Making a case for servant leadership

The term ‘servant leadership’ might prompt a negative reaction from some leaders who think the philosophy is too soft for a corporate setting. But millennials entering the workforce seek companies with leaders who empower their employees.

 

• The timeless principles of servant leadership have proven to meet the tough challenges facing those in leadership positions today, wherever your level on the org chart happens to be.
• There are proven methods, tools and resources available on how to operate like a servant leader not only in philosophy – or head knowledge – but in behaviour and actions as well. 
• The final piece of good news is that the skills of servant leadership can be learned and applied by most people who have the will and intent to change, grow and improve.
• Consider where you may be in your own journey as a leader. These are characteristics you can apply today in your work as manager or executive to transform your culture.

1. Listening: 

Listening leads the list because it is a crucial yet frequently absent trait in leaders who are self-oriented rather than devoted to service. Greenleaf wrote that “a true natural servant automatically responds to any problem by listening first.” He said, “True listening builds strength in other people.”

Practically speaking, he’s talking about leaders that listen to understand. Servant leaders respond by listening first, and they listen before they speak, as they speak and after they speak.

2. Empathy: 

Empathy is really an extension of listening. Understand and empathise with others – to put themselves in the other person’s shoes; listening without judgment. And as empathetic leaders, workers are considered not only as employees but also as people who need respect and appreciation for their personal development. This generates a competitive advantage.

3. Healing: 

What Spears meant by ‘healing’ is that leaders recognise the opportunity to help make whole those with whom they come in contact. A servant leader tries to help people solve their problems and conflicts in relationships, because he/she wants to develop the skills of each individual. This leads to the formation of a business culture in which the working environment is characterised by dynamic, fun engagement and no fear from failure.

4. Awareness: 

Servant leaders also have a strong sense of what is going on around them. They are always looking for cues from their opinions and decisions. They know what’s going on and will rarely be fooled.

They’re also very self-aware, focus more on self-awareness (presence of mind) than external awareness. You cannot have what they describe as the tenets of awareness without having self-awareness.

5. Persuasion: 

Servant leaders do not take advantage of their power and status by coercing compliance. Instead, servant leaders try to convince and use influence. They are effective at building consensus within groups.

6. Conceptualisation: 

This is the ability to look at a problem by thinking beyond the day-to-day realities. The servant leader can conceive solutions to problems that do not currently exist.

Servant leaders see beyond the limits of the operating business today and focus on long-term operating goals.

 

7. Foresight: 

Foresight is the ability to foresee the likely outcome of a situation. It means understanding the lessons from the past, the realities of the present and the likely consequence of a decision for the future.

8.Stewardship: 

This is a commitment to serving the needs of others and also of the organisation and its mission as a whole. all institutions was one in which CEOs, staff and stakeholders all play significant roles in holding their institutions in trust for the greater good of society.

 

9. Commitment to the growth of people: 

This is a demonstrated appreciation and open encouragement of others and their growth. The servant leader recognises the tremendous responsibility to do everything in his/her power to nurture the personal and professional growth of employees and colleagues.

In practice, this can include things like having a budget for personal and professional development, taking a personal interest in ideas and suggestions from everyone, encouraging worker involvement in decision-making, and even helping a laid-off employee find another position.             

 

10. Building community: 

Servant leaders should seek to identify some means for building community among those they work with. They are called compassionate collaborators. They show appreciation and praise employees often for their contributions. They have a personal interest in the ideas of others and want to involve workers in decisions-making.

Armed with this list, you can now reflect on whether – and how – you may have modelled some of these approaches. Take a moment. How have you been a servant leader based on the brief descriptions given?