Servant leadership

Servant leadership is a term used to describe a philosophy and a series of practices based on the concept of the servant-leader, who focuses on being a servant first. Servant leadership emphasizes the needs of others. For example, servant-leaders in an organization seek to support their team members.

Robert K. Greenleaf coined the terms servant leadership and servant-leader in an essay published in 1970. In the essay, Greenleaf introduced the modern world to the concept of servant leadership. Many others followed Greenleaf's example and became advocates of servant leadership, including Larry C. Spears, who wrote an essay in which he developed ten characteristics of the servant-leader.

About Robert K. Greenleaf

Although the notion of servant leadership has been around since ancient times, Robert K. Greenleaf was the first person in the modern era to articulate the concept. Born in 1904 in Terre Haute, Indiana, Greenleaf attended Rose Polytechnic before transferring to Carleton College, where he graduated with a mathematics degree. He soon began working for AT&T and quickly moved up the ranks. Greenleaf was involved with the company's first management training program and eventually became director of management development. He retired in 1964 after thirty-eight years with the company.

The same year he retired, Greenleaf founded the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Originally called the Center for Applied Ethics, the center is an international nonprofit organization that focuses on advancing servant leadership through programs, workshops, and online learning. The center also hosts an annual conference that brings together servant-leaders from across the globe.

Besides founding the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, Greenleaf also worked as an author, educator, and consultant. In 1970, he published an essay titled "The Servant as Leader," in which he discussed servant leadership and the servant-leader. Specifically, Greenleaf explained the skills that servant-leaders must possess. Greenleaf's essay was published in the 1976 book Servant Leadership. Today, Greenleaf's work continues to influence disciplines such as management, organizational development, and systems thinking. Greenleaf died in 1990.

Fundamentals of Servant Leadership

Greenleaf believed that servant-leaders are most concerned with serving people first. Servant-first leaders are the opposite of leader-first leaders, who are more focused on power and material wealth. By having the desire to serve first, servant-leaders place the needs of others before their own needs. In an organization, this means that servant-leaders strive to help team members perform at optimal levels. Servant-leaders will also ensure the well-being of team members and assist in their personal and professional development. Additionally, servant-leaders are typically excellent communicators. They have good awareness and perception, and they stay focused on goals. Ultimately, Greenleaf felt that such leadership could lead to better organizations and improve people's lives.

Ten Characteristics of Servant-Leaders

After Greenleaf brought the concept of servant leadership into the modern era, other people soon became advocates of the concept. Larry C. Spears is a proponent of servant leadership. A former president of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, Spears believes that servant-leaders possess ten essential characteristics. He developed these characteristics in a 2010 essay titled "Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders." The ten characteristics are as follows:

• Listening—servant-leaders should listen closely to team members without interrupting them. They should also provide feedback after the team members have finished speaking.
• Empathy—having an open mind and understanding the perspectives and needs of team members are vital characteristics of servant-leaders.
• Healing—servant-leaders should strive to create environments that support the physical and mental health of team members by ensuring that they have the knowledge and tools necessary to work effectively.
• Self-Awareness—servant-leaders should be able to reflect on their feelings and actions. This reflection forces servant-leaders to realize their strengths and weaknesses and to think about how their behavior affects others.
• Persuasion—servant-leaders should try to use persuasion to get team members to take action and lend their support. However, this should not be done in a way that is harmful to working relationships.
• Conceptualization—servant-leaders should strive to see the big picture and set goals that are high, which can include developing strategies for their teams.
• Foresight—the ability to determine what might happen in the future is an important tool for servant-leaders. They can develop foresight by learning from the past, analyzing the present, and ascertaining the potential outcome of their decisions.
• Stewardship—servant-leaders must be accountable for their teams, which includes taking responsibility for their team members' performances.
• Commitment to the Growth of People—team members should be given the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally. Servant-leaders should be committed to ensuring this growth by providing team members with occasions to acquire new skills and helping them achieve their goals.
• Building Community—a sense of community is important in any organization. Servant-leaders can build this community by encouraging interaction among team members throughout the organization.

Studies have found servant leadership to be a particularly effective and productive form of leadership. Research led by Adam Grant on servant leadership found that those who utilize servant leadership are better regarded by employees and that by putting others first, servant leaders can gain more insight about the organization they run and therefore run it more effectively. Servant leadership is a concept popular in Christian organizations, but is not widely used among executive leaders in twenty-first century America.

Bibliography

"About the Robert K. Greenleaf Center." Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Web. 6 Apr. 2015. https://greenleaf.org/about-us/

Frick, Don M. "Robert K. Greenleaf: A Short Biography." Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Web. 6 Apr. 2015. https://greenleaf.org/about-us/about-robert-k-greenleaf/

Heskett, James. "Why Isn't Servant Leadership More Prevalent?" Forbes, 1 May 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/05/01/why-isnt-servant-leadership-more-prevalent/#5b7a6d1c4c36. Accessed on 31 Oct. 2016.

Keith, Kent M. "Definition of Servant Leadership." To Serve First: The Servant Leadership Journey. Kent M. Keith. Web. 6 Apr. 2015. http://toservefirst.com/definition-of-servant-leadership.html

"Servant Leadership: Putting Your Team First, and Yourself Second." Mind Tools. Mind Tools Ltd. Web. 6 Apr. 2015. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/servant-leadership.htm

"What Is Servant Leadership?" Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Web. 6 Apr. 2015. https://greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/