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Servant leadership is one of the most well-known and commonly used alternative approaches to traditional leadership. It has been adopted by many organizations as a way to help alleviate some of the negative effects that come from using solely a top-down management style.
Leaders who use servant leadership principles are known as “servant leaders”. These leaders focus on placing the needs of their team members and organization ahead of their own personal interests.
That’s a stark contrast to traditional leaders who are often focused on maintaining power, prestige, and authority. Below we will explore 7 powerful reasons why you should adopt the principles of servant leadership in your organization right now.
1. Servant leadership is a win-win for everyone.
At the core of servant leadership is a focus on the needs and goals of everyone involved in the organization, not just the leaders. A servant leader is not focused on authority, power, or themselves; instead, they are focused on helping the people they lead to meet their goals and feel appreciated and fulfilled.
Servant leader is known for having empathy for their team members, listening to them, and valuing their contributions. In return, team members are much more likely to go above and beyond for their organization and be incredibly loyal to their team.
Servant leaders are also much more likely to inspire confidence and trust than traditional leaders, which is extremely important in any organization. People want to work with and for people they trust. Trust is also essential for having effective and open communication, which is critical to any organization’s success.
Examples of servant leaders throughout history:
- Jesus Christ
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Abraham Lincoln
- Nelson Mandela
- Mother Teresa
- Martin Luther King Jr.
A few modern examples of servant business leaders include:
- Herb Kelleher – Former CEO of Southwest Airlines known for putting employees first.
- Cheryl Bachelder – Former CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen who turned the brand around by serving the people who had invested the most in Popeyes.
- Art Barter – CEO of Datron World Communications, Inc. who is intentional about leveraging employee’s strengths to drive performance
- Jack Welch – Beloved former CEO of General Electric who wrote, “before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
2. Servant leaders create a culture of trust and care.
Servant leaders have a genuine interest in helping the people they lead to meet their goals and feel fulfilled. This is communicated to the team members, and often leads to team members feeling cared for and appreciated by their leaders.
This helps create a culture where team members are more likely to go above and beyond for their organization and be incredibly loyal to their team. When leaders care about their team members, team members are more likely to trust their leaders.
This is important for many different reasons, but most importantly it is essential for effective and open communication, which is critical to any organization’s success. When team members feel cared for, there is less conflict and more trust within the team.
This leads to less time spent dealing with interpersonal issues, more time spent getting work done, and better overall productivity.
3. Servant leaders value individual contributions and growth.
Servant leaders focus on helping their team members excel at what they do and grow their skills. They are focused on making sure each team member gets the recognition they deserve for their contributions.
Servant leaders also focus on helping their team members develop the skills and abilities they need to succeed. This is often done through one-on-one meetings and by giving constructive feedback when appropriate.
When team members feel appreciated and valued, they are more likely to stay with the organization and excel at their job. Servant leaders also set the tone for how feedback is given to the rest of the team.
This can help create an environment that is less focused on criticism and more focused on growth.
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4. Servant leaders encourage servant behavior from their team members.
Servant leaders set the example for the behaviors they want to see from their team members. They often hold themselves accountable to the same standards as their team members. This helps encourage servant behavior from their team.
A great example of this is using what is sometimes called the “sandwich technique” when giving someone feedback. Instead of just criticizing a team member’s work in a one-on-one meeting, sandwiching the negative feedback with positive comments. While the positive comments might seem unnecessary or even insincere, they help ensure that the person receiving the feedback doesn’t feel attacked or criticized.
This helps encourage servant behavior from team members and reduces defensiveness. The positive comments also send a subtle message to the person receiving the feedback that they are capable of doing better. This is much more likely to lead to a positive change than negative feedback alone.
5. Servant leaders are transparent and have open communication.
Servant leaders are not only transparent about their own work but also about their thoughts, feelings, and goals with their team members. They ask for feedback, give constructive criticism, and take time to listen to their team members’ thoughts, feelings, and goals.
Being transparent with your team members is essential for building trust and rapport, and it helps them feel heard and appreciated. This makes it more likely that team members will feel comfortable being open and honest with you and each other.
When both your transparency and your team members’ communication are open, it is much easier to identify potential issues and resolve them before they escalate into larger problems.
6. Servant leaders hold themselves to the same standards as their team members.
Servant leaders hold themselves to the same standards as their team members. This helps create a culture where everyone is held accountable. It sends the message that everyone is expected to excel and that no one person is above reproach.
When leaders are held accountable to the same standards as their team members, they are likely to feel more accountable to their team members. This can help create a culture of trust and transparency where team members feel comfortable being open and honest with one another.
When you hold yourself to the same standards as your team members, it also shows them that you are human and not perfect. This can make team members feel more comfortable being open and honest with you because they know you aren’t perfect and you aren’t expecting perfection from them either.
7. Servant leaders take care of the things that are most important.
Servant leaders focus on taking care of the things that are most important to their organization, like meeting deadlines, following budgets, and providing excellent customer service.
All of these things are extremely important to the organization’s overall success. Servant leaders are focused on the big picture, so they don’t get caught up in the small things that may not be as important.
This helps them take care of the things that are most important to their organization so they can succeed. When leaders are focused on taking care of the things that are most important, it shows the rest of the team that those things are more important than the leaders’ personal interests.
This can help leaders gain the respect and authority needed to lead effectively.
🙌 Conclusion 🙌
Servant leaders are focused on helping their team members achieve their goals and feel appreciated. They set the example for behaviors they want to see from their team members, hold themselves to the same standards as their team members, and take care of the things that are most important.
Servant leaders are focused on the big picture and helping the team members excel at what they do and grow their skills. This helps them succeed by creating a culture of trust and care, encouraging servant behavior, and taking care of the things that are most important.
There are many benefits to servant leadership, but it’s important to remember that it isn’t a quick fix.
You can’t just implement servant leadership and expect immediate results.
It takes time and effort to build trust and change a culture from the top down. 😉