My most recent leadership assignment has me struggling with my long-standing philosophy of “serving something larger than yourself” in an organization that is broken from a cultural, business process and technology platform perspective.
In Northouse, Greenleaf, considered to be the first to study and define servant leadership, provides the most widely referenced definition of servant leadership; “servant leadership begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead…The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test is: do those served grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And what is the effect on the least privileged in society; will they benefit, or, at least, will they not be further deprived.” (Northouse, 2016 p. 226). When I read that definition, I find myself saying; “who wouldn’t want to be a servant leader as Greenleaf defines it”? During the course of my days, weeks, months, quarters and years of leading large organizations, especially the current organization I am finding my ability to behave as a servant leader really challenged.
As I mentioned in the title of this blog post I am writing about servant leadership and organizational accountability. One of the things I do when I am given a new assignment is re-read the book “The First 90 Days”. This book is largely about spending your first 90 days, listening and learning. This allows you to build relationships and ultimately work with the team to put the pieces in place that will drive organizational accountability and results. Historically, during these first 90 days I assign a book to my new leadership team called “The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual Accountability and Organizational Accountability”. This book essentially describes two types of people/leaders; those who are above the line and those below it. This thin line, that the authors describe “separates us from failure, the great companies to the ordinary ones. Below the line sits excuse making, blaming others, confusion and attitude of helplessness, while above the line we find a sense of reality, ownership, commitment, solutions to problems and determined action”. (Connors, et al, 2004).
Now to my challenge, can you truly behave as a servant leader in an environment filled with many “below the line leaders” as described above? One of the outcomes of servant leadership as defined in Northouse is “follower performance and growth”. The model of servant leadership should be focused on direct recognition of follower’s contribution while helping them to realize their potential which ultimately leads to those followers achieving their goals. So, if your followers are growing and their performance is improving what’s the problem, or in this case my problem? This may lie in whether servant leadership truly drives organizational performance. While Northouse defines that early indications are that servant leadership has a positive impact of organizational performance the current research is in its initial stages. There is need for further research to substantiate the direct and indirect ways that servant leadership drives organizational outcomes. (Northouse, 2016 p.237). Does this mean that I have one of those organizations that don’t see improved organizational results through servant leadership?
As I reflect on the last year in my current role, the reading from Northouse and the authors I reference above it seems to me that servant leadership takes time. One of the critical behaviors that servant leaders must execute is “putting followers first”. Northouse describes it as the servant leaders “defining characteristic”. It is about you, as a servant leader using words and actions that demonstrate to your team that their concerns are a priority, placed above the needs of the leader. (Northouse, 2016 p. 234). I have come to the conclusion that it would be almost impossible for me to truly know my followers to such a level that I could put their needs above all else. It’s also clear that until they see me as a model of servant leadership the potential of them becoming servant leaders themselves is minimized. I believe that is what I am experiencing today. Fact is my philosophy “serving something larger than yourself” is the right one; it’s just taking time for the entire organization to embrace it as we travel the long road to true above the line thinking and the wonderful outcomes that come along with it.
References
Connors, R., Smith, T., Hickman, C. (2004). The Oz principle: Getting results through individual and organizational accountability. (2nd Ed). New York, NY: Penguin
Northouse, Peter Guy. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. 7th Edition. Los Angeles: SAGE
acr5216 says
You have a great post and one I can totally relate to. First, let me say that I also have read The First 90 days multiple times and I recommend it to other leaders going into a new role. To your point about driving the organization forward. I truly believe you can be a servant leader and still drive business. The challenge here is that servant leadership takes time especially if your place requires a mindset shift and for the most part a cultural overhaul.
What I have learned in my use of servant leadership is that it is framework that is outward reaching. If you are a servant leader to your staff, they feel validated and like someone “has their back”. This feeling is contagious. Once you get the bug of this type of leadership, you want to spread it. Even if your followers don’t fully utilize servant leadership because they aren’t pre-dispositioned to do so (I believe there is a level of personality compatibility at play), they will pull tools pieces of what you do that they admire and add to their leadership toolbox. These types of small ripples can make waves in shifting a mindset. When other departments see how your area has staff that is getting developed, empathetic listeners and simply a true altruistic way of working, it is likely to be asked about and you then have the power to instill cultural change enterprise wide.
So, to your discussion I think you shouldn’t look at servant leadership to develop your employees to be more top of the line…yet. You should look at servant leadership to help shift a mindset first.
Thanks for a great post!