What is to be a “servant” leader? Why is it even important to talk about? And why is it that you might end up wanting to have the approach as a leader in your own life.
Is servant leadership the same definition as it sounds? Let’s find out!
Servant leader is a paradox – an approach to leadership that runs counter to common sense (Northouse, 2016, p225).
Looking at learning the definition is quite safe to say that I can agree that “everyone can learn to be a servant leader”. Yet that is not a fact. It’s debatable at best.
Servant leadership emphasizes that leaders need to be attentive to the concerns of followers “first”, empower them, and help them develop their full personal capacities (Northouse, 2016, p 225). What really answers the thought questions is how can everyone learn to be a servant leader and at the same time have ethical standards that contribute to serve the greater good of the organization, community, and society? I believe “time” is the most concern. Can leaders actually have the time to learn to be a servant leader? Will they shrug it off because of bigger priorities?
What most leaders don’t know, is that followers are an asset to the firm/company. They would be stuck to the top of the hierarchy as they are of value to the organization. It is stated that “if inequalities and social injustices exist, a servant leader tries to remove them (Graham, 1991). That shows his/her ethical standards. Another statement suggests “Servant leadership values community because it provides a face to face opportunity for individuals to experience interdependence, respect, trust, and individual growth (Greenleaf, 1970). This implies how beneficial it is to the organization that followers or servants can be treated in a particular way that brings the best out of them.
There are around 10 or more characteristics that can qualify a servant leader. That does not necessarily mean that every single trait has to be in the leader to qualify them as “servant leader”. These are traits that specify what it takes of each individually listed concept of the word that is listed to glean the perception of servant leadership.
These 10 represent Greenleaf’s seminal work on the servant as leader. They provide a creative lens from which to view the complexities of servant leadership (Northouse, 2016, p 229).
Characteristics for servant leadership is as follows:
1. Listening = Leaders listen first, communication is critical.
2. Empathy = Standing in one’s shoe to see different perspectives.
3. Healing = Supporting & overcoming follower’s personal problems.
4. Awareness = acutely attuned and receptive to leaders own perspective in the situation.
5. Persuasion = Convincing with clear and persistent communication.
6. Conceptualization = Leaders responding to complex organizational problems & seeing the big picture “visionary”.
7. Foresight = Leaders predicting the future. Anticipating outcomes.
8. Stewardship = Accepting the responsibility for managing people and organization.
9. Commitment to the growth of People = Treating followers with value and applying uniqueness.
10. Building community = Making the organization a home, where followers feel safe and connected with others.
Traits and qualities listed explains how simple it is to understand how these characteristics intertwine the complexity of being a servant leader.
However, Individuals bring their own traits and ideas about leading to leadership process. A leader or “servant” leader must welcome it.
The Model of Servant Leadership (Northouse, 2016, p 232), explains the way leader attributes and follower’s receptivity combine with “Antecedent Conditions, Servant Leader behaviors and outcomes”.
Example of this is having “context and culture, leader attributes and follower receptivity” linkage to process with servant leadership behavior “Putting followers first, behaving ethically etc.” which bring out the outcome “follower’s performance and growth etc.”
Contradicting to what a lot of people may believe. Followers to not always want a servant leader. Some followers insist that they do not want their leader to get to know them or try to help, develop, or guide them (Liden, Wayne, et al., 2008).
In any case I believe any leader should motivate and make their followers grow and succeed. Prior to lesson 8 being an authentic leader, this is hard to accomplish if the leaders ethical standards in the workplace is not in his/her attribute as a leader and his/her character.
Regardless followers need to be appreciated. And leaders need to accomplish and learn to have an emotional intelligence attribute inside the organization and value their followers.
So knowing if everyone can learn how to be a servant leader is really debatable and hard to answer. A servant authentic leader needs to push followers to become their best. He/she also needs to know if they actually need or want it. As not every follower welcomes the idea of closeness and wanting a mentor.
Yet the followers that do require trust, influence, a leader that makes them grow, and creates a 2nd like home for them that they can actually be comfortable while connecting to others in the organization.
A leader also needs to understand that servant leadership can create “competition” in my opinion. As it raises the question of who the favorite. In-out groups can form in the organization, which doesn’t necessarily apply a healthy work environment sometimes. But as I have learned, this can inevitable to avoid. There are followers who do want be close to leaders and some don’t at all.
Now the term “servant” does not really do justice to the approach. That’s probably criticizing it. Yet it’s unique because it creates altruism the main component of the leadership process.
I believe nearly every process will be criticized in a way. The only thing that matters if it works for a certain organization and the other not then the leader is either making mistakes about the approach or not using the right approach.
Servant Leadership questionnaire (Northouse, 2016, p 250) illustrates how a leader can check his skills and attributes as a “servant” leader with his/her followers. This will show the leaders progress by checking his/her score in qualifying for a servant leader, or needing improvements, or not even required to serve as a servant leader.
Lastly, I believe personality and character of the leader interprets if he/she is able to become a servant leader. Maybe it can be a trait or a knack for some people and maybe it can be taught and learnt by progress and persistence over experience and time.
So I really think it is debatable at best for “Everyone can learn to be a servant leader”.
Respectfully,
Moataz Sidahmed
References:
Peter, G. Northouse (2016). Leadership & Practice. Western Michigan University. Sage Publications
tvb5168 says
Hello Moataz,
After reading your post I feel very enlightened, so thank you for that.
Within my company, servant leadership is heavily encouraged by upper management. From my understanding, it’s to keep upper management in check with all of the people reporting to them. This allows upper management to remain humble instead of being towering or demeaning to all of their followers.
I wasn’t to clear as to why you thought servant leadership would be competitive. It would be great to further discuss that topic if the opportunity should arise.