Servant Leadership is very dear to my heart. This type of leadership is not like the rest and is unique. This paradoxical approach to leadership is one that embodies the true service and selflessness part of what leadership is about. If someone told me to come up with one picture or visual that would describe or embody what I thought servant leadership was, it would be one of a father coming home after working two jobs and going to night school, putting food on the table and teaching his son how to approach algebra and life. It would be of a platoon sergeant with his platoon in battle holding off enemy fire or falling on a grenade while all of his men get to safety. Of course there is a back story and years of mentorship, keen wisdom and teaching behind all of these visuals but to me servant leadership is the ultimate leadership because it is selfless and many times underappreciate or not appreciated until later in life or until it is too late.
These kind of great leaders do not seek trophies or awards or even gratitude. These leaders are satisfied with the seeds that they sow, gratitude can be shown by paying it forward. They are grateful to have been able to influence the next generation of leaders that go on to do even better things because he or she may not be the one who change the world but I guarantee you they are the ones that influence the ones who do.
Of course these are very extreme outcomes but it is all relative and as such explains the antecedent conditions of servant leadership. A win is a win not matter the magnitude, so long as it is in the spirit of either creating a healthy environment or organization, nurturing some kind of individual growth, strengthening performance, and produces a positive impact on society (Northouse, 2017). The ten characteristics identified in Peter G Northouse are good examples of the archetype of a person you is a servant leader. A servant leader is a good listener, contains empathy, is a healer, has a keen awareness of their environment, can be very persuasive, is a visionary or has conceptualization, has the foresight to act on that vision, has the responsibility to take stewardship of his people, has commitment to the growth of people and fosters community.
I realize this a much romanticized view of servant leadership but to a certain extent, it comes with the territory. Selflessness is not an easy feat. According to Spears it can be an innate characteristic or can be learned but in my view it either comes naturally from within or it doesn’t. I also realize that my thought process may be such as the old school view of authentic leadership but there is some truth to it. It is an observable behavior.
Being the big boss and still being humble enough to be a servant to your people is the ultimate dichotomy. I have had a few leaders in my youth like this. I am grateful every day for their sacrifices and steadfast leadership to have opened my eyes to something bigger than just myself. This is includes my dear father. These leaders are gate openers, wheel greasers, bridge makers, opportunity takers. I envision our Commander and Chief, the seat of our presidency to be one of these very rare positions where servant leadership should be applied. Some leaders are born, some leaders are taught and some are made but all will sacrifice something. Servant leaders sacrifice everything for the good of their people.
Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership Theory and Practice (Seventh Edition). Los Angeles: Sage Publications Inc.
Spears, L.C. (2010). Servant leadership and Robert K. Greenleaf’s legacy. In D. van Dierendonck & K. Patterson (Eds.), Servant leadership: Developments in theory and research (pp. 11-24). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
tmp5400 says
Josh,
With regards to your point about how servant leadership can be learned, I would totally agree. Do you think the best servant leaders are those who are born with this characteristic or those whom learn it through life experiences? I would argue that those with learned experiences would be better servant leaders. I think those with life experiences have a better aptitude for stewardship and awareness. Through good or bad experiences, leaders who are acutely attuned and receptive to their physical, social, and political environments are more effective (Northouse, 2016). Without experiences, how are leaders attuned to their respective environments? I think this is why organization often want experience when hiring new employees. There is something to be said for lessons learned and life experience.
When I was hired onto my current organization with little to no experience, my boss told me he hired me for my life experience. I wasn’t a squeaky-clean teenager and this attributed to some legal trouble. However, my employer saw this as a positive because of the life experience. My recent track record showed that I had no trouble with authority or law for the last seven years. Therefore, my boss attributed this to my new-found self-awareness and better understanding of myself through tough life experiences. According to Northouse (2016), “with awareness, servant leaders are able to step aside and view themselves and their own perspectives in the greater context of the situation.” In addition, these run in with law allowed me to start taking responsibility for my actions; making me a better steward of my profession. When I came into the organization, I was entrusted with a leadership role almost immediately. The vetting process mitigated risk for the organization because they knew who they were getting. I carefully managed my peers and subordinates to a success first quarter. I did this by getting to know each person on an individual level and finding out what their motivating factors were. The bottom line is that I accepted “the responsibility to carefully manage the people and organization [I had] been given to lead. (Northouse, 2016)”
Respectfully,
Thomas
References
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice. (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.