Numerous leadership approaches can be taken in the business world. A servant leadership style can be effective in attracting and retaining talented workers who are invested in the company’s success on both a personal and professional level. In this post, we will look at what is servant leadership, what are its primary principles and characteristics, as well as its benefits and drawbacks. We’ll also look at a real-world example of how a servant leadership approach fits within a broader framework for developing leaders and inspiring teams.
What is Servant Leadership?
A servant leader adopts a style and concept known as “servant leadership” to attain authority rather than power in one’s interactions with others. The concept is based on a decentralized structure of management. Leaders that use this approach involve those who interact directly with customers in strategic decision-making. These workers know the customer well and can make more informed choices that will help the business keep existing clients and attract new ones.
How Servant Leadership Works
The goal of the servant leadership style is to improve communication and cooperation between management and employees by eliminating “controlling activities” and replacing them with mutually beneficial actions. Robert Greenleaf, a 20th-century sociologist, popularized the phrase “servant leadership” to express his skepticism of more authoritarian forms of management.
The leader of a servant-led organization works to foster creative problem-solving, give employees a say in their work, and protect the well-being of all involved. One of the goals of servant leadership is to promote leadership growth in subordinates. Empathy, listening, stewardship, and a dedication to the development of others are necessary characteristics for this leadership style.
Principles of Servant Leadership
Ten characteristics and principles of servant leadership were identified by Larry Spears, former president, and chief executive officer of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center. He believed these were crucial for servant leaders to master so they could effectively equip the people they were responsible for.
He thought that these characteristics and principles of servant leadership were essential to abandoning the autocratic and hierarchical leadership models of the past in favor of a more relational and trustworthy model.
The characteristics and principles of servant leadership are interdependent, and this is made clear as you read through the list. Don’t skip over learning the first nine items on the list and expect to succeed without them.
Consider the following ten characteristics and principles of servant leadership style to assist you develop into a more capable leader.
#1. Listening
Leaders who are faithful servants to their followers listen as much as they speak. They provide everyone a fair chance to speak, and then pay close attention to both what is said and what isn’t.
#2. Empathy
True servant leaders invest emotionally in their group. They know that when their employees are content in their personal life, it will reflect well in their work.
They have an open mind and appreciate hearing different points of view. That’s why servant leaders always go out of their way to show the team members they care and offer support in whatever way they can.
#3. Healing
Leaders who serve well know that it’s crucial to address existing issues before moving on to new objectives and initiatives. Your team may have lost ground in the previous quarter because of internal strife. The team needs to mend fences and reach a consensus before taking on the new challenges of the coming quarter. Effective teams are headed by servant leaders who equip their employees with the information, encouragement, and tools they need to succeed.
#4. Self-awareness
Good servant leaders know who they are and who they’re leading. Self-awareness is the capacity to examine one’s inner life, reflect on one’s feelings and actions, and evaluate their impact on oneself and others.
#5. Persuasion
Team members are guided and persuaded by leaders who put the team first. Instead of simply telling their team members what to do, a servant leader explains why this is the most effective course of action. They want to win over the whole group and establish an agreement.
#6. Conceptualization
Effective servant leaders can see the big picture and convey the significance of the team’s work to the members of the team. They aid their staff in comprehending their responsibilities and maintaining their enthusiasm for the company’s future success.
#7. Foresight
Servant leaders who excel at learning from their experiences, both good and bad, and applying those insights to the evaluation of current actions, have a distinct advantage. They recognize the current situation, comprehend the outcomes of their choices, and assist the team in doing the same. To assess where they are and where they want to go, they employ techniques like the SWOT analysis and set SMART objectives.
#8. Stewardship
Successful servant leaders are aware of and appreciate the significance of their roles. They make sure their staff knows they value the trust placed in them and work hard to live up to it.
#9. Focus on growth
Inspiring growth in one’s team is one of the hallmarks of a servant leader. They are devoted to the professional growth of their teams. By setting a good example and providing their team with development chances, servant leaders encourage others to take on leadership roles within the organization.
#10. Building community
Leaders who put the needs of others before their own are servant leaders. They value everyone’s input and foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and making regular contributions.
Servant Leadership Example
Examples of servant leadership style in the workplace include the following.
#1. Leading by example
Servant leaders in sales can be recognized by their willingness to put in the same effort as their team members. When the team is falling short of its sales goals, the manager pitches in by working alongside them to close the gap.
#2. Promoting teamwork
The manager of a huge call center holds frequent small group sessions to encourage the customer service representatives to share their ideas for how the company might grow and improve. In these meetings, employees can provide feedback to upper management on ways to better serve customers, streamline internal processes, and strengthen the company’s leadership.
#3. Showing genuine concern for one’s team
The staff at a medical facility should feel that their employer values their health and safety as much as that of their patients. To motivate workers to take care of their health, the company has instituted a wellness program that provides financial incentives for things like annual exams, weight loss, and quitting smoking.
What Does Servant Leadership Look Like in Practice?
Leaders that are effective servants genuinely care about their employees. They are decisive and charismatic leaders who can articulate their expectations clearly.
Here are a few illustrations of servant leadership in action.
#1. Leading by example, with modesty, honesty, and trust.
Your leadership must be based on a solid foundation of humility. Subordinates will comply with your orders if you exert authority and speak down to them. Instead, your words and deeds should serve as an example that others can trust.
