communication and decision making with a deep commitment to listening intently to others. The servant leader seeks to identify and clarify the will of a group. Listening coupled with periods of reflection, is essential to the growth and well-being of the servant leader.
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Empathy
Accept and recognize people for their special and unique gifts. The most successful servant leaders are those who have become skilled, empathetic listeners.
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Being Supportive
Support the whole person by offering opportunities for personal development outside the standard expectation. Assisting people with life issues while creating a balance to family and recreational activities.
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Awareness
General awareness, and especially self-awareness, strengthens the servant leader. Awareness helps one in understanding issues involving ethics, power, and values.
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Persuasion
This characteristic of servant leaders is a reliance on persuasion, rather than on one’s positional authority, in making decisions within an organization. The servant leader seeks to convince others, rather than coerce compliance by using rank. The servant leader is effective at building consensus within groups.
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Conceptualization
A servant leader is thinking about the next generation, the next leader, the next opportunity. That means a trade-off between what’s important today versus tomorrow, and making choices to benefit the future. This leader also creates and implements the long term strategy for success.
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Foresight
Enables the servant leader to understand the lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequences of a decision for the future.
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Stewardship
Having a complete understanding that the institution is functioning for the greater good in society and serving others.
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Commitment to the Growth of People
The servant leader is deeply committed to the growth of all followers and recognizes the tremendous responsibility to do everything possible to nurture the personal and professional growth of all individuals.
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Building Community
Build meaningful personal and professional relationships among followers and peers that encourage a togetherness featuring a group purpose.
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The trademark of a servant leader is encouragement and a true servant leader says “Let’s go do it”, not, “You go do it.” Servant leaders act in a selfless manner and want to find ways to benefit the entire group. Servant leaders are not created overnight but through a lifetime of experiences.
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The servant coach incorporates the servant leadership philosophy throughout their lifestyle. These characteristics should not be interpreted as a certain manner to behave but we would rather have each individual reflect upon their leadership behavior and determine the effectiveness of usage of each characteristic.
Tracing the impact of
servant-leadership
Interesting but false notion … critics of servant leadership
Servant leadership is most interesting if it means that managers should literally serve, or be a servant to, their subordinates. This seems to be the intention of the originator of the concept, Robert K. Greenleaf. He read a Herman Hesse novel in which a group of travellers fell apart after their servant left them. Because the servant had kept the group together, Greenleaf saw him as the group's leader.
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Clearly, therefore, he viewed the servant leader as literally the group's servant. This idea is plausible in politics, clubs or associations where the leader is elected. Without question, this person must serve the electorate to avoid being voted out of office at the next election.
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In business, however, managers at all levels must serve the owners if they want to keep their jobs. They also need to serve customers. The harsh reality in business is that employees are a means to an end. Effective managers will, of course, do all they can to engage, motivate, consider and include employees but that does not amount to being their servant.
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The truth is that while managers fire employees who aren't performing, no servant can fire his master. Therefore, this sense of servant leadership is interesting but clearly false or is it…
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