Servant leadership is a leadership style that emphasizes the importance of employee growth, well-being, and empowerment. The main idea is that the leader serves his employees, helping them to develop and feel included. In this way, the organization can progress through commitment and engagement. This approach puts employees first, unlike traditional leadership which focuses primarily on the organization’s success.
The Theory of Servant Leadership
The theory of servant leadership was founded by Robert K. Greenleaf, who popularized this term in an essay from the 1970s called “The Servant as Leader”. He got his inspiration from the book “Journey to the East”, where the main character Leo, although a servant, showed that he is a leader whose absence leads to a drop in productivity and efficiency. Greenleaf believed that this leadership style allows for a better connection between leaders and employees, which creates more trust and autonomy.
Key Characteristics of Servant Leadership
Namely, Greenleaf pointed out that the most important characteristic of servant leadership is the priority of serving others before leading itself. His 10 principles of servant leadership are:
- Listening: A commitment to listening carefully to others, with periods of reflection.
- Empathy: The effort to understand, empathize and accept others.
- Healing: Focus on helping others overcome emotional wounds and find wholeness.
- Awareness: General awareness and self-awareness that contribute to understanding issues related to power, ethics, and values.
- Persuasion: Unlike authoritarian leadership, relying on persuading others based on the value of arguments rather than coercion or manipulation.
- Conceptualization: The ability to think beyond everyday reality and dream big ideas.
- Foresight: The effort to understand the lessons of the past and present and the likely consequences of decisions in the future.
- Stewardship: Behavior with the understanding that the management of the organization is entrusted to the common good of society.
- Commitment to people’s growth: The belief that people have intrinsic value beyond their intangible contributions as workers, leading to a strong commitment to the growth of each individual.
- Community building: Commitment to team and community well-being; acting as a guardian of the team’s values and mission.
Pros and Cons of Servant Leadership
Like any theory, this one has certain advantages and disadvantages that have been conceptualized by researchers, and some of them are:
Pros of Servant Leadership:
- Gaining respect: Leaders who put others before themselves often gain more respect from their employees.
- Employee’s sense of value: Employees feel valued because they know that management is taking care of their needs.
- Shared vision: There is a shared vision and increased trust between employees and leaders.
- Improved innovation: Incorporating employee input into decision-making can improve innovation processes.
- Personal and professional development: Individuals develop their skills and can thrive in a supportive environment.
Cons of Servant Leadership:
- Lack of experience: Few leaders have experience with this leadership style.
- Cultural change: Applying this style may require significant changes in organizational culture.
- Slow decision-making: This style is not suitable for quick decision-making, which can be problematic in crisis situations.
- Excessive responsibilities for employees: Leaders may assign tasks and responsibilities that exceed employees’ abilities.
Servant leadership is a leadership style that promotes employee growth and well-being through a commitment to service. When properly applied, this model can therefore result in a more productive and satisfying work environment. Dr. Martin Luther King, who took a leadership role in the Civil Rights Movement and chose a nonviolent approach, is just one example of leaders sacrificing their own well-being to help others. Some examples from today are former Ford CEO Alan Mulally, former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, former Unilever CEO Paul Polman, etc.