#2. Defining the significance of the work in terms of context and significance
Each cog on a clock’s wheel is essential to the working of the whole. Any team would be the same. Everyone on staff plays a vital role in the company’s success. Motivating your staff can be as simple as making sure they hear this message. In addition, it can help them perform better.
One strategy for doing so is to discuss the results that their efforts will have on other people. You can demonstrate the internal and external effects.
Instead of focusing on metrics and stats, talk about who will be using and expanding upon their work. Always remind them how their work contributes to the bigger picture. The result is a workforce that feels more invested in the company’s goals.
Show your appreciation by publicly acknowledging their efforts. A key factor for many employees is whether or not their efforts will be noticed and rewarded.
#3. Promoting teamwork, solidarity, and dedication
You are the catalyst for unity and cooperation as a servant leader.
Boost teamwork by fostering a shared sense of purpose among workers. You might also advise them to start delegating tasks. At last, team members can participate in the decision-making process.
For that new project, for instance, you could inquire as to their preferred tasks or how they feel they can contribute most. The trick is to take your time and be patient. In today’s fast-paced environment, it’s easy to put your demands before those of your staff, but servant leaders resist this temptation.
#4. Fostering the team’s expansion and improvement through foresight and ingenuity
A significant part of a servant leader’s job is to recognize and anticipate staff needs.
When delegating tasks to team members, for instance, you should ensure they have access to the necessary materials or the means to acquire them. By putting service before all else in your actions, you will provide them the freedom they need to get their jobs done.
#5. Caring for the members of the team, exemplified through empathy and compassion
The servant leader will also work to make the workplace more welcoming. Staff members should feel at ease here. People shouldn’t worry about being attacked if they voice legitimate concerns or inquire about something.
It seems especially crucial to prioritize compassion and understanding at this time. For instance, you shouldn’t brush off an employee’s complaint about a coworker just because you’re too busy to listen. You’re willing to put in the effort to see them through the conflict and find a solution. You have a kind heart.
#6. Asking for feedback — listening skills
Build a rapport with the worker that encourages them to listen attentively and actively. A servant leader routinely probes for more information by asking follow-up questions and encouraging further discussion. They take criticism seriously rather than merely dishing it out.
Pros And Cons of Servant Leadership
Selflessness is the foundation of servant leadership. Many leaders are now relinquishing power and control after years of hard effort. True leaders, however, are those who know their purpose is to ensure the success of others around them.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that the benefits and drawbacks of servant leadership end there.
Benefits
Among the many benefits of servant leadership style that have been covered in this article, one of the most important is that it helps the leader because he or she must make the effort to:
- Learn to know themselves better.
- Gain the skills necessary to persuade others of their passion and commitment to their cause.
- Learn some humility they might not have picked up any other way.
Since many people feel the need to change their perspective on leadership, they view servant leadership as an opportunity for development. They are also admitting they aren’t perfect, don’t know everything, and can’t do everything themselves by putting themselves out there and appearing vulnerable.
Drawbacks
The first obstacle to overcome is the negative connotation the moniker suggests, even though servant leadership is an extraordinarily effective leadership style. While its intended goal was to highlight the notion that the finest leaders are those who serve their community, some still hold to the belief that servants have no place in leadership.
Many people have struggled with the idea of becoming a servant leader since it requires altering their way of thinking. In conventional wisdom, a servant cannot be a leader; nevertheless, if you find and redefine what a leader is and does, you’ll notice that the servant-leader attitude is more suited to leading through the cultivation of trustworthy connections.
What Are the Qualities of a Servant Leader?
There are four facets to a servant leader:
- Listening
- Appreciation
- Humility
- Trust
What Are the 7 Dimensions of Servant Leadership?
These seven dimensions include:
- Vision
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Trust
- Service
- Modeling
- Pioneering
Who Is a Good Example of a Servant Leader?
Abraham Lincoln is an example of a servant leader. As Hubbard (2011) points out, Lincoln’s acts during the American Civil War are frequently held up as a prime example of servant leadership.
What Is Servant vs Humble Leadership?
Humble is the glue that holds a group together, and Servant-leaders don’t look down on the people who follow them. They don’t put on airs about being better than their followers.
What Is the Mindset of a Servant Leader?
A servant leader prioritizes the team’s development and happiness. In this way, they can foster highly effective professionals who provide superior service to their clients.
What Is a True Servant Leader?
Servant leader prioritizes the development of those around them and the establishment of institutions based on core principles that advance equitable, compassionate, and sustainable communities.
Conclusion
One need not hold a position of authority inside an organization before adopting a servant leadership stance. However, this method has a substantial effect on worker satisfaction and commitment.
Take charge of initiatives by being an ally to your coworkers and a provider of resources and assistance. Any level of effect can benefit from this.
Improve your ability to connect with others, work on being more empathetic and self-aware, and make employee growth a top priority. If you follow this advice, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a strong and influential servant leader.
- The Power of a Leader in an Educational Environment
- HOW TO BE A LEADER: Becoming the Leader of Your Dreams
- LEADERSHIP STYLE: 7 Most Effective Styles 2023!!!
- LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES: Most Effective Strategies, Examples & Books
- Wealth Management Best Practices: Top 5 Tips From Leading Wealth Managers
- BEST ONLINE MANAGEMENT COURSES: Best Online Courses
- LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Process, Strategies & Importance
- To 20+ BUSINESS SKILLS: For Resume, Leadership, Management & Training
References
